Automobiles are amazing. A well-maintained vehicle can last for many years, and even extremely old vehicles can still run today. Even so, regular maintenance won’t catch or prevent every possible problem your car or truck might face. Most people associate something wrong with a strange noise, such as banging, whirring, or grinding. However, strange odors are also capable of alerting you to problems and helping you troubleshoot them.
1. Burning Oil
Normally, the oil heats up within the enclosed system of your vehicle’s engine, preventing you from smelling its odor. However, smelling hot oil as you drive means engine oil is leaking out and dripping somewhere hot. You may also see white smoke. Losing engine oil is an emergency, as it will cause the engine’s many moving parts to grind, wear, and break. You should bring your car or truck to a mechanic at the earliest opportunity.
2. Gas
You shouldn’t be able to smell gasoline as you drive (although vehicles from the ’70s or earlier often exuded an odor after you shut off the engine), so this indicates that one of the pipes passing the engine has begun to leak. The leak could stem from either the fuel tank or the fuel injector. A gas leak can be dangerous, especially if it splashes somewhere hot, so don’t wait to get it looked at.
3. Hot Rubber
The smell of hot or burning rubber always indicates just that. Usually, this is due to something like a belt slipping off or a loose hose coming into contact with moving components, creating high friction and heat.
4. Sweet, Syrupy Smell
If you smell something sweet, it’s probably the engine coolant leaking. The engine uses the coolant to cool itself, the excess heat being what your vehicle uses to warm the cabin in colder temperatures. Leaking coolant cause your engine to overheat.
5. Burning Fabric or Carpet
If your brake pads or rotors are overheating, you could smell something akin to a burning carpet or burning fabric. You should definitely have your brakes examined at the earliest opportunity, as they’re a critical part of your automobile.
6. Rotten Eggs
If your catalytic converter, which is the component that converts the gases coming from the engine into a different, harmless gas, is failing, it will smell like rotten eggs. It can also mean that the engine has developed a problem and is overwhelming the converter. Either way, a mechanic will need to repair the problem and make sure your engine is OK.
Don’t Hesitate to Bring Your Vehicle In
Bizarre smells can indicate major problems that could escalate if not dealt with quickly. Unfortunately, most of these fixes aren’t DIY-friendly and need the care of an expert to keep you safe and your vehicle healthy. Also, remember to bring your car or truck in for regular maintenance to prevent many problems before they occur.