Car Smells and What the Issue Could Be

Not only is a bad car odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate that there is a major mechanical issue with your vehicle that can lead to costly repairs if you ignore them. Here are some of the most common odors that should always be addressed.

Burning Rubber

The smell of burning rubber coming from your vehicle can be caused by improper drive belt friction. You may also have a hose that could be rubbing on a belt or oil leaking from your engine from a broken or damaged gasket seal. Don't ignore this smell as it can cause irreversible damage to your engine.

Burning Carpet

The smell of burning carpet usually indicates a problem with your brakes. Regular driving in stop-and-go traffic, towing or driving down hilly terrain can cause the brakes to overheat resulting in this smell. This can also be caused by leaving your hand brake on while driving, dragging or sticking brake calipers or worn brake pads. Also, keep in mind that it is normal for new brake pads to have a smell to them for the first hundred miles so this is nothing to worry about. But if the smell appears under any of the other circumstances, it's time to have your brake system inspected.

Gym Clothes Odor

Have your vehicle's air conditioner checked if you detect the smell of musty gym clothes. A common cause is mold and mildew growing in the A/C evaporator. Running the air conditioner to dry out the system could fix the problem. However, if the odor lingers, our service technicians have the proper equipment to flush out the system to remove any build up.

Syrup Smell

A sweet syrup-like smell could indicate the presence of leaking engine coolant. This odor usually occurs while the engine is running, but you could also smell it when the engine is off. Damage to your heating and cooling system, issues with the intake manifold gasket, a bad cylinder head or a leaky radiator hose can all cause this smell. Leaks in particular can cause your engine to overheat leading to costly repairs. You could damage the engine by driving it, so if you smell syrup, it's best to have your vehicle towed for a complete inspection.

Sulfur or Rotten Eggs

Hydrogen sulfide may be present in your exhaust system which would create an odor that smells like rotten eggs. This happens when you have an imbalance in your fuel-injection system that causes your catalytic converter to have issues converting the sulfur in your fuel to sulfur dioxide. A clogged or damaged catalytic converter, worn down filtering layers inside of it or a broken fuel pressure regulator can also be to blame. Other warning signs to look out for include poor acceleration, floor heat and dark exhaust smoke.

If you smell something unusual coming from your vehicle, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with our auto repair shop in Phoenix as soon as possible. Our highly-skilled technicians have the expertise and all of the tools on hand to diagnose and address these issues.

* For informational purposes only. For an official diagnosis and details on your vehicle, please schedule an appointment with our dealership.