I backed my bone stock, 23000 mile 2003 turbo out of the garage today and it looked like I had done a burnout out of the garage!
There were black tire prints all the way out and into the driveway. They didn't have any odor, and I couldn't get enough of it on my fingers to tell if it was oily. It really looks like melted rubber
The tracks appeared to have been made on my way OUT of the garage, not on the way in (guessing because there seemed to be only one set).

Do any of you have thoughts on what I should check?
The car runs and drives fine. The oil level is fine, and it's not showing any sign of heating up. No antifreeze smell in the car or out.

I'm waiting for the car to cool to check the pentosin level.

Thanks in advance for any help / ideas.
Dan

 

Check the CV boots on the axles.

 

So... Just turn the wheels all the way one direction and look for ???

Sorry, I don't know how to check these.

But wouldn't it be a little strange for both sides to let go at the same time?

 

I just stuck my head under the front drivers side to see if I could find signs of a leak, but everything except the fender wells looks dry.
Also, there is no muck on the inside of the wheels...


It looks like I drove through wet tar and then into the garage, but it's winter and there is no tar work going on at these temps! Plus, there were no tracks in the drive until I backed the car out.

 

Check all fluid levels as you say. If everything looks normal let car run and look for leaks keeping an eye on temp gauge. Maybe you just ran through something but realize there should be tracks into garage? You need to jack car up and look for grease on/around cv joint boots as suggested.

 

Did you drive the car in the rain or snow before putting it away in the garage?

This can result in a water tire track when backing out of the garage. Quite a bit of snow can accumulate inside the wheel well and the heat of the car melts this and can leave the wheels/tires and brakes quite wet.

Even just driving in some rain or on wet roads can have some water collected that when the car is parked up can have the tires leave water tracks.

However, it doesn't have to be just plain water. Check the power steering fluid level. The word I can is the rack can develop a leak and this can power steering fluid running to both sides of the car.

 

I'm pretty sure this isn't from driving the car in the rain, although the roads were slightly damp the last time I drove the car before I noticed the marks. But it's been 2 days since I've driven the car and the tracks are still there hours after backing out of the garage. They are still very dark and reminiscent of tar tracks.

I let the car cool for about 2 hours, started it for about 20 seconds, shut it off and checked that the pentosin level is just below the cold mark just like the manual says it should be ...

All is well, mystery not solved, but nothing seems broken so???

 

Well, nothing is apparently broken, but you have to explain the source of the tire tracks. If the tracks are still present hours after moving the car they are not water. They are a vital fluid. And while there is no apparent issue one is lurking nonetheless.

Time to get the car to a shop and up in the air and give the undercarriage a good inspection. Fluid at both tires suggests a steering rack leak despite your finding the power steering fluid level ok. Do not delay. While if I'm right a rack is not cheap just wait until you price a new power steering pump and new lines.

Just kind of an off hand observation, but more than once I have spotted dark fluid spots on the body of my Turbo. However, I see nothing on the wheels and nothing on the ground under the car before or after moving the car.

The first time I noticed this I took the car to the dealer to find out where the fluid leak was coming from. The spots were from the detailer having applied tire sidewall conditioner. This gets sprayed on and often (always) too heavy and when the car is driven the excess gets slung off and some ends up as dark fluid spots on the body that sure looks like some kind of vital fluid. This application of tire sidewall conditioner was done some few days before I noticed the dark spots, too.

 

Do you think the power steering fluid would melt the tires a bit? I'm just curious because it really seems like the tires were somewhat melted and the rubber left the residue on my garage floor and drive.


It rained for a few hours this morning and the tire tracks are still visible in my drive, so I think it's safe to say it was not water.


I will make an appointment soon.


Thank you for your help and advice,
Dan

 

IIRC there is a caution on the Pentosin container that it should not come into contact with rubber.

if the tire left something more than just a water track then is reads like the tire had Pentosin on it.

I'd get the car in ASAP and in the meantime avoid driving it.

When it comes time to get the car in consider flat bedding it.

 

Thank you!