2000 Acura 3.2 TL Has Some Kind of Dark Fluid Leaking Out

Reader Question Hi,

I have noticed some oil on the top of the gear panel; the place where I shift the gears.

However the oil has a deep blue color (not in pink.) So I am not sure if it’s the transmission fluid or the engine oil.

I have an Acura 3.2 TL of year 2000. These models are known to have some transmission issues.

What should I do now? I am a student and don’t have much money to take it to fancy dealer mechanics.

Thanks,

Praphul

Hey there Praphul,

I am assuming you are seeing this oil under the hood of the engine, and not inside the vehicle…correct? Being that this fluid is dark in color, I would assume it to be engine oil or gear oil that is black and dirty.

You can remove the transmission and the engine dipsticks and compare the colors to the fluid you see. If there is just a small amount of fluid leaking, not a dripping leak I would not worry too much about this.

I would expect a 7 year old vehicle with 80K+ miles on it to have a few fluid “seeps”. Sometimes the oil change places drip oil on the engine and transmission when they perform an oil change. Keep ALL the fluids full and change them regularly and if you don’t see any drips or puddles on the ground under your car I would not worry too much about it.

If you have not had the transmission fluid changed recently you might want to get a fast lube place to inspect and or replace the fluid for you, better safe than sorry. Most fast lube places will check all the under hood fluids for you without charge.

Blessings,

Austin Davis