Oooh That Smell, Can’t You Smell That Smell (In Your Car!)

Cars, like people, require proper maintenance if they are to operate without a hassle or danger. Properly maintaining a car requires car-owners to stay focused upon newly detected smells, sound, kinks, or misfires.

This post considers the various odors found to be permeating our automobiles. Now, if you drive with children on a daily basis you are probably accustomed to unexpected, unlikeable aromas that suddenly appear. But, these kid-sourced smells should not be mistaken for the other malodorous smells setting up squatter rights in your car.

The reality is, certain smells in your automobile provide early warning signals.

If you are a novice, or just hate dirt, have a professional diagnose the odor. If your ‘whifftest’ detects any of the following odors, head quickly to the car care professional:

Car Smell # 1 – HOT OIL

This odor is likely to indicate that oil is spilling onto the car’s exhaust system. This can be easily verified by a) paying attention to oil spots on the pavement beneath the car or b) if the engine begins to smoke.

Car Smell # 2 – ROTTEN EGGS

As one would expect from the bouquet of rotten eggs, this putrid smell indicates a poorly running engine, or a malfunctioning catalytic converter ( that is not properly converting the exhaust’s hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide) and, is about to meltdown. Catalytic converters are costly repairs.

Car Smell # 3 – BURNED RUBBER

A redolence o f burned rubber is generally created when drive belts slip or hoses become loose and rubs up against drive pulleys. If you plan to investigate this yourself, only do so when the engine is cool.

Car Smell # 4 – MAPLE SYRUP

An aroma of sweet syrup is great if there is a stack of hot cakes to eat. However, when it comes to the world of car smells, this odor means that your engine coolant is probably leaking. Do not hesitate; an obvious aroma of sweet syrup could elicit a catastrophic breakdown of the cooling system and thus, complete engine failure.

Car Smell # 5 – BURNING CARPET

This nauseating smell is another sign of mechanical problems; brake problems.

Car Smell # 6 – GASOLINE

Everyone, on occasion, catches a whiff of gasoline for one reason or another. The concern with this pungent aroma is that it may indicate a gasoline leak by way of the fuel injector line or gas tank. This carries a high risk of fire because gas is flammable.

The Final Lap

In a car’s world, odors are the first sign of big trouble. Remember, there are certain smells that are only apparent when the car is sitting, running, or overheated. Be smart.