What could be causing this on my wheel?

It’s only happening on this one wheel. The rest of them are perfectly fine.

Sounds like it might be brake fluid.

Olive said:
Sounds like it might be brake fluid.

It feels greasy and doesn’t smell like alcohol though. Could it still be brake fluid?

Jonas said:

Olive said:
Sounds like it might be brake fluid.

It feels greasy and doesn’t smell like alcohol though. Could it still be brake fluid?

Yes, that’s likely brake fluid.

There might be a recall on the brake fluid hose. Could be worth checking.

Landon said:
There might be a recall on the brake fluid hose. Could be worth checking.

I had that done earlier this summer. Is it possible something went wrong?

Jonas said:

Landon said:
There might be a recall on the brake fluid hose. Could be worth checking.

I had that done earlier this summer. Is it possible something went wrong?

Mistakes can happen. Take the tire off and look for any leaks. I replaced my brake line before the recall and leaks were easy to spot once the tire was removed.

If it’s a 2013-2016 S or SE model, make sure the brake hose recall was done and check your brake fluid level.

I already had the brake hose recall work completed.

It could be a blown CV axle. That grease might be coming from the boot.

Looks like a CV axle boot might be leaking.

It might be brake fluid or tire shine. If your car was recently cleaned, it could also be leftover chemicals from detailing.

Chelsea said:
It might be brake fluid or tire shine. If your car was recently cleaned, it could also be leftover chemicals from detailing.

It hasn’t been detailed recently, so I doubt that’s the case.

If your brake pedal feels firm and doesn’t sink when the car is parked and running, it’s probably the front hub seal. A greasy texture with a sulfur smell usually means the hub seal is leaking. If it’s brake fluid, it’ll smell like alcohol.

@Kelsey
It feels greasy but doesn’t smell like alcohol. It’s only affecting this wheel, so I’m hoping it’s just the hub seal.

Jonas said:
@Kelsey
It feels greasy but doesn’t smell like alcohol. It’s only affecting this wheel, so I’m hoping it’s just the hub seal.

If it smells like sulfur, it’s definitely the hub seal. Also, if you haven’t had the front brake hose recall done yet, check the manufacturer’s site with your VIN to confirm it’s completed.

Check your CV boots and brake lines to be safe.

Inspect the strut. A blown seal there could cause this.

Reese said:
Inspect the strut. A blown seal there could cause this.

Can a new seal fix it, or does the whole strut need replacing?

Jonas said:

Reese said:
Inspect the strut. A blown seal there could cause this.

Can a new seal fix it, or does the whole strut need replacing?

If it’s leaking, the strut needs to be replaced. It’s not too complicated. My son’s car had the same issue after hitting a pothole, and we found oil on the wheels just like this.