Cars can make a lot of different smells. Some are normal and nothing to worry about, while others can be signals that you have a problem. What about your car, has it been outing off some bad odors lately? Maybe it’s the smell of burning oil smell or a strong smell of gasoline, or something even worse. No matter the smell, if it seems unusual, you shouldn’t ignore it.
Bad Smells You Should Never Ignore
There are several bad smells you should pay attention to, including a rotten egg smell. That is never a good sign. Here are several other smells you should address right away of your car starts to stink.
Smell of Gasoline – the smell of gas is common. All it takes is a little slip while you’re filling your tank. But, if your car continues to put off a gas smell, then you could have a leak, possibly in your vent hose or the fuel injection line. Either way, don’t ignore this smell, and don’t put off getting it checked out. It could be something serious.
Rotten Eggs – unless you forgot some eggs in your car from your last trip to the grocery store, the rotten egg smell is coming from your vehicle. It comes from burning sulfur, which comes from the catalytic converter. This part is designed to convert hydrogen sulfide into sulfur dioxide. But if you smell rotten eggs, something is off and it’s time to have us check your catalytic converter.
Burning Oil – another bad smell is burning, which is usually caused by leak somewhere. The leaking oil eventually drips onto the exhaust manifold, which causes the burning oil smell. The real problem is pinpointing where the oil is coming from. It’s best to take your car to a mechanic to find the source, because oil leaks can occur in multiple spots.
Sweet Syrup – not all smells from your vehicle stink, like that sweet, syrup-like smell. But just because it doesn’t stink, that doesn’t mean it’s a good sign. That sweet smell could be the ethylene glycol in the coolant, which could be caused by a bad hose in your cooling system or a leaky radiator. If you smell a sweet, syrupy smell it’s time to bring your vehicle in.
Burnt Carpet – another bad, but less-common smell is burnt carpet. This indicates you might have a problem with your brakes. When brakes drag your pads wear down, which leads to that nasty burning carpet smell.
Burnt Rubber – if you drive a hot rod, the smell of burnt rubber might be your thing, but it’s not something you generally want to smell form your vehicle. That smell could be coming from one of your belts or hoses. If any belts or hoses are loose, corded, or worn out, that could cause the burnt rubber smell. Bring it in and well check your belts hoses and replace them if needed.
Mildew or Mold – if you smell mold or mildew from your vehicle, it could be your AC. This happens when mold or mildew grows in your AC evaporator. It won’t affect your vehicle’s mechanical performance, but you shouldn’t keep running your AC if you smell mold or mildew. It’s not good for your health and mold and mildew can continue to grow, and completely ruin your AC system.
Get Rid of That Horrible Smell
It’s normal for your car to put off different smells, but if you smell rotten eggs or any other bad smell, don’t just hope it will go away. You might have a serious problem. If you’re not sure why your car stinks, then contact Glenn’s Auto Repair today.
If you’re looking for the right service and repairs for your vehicle in Downey, then please call us at 562-359-4232 to schedule your next service. You can also schedule an appointment with us online by clicking here. We are your trusted Downey, CA auto repair shop for all services and repairs on all makes and models, including:
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