Is this brake fluid or what?

Hey amigos! Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I pulled up the floormat on the drivers side of my 2014 TDI SE a few weeks ago because I spilled a drink. I never really paid attention to what the floor looked like under there until today, when I noticed my shoe was wet and oily after driving. Rubbed my hand around in the carpet, and this stuff is soaking wet with oil, and the oil is eating the carpet off. The fibers are coming right off with very gentle rubbing. The carpet is almost completely gone where the heel of my foot rests.

I can't see anything leaking near the firewall, and can't see anything except dry plastic when I crawled under the car. Could it be brake fluid or power steering fluid pooling down there somehow? I don't really know what to look for.

Linking the images here made enormous thumbnails, so I've posted a few pictures here:

http://imgur.com/a/SEhPL

Given the location I'd tend to dismiss hydraulic or brake fluid. No inside brake lines. Clutch and brake master cylinders are in the external firewall. Not power steering fluid because you have electric power steering if a TDI.

My guess is coolant as your heater core is directly above the go pedal and just forward of the center console. If correct, then I'm surprised you haven't smelled it. Two unions connect the core with the supply and return lines. Both are sealed by O-rings... Supposedly anyway.

I'm guessing I haven't smelled it because it's been covered up by the floormat for so long. I didn't think coolant was so greasy/oily, but that seems logical to me.

Will take it to the dealership later and see if it's covered by the extended warranty. The carpet is completely ruined under there. I doubt they'll wanna do anything about that.

If they don't wanna cover it, it'll be just another slight push towards the buyback option. The 2016 Miata club edition looks great!

I would do this- not recommending you do it. Get a glass of water ready. Taste a tiny drop on tip of your tounge. Immediately spit and rinse thoroughly. Sweet taste, antifreeze. Oily taste, who knows, maybe brake/clutch fluid. No taste, water (leaky seal somewhere).

And yes, I have a few less brain cells from the occasional use of this technique...

Let the razzing begin.

^^^highly unlikely that a drop of antifreeze would cause any harm. Just spit it out.

That would mean your loss of a few brain cells has another cause...HAHA!

The amount of fluid would seem to be enough to be noticed if it leaked from the car.


a quick check of fluid levels seems to be in order.

it is also possible that something spilled that was carried into the car

I am thinking brake/clutch fluid, although I don't know how it could get in there. Antifreeze smells so strong it would be hard to miss, especially after the water starts evaporating. Antifreeze, water (or beer for that matter) probably would not damage the carpet, but I believe brake fluid is corrosive.

Good luck, make sure to let us know what you find.

brake fluid eats paint right? put some on a spot you can't see.

Whats the level of the resevior? it only holds an extra ~1/2 cup above the max line so any amount loss would be dramatic on the tank.

Unless it was spilled, there's no way for brake fluid to migrate to the INSIDE of the firewall.

Brake fluid doesn't feel oily. It has a dry feeling - your fingers will have friction when rubbing them together where oil or antifreeze will make them slippery. Antifreeze will wash off easily with water where oil will remain on your fingers.

Trade Wind said:

...but I believe brake fluid is corrosive.

Click to expand...

Brake fluid is definitely NOT corrosive. It is in contact with metal lines and cylinders constantly. It IS very much hygroscopic meaning it will absorb moisture into it and that can cause its own issues.

sent from my mobile look-at device

give a sample a splash of alcohol,, alcohol dissolves brake fluid.fast, if its oil, it will come off ,but slower..

brianm88 said:

I pulled up the floormat on the drivers side of my 2014 TDI SE a few weeks ago because I spilled a drink.
http://imgur.com/a/SEhPL

Click to expand...

Maybe this is what were all scratching our head about?

Spilled drink?

740GLE said:

Maybe this is what were all scratching our head about?
Spilled drink?

Click to expand...

Yea cause whenever you spill a little bit of drink several weeks ago on the floormat it usually soaks through and creates a stagnant puddle of oily fluid that eats the carpet underneath

I looked closer under there and I can see a faint white trail of drips coming from under the dash towards the back of the gas pedal, where Nord was talking about. Looks like it probably is coolant for sure. You can actually even see it in one of the pictures, I just didn't see it before. ( http://imgur.com/XFQ6X0j )

Still didn't have time to see if the dealership will cover it under ext warranty. We'll see soon.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. Definitely appreciate it.