A lot of white smoke from exhaust?

2003 TOYOTA AVALON
200,000 MILES
Avatar
SMF
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Hello,

I went to work at noon today and I did not notice anything amiss. When I left work at 7 PM, though, a lot of white smoke came from my exhaust when I started the car, and it did not go away immediately. I thought it had a slight oil smell. I had no choice but to drive it home, which is ten minutes away. As I drove, I could no longer see the smoke, although it was pretty dark by then. I did not feel or hear anything unusual as I drove, and I made it back to my house without overt issues. When I got home, I looked under the hood with a flashlight, and I saw nothing unusual, and I could not smell anything off. I did not check the oil since I wanted to let the engine cool down from driving. There were no warning lights on my dash. I will take it to the shop tomorrow morning, but I am worried that there might be a serious problem that I do not have the money to fix.
Sep 11, 2023 at 6:17 PM
Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.
Advertisement
Avatar
STRAILER
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 54,176 POSTS
It could be normal, when the weather starts to cool off and there is high humidity white steam will come from the exhaust.

This guide can help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/white-smoke-or-steam-coming-from-the-exhaust-pipe

Also, when the engine is cold check the coolant level, if low you may have a blown head gasket, this guide can help us tell for sure:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please go over these guides and get back to us.
Sep 12, 2023 at 11:42 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
SMF
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I went to the mechanic today and it was a bad oil leak. He said something about a ring in it that's bad (although he said nothing about the head gasket) and the engine is burning oil like nobody's business.

Thank you for your help.
Sep 12, 2023 at 2:11 PM
Avatar
STRAILER
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 54,176 POSTS
Sometimes it is difficult to tell if the smoke is blue or white. Blue smoke is oil. It sounds like you have a broken oil control ring on one or more of the pistons. Does the engine make any irregular noise when idling?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/blue-smoke-from-engines-exhaust

Please go over this guide and get back to us.
Sep 13, 2023 at 10:19 AM