Is That Smoke coming Out of My Tailpipe?

In the perfect world, water vapor would be the only thing we see coming out of our tailpipes....but, we're not quite there yet. So what does that smoke mean?

Obviously when it's cold out and you start the vehicle you'll see smoke. This should go away after the vehicle warms up.If you're finding that this smoke continues, then it's time to get it checked out. There are some general reasons why you may have smoke, and the color can help you diagnose your problem.

Here's a pretty good description of some common issues from RepairPal. I also talk about it a little in my video of what to look for when buying a used vehicle.

As always, I recommend that you have a technician properly diagnose your problem. These tips of what to look for will give you an idea of what could be wrong and help steer you in the right direction....and you'll feel like you know a little bit more of what could be wrong. Empower yourself with knowledge and you'll feel more confident when it comes to talking to your service personnel.

Lori