ok here's my problem.....the other night my car wouldnt start, dead battery. got a jump and all is fine with the battery. the next day i go to back my car (97 formula) out of the driveway and my power steering is notchy as heck. after reading up no here (this site rocks) i figured that what was happening was something was getting my serpentine belt wet and making it slip...thus the dead battery and notchy steering. i ran it for about 3 miles this afternoon, popped the hood and sure enough the belt was wet, there was fluid everywhere! mainly dripping onto the ground directly under the engine but also sprayed onto the top of the CAI and the underside of the hood. now while this is all going on my brakes have seemed way too spongey and too much play in the pedal plus when i brake completely my brake light comes on. i dont have the tools here to fix even a broken hose so i need to take the car to a friends shop but if its the brakes leaking i dont want to drive it...obviously. whats the visible difference between the two fluids? would the slipping wet belt cause the breaking issue or is it leaking brake fluid causing the wet belt and bad power steering??? any help would be much appreciated!

 

It's doubtful the brake fluid is getting that far foward to get on the belt. Particularly against the flow of air. Brake fluid is clear unless it hasn't been flushed and filled every year or 2 like it should and then starts to darken. Power steering fluid is usually red.

 

Are you sure its not acid leaking out of the battery? It has kind of a yellowish clear color to it. Kinda like brake fluid.

And if there is a lot of fluid leaking and it was brake fluid, you would probably have no brakes at all.

 

If your serpentine belt is getting wet, the first place I would look for a leak would be the waterpump. As stated above, I honestly doubt your wetness is a cause from brake fluid.
Power Steering fluid - Reddish
Waterpump juices - If oem: Orangish Aftermarket: greenish
Brake fluid - clear to dirty
Hope this helps.

 

thanks i've figured it out and it's been fixed.

actually waterpump was leaking (finally went out completely) and at the same time but completely unrelated i was losing some brake fluid as well out of a fitting on the mastercylinder. 70 dollar waterpump, 50 mastercylinder=problem solved.