0:00
seeing white smoke puff out of your
0:01
car's exhaust when you start it can be
0:03
alarming is it a minor hiccup or
0:05
something serious you shouldn't ignore
0:08
let's break it down white smoke on
0:10
Startup isn't always a disaster but it's
0:13
definitely something you should pay
0:14
attention to here are the four most
0:16
common causes and what you can do about
0:19
them first up condensation if it's a
0:23
cold day and the smoke disappears after
0:24
a few seconds it's probably just
0:27
condensation moisture builds up in your
0:29
exhaust overnight and the heat from the
0:31
engine Burns it off totally normal
0:34
nothing to worry about I'll admit the
0:36
first time I saw this I panicked and
0:38
called a mechanic turned out I just
0:41
needed to warm up the car now if that
0:43
white smoke sticks around especially if
0:45
it smells sweet it could mean your
0:47
coolant is leaking into the combustion
0:49
chamber this might be due to a blown
0:51
head gasket a cracked engine block or a
0:54
bad intake manifold gasket if you
0:56
suspect this check your coolant level is
0:59
it dropping faster than normal time to
1:01
get a mechanic involved ignoring it
1:04
could lead to bigger engine problems and
1:06
trust me those repairs aren't cheap
1:09
sometimes unburned fuel in the exhaust
1:11
can cause white smoke especially on
1:14
Startup this often happens if your car
1:16
has a bad fuel injector or a clogged air
1:18
filter leading to an improper fuel air
1:21
mix in my experience this one's a little
1:24
trickier to diagnose yourself but
1:26
keeping your car's maintenance up to
1:28
date can help you avoid this head
1:29
headache lastly white smoke might also
1:32
mean oil is seeping into the cylinders
1:35
this could be from worn piston rings or
1:37
a faulty valve seal check your oil
1:40
levels if they're dropping without leaks
1:42
you might be burning oil this happened
1:44
to me last year ignoring the early signs
1:46
ended up costing me an engine rebuild
1:49
don't make my mistake address it early
1:52
so white smoke on Startup it could be
1:54
harmless condensation or a sign of
1:56
something more serious like a coolant
1:58
leak fuel issue or burning oil the key
2:02
is to act quickly keep an eye on those
2:04
warning signs and don't hesitate to
2:06
consult a professional if this video
2:09
helped you hit the like button and share
2:11
it with someone who might need it got
2:13
questions or your own experiences drop
2:16
them in the comments I'd love to hear
2:18
your stories and don't forget to
2:20
subscribe for more car tips and tricks
2:22
stay safe on the road
