Leak under car after mechanic visit

Question

So I took my car to a mechanic (referred my a friend) to get brakes done (rear and front and an oil/filter change. This was done on a Thursday. Saturday I noticed all this water/stuff on my driveway. My Dad had checked it for me and we noticed the coolant tank reserve cap hose was off. We added water and now there are only 2 small leaks on car but I checked this morning and it doesn't seem to be water still in the tank or it's very low. Is this normal? Will the leaks go away once everything is dried up below since everything got wet under car? Why was mechanic on the left side of car when oil is in middle of car??

Thanks for any input!

Answer 1

If there is water, or any fluids for that matter leaking from anywhere, then don't drive the car until its been checked over, I would recommend this you get the mechanic back.

Radiator expansion tanks are usually almost half full when the engine is cold, it should not be empty or have disconnected hoses.

Sometimes after a service a car may have a couple of drips here and there. Mainly though any dripping water should just be from topping up the washer bottle and NOT from any hoses!

When a mechanic does a proper job he should clean up after his work. Especially after changing any fluids/filter etc, you should see no drips at all really from anywhere, especially a couple of days later.

Please get the mechanic back to check your car over for you and explain what has happened.

Answer 2

If you ever have a problem or concern after having service performed by a reputable shop or technician, take it back to them immediately.

Most technicians are very proud and want to make sure things are done correctly, but accidents do happen once in a while. They also deserve the chance to correct the problem before you spread the word about how you were unhappy with the service, which I know is what everyone does =)

Lastly, this is a great time to learn a lot about this technician or shop. How they treat you when you have an issue will tell you everything you ever wanted to know. They know they aren't going to make money by checking your car again, so if they try to appease you without even checking anything ... huge warning sign. If they make you wait for hours, another huge sign.

You should immediately become first priority and the vehicle should get a thorough inspection. They should also give you an explanation. Of course, you should not be charged anything for any of this.