3.3TT Black grease on driver side front qtr panel

[ScorpionStinger]

I could not find any evidence of grease leakage in the engine bay, wheel well, wheels, tires, front axle assembly - although I could not get totally under the car. Turned the wheels all the way both ways.

 

[Ohiocruiser]

It's a asphalt tar. With these temperatures it can get very soft. Wash it off.

 

[ScorpionStinger]

Oh I did wash it off..OCD...had the car two years and never have seen this before including all my other cars over the years.

It's a asphalt tar. With these temperatures it can get very soft. Wash it off.

 

[Snicklefritz]

wondering how is the worst part. if it won't come off easily that would be worse of course.

 

[Rodtheviking]

CV grease leak or you ran over some in the road.

 

[HDTurbo]

CV grease leak or you ran over some in the road.

Yup. Or thrown up/off from another vehicle on the highway. Asphalt tar would be tougher to remove than grease.

 

[Snicklefritz]

things get 'thrown' on our cars inexplicably. recently I was sitting at an intersection waiting to turn right. Suddenly I saw a slew of greyish splatters hit my windshield, out of nowhere. I went directly to a parking lot and took a look. my initial decision to use a spray bottle and microfiber and remove each splatter quickly changed to going to the next door hand wand touchless car wash. those splatters were looking more like very thinned cement the longer they dried! there was no cement truck anywhere near me when it happened. that's why I said 'wondering how is the worst part.' because you can't use the incident as any sort of lesson to avoid the next time something like this happens.

 

[ScorpionStinger]

CV grease leak or you ran over some in the road.

Checked the CV boot and no signs of grease but could not get in far enough to see where the axle attaches to the hub. There were signs of it on the 1/2 in of body color metal that wraps around the inside of the wheel well. But like I said...nothing on the wheel, brake assembly etc. I guess if it happens again off to dealership...which causes me pain.

 

[NS_Stinger]

If that much grease came from a ripped CV boot I'd expect the inside of the wheel to have a bunch on it too. Im guessing it didnt come from your car but another source.

 

[ScorpionStinger]

If that much grease came from a ripped CV boot I'd expect the inside of the wheel to have a bunch on it too. Im guessing it didnt come from your car but another source.

I agree I've driven about 25 miles since washing it and nothing yet. All speeds spirited driving. I am 90% confident it was grease. Should've smelled it I suppose but main goal was to get it off the paint asap.

 

[HDTurbo]

It’s messy out there! Esp with the excessive heat. I’ve had grease, tar, including tar covered pebbles stick my paint/rims over the years. One of the most annoying is white pine pitch/sap; literally have to just let the aromatic solvent evaporate and then carefully chisel it off, though WD40 might help. And dried roadkill innards are another PITA (or PETA?..). I once had to chase down the sweet smell of death to a small bird carcass rotting in the lower part of the grill on my faster-than-a-raptor LGT. Glad you got it sorted.