Why does my car’s engine smell?
The common problems car’s owners are facing are the engines have a kind of unpleasant smell that is not appealing to the driver and to the passenger. This common problem may cause an accident because if there is smell in your car engine there is a problem with your car.
Prevention is better than cure can be considered in this situation as it may cause harm towards the owner. The answer? Give proper service and repairs, rest assure your safety is in your hands and go with the ride with minimal problems. However, this can’t be applied every time just like regular scheduled service checks, you should be aware of the things that are happening to your car since you are the one to experience it firsthand and identify the signs of significant issues. According to Trotta “Car smells are a clear indicator that there’s something wrong, so you never want to ignore a strange smell when you’re driving”. Here are some of the common car odors that will help you identify and locate that smell when you encounter that specific odor.
Burnt Rubber
The pads or rotors are overheating or have made contact with hot material, the best way to do is to check every rubber part of your car. If a brake carpet is the issue or it can be due to friction between it and a moving metal part and starts to melt. There is a possibility the hose is loose or there is a slipped in the belt from the cooling or power steering system. The best thing to do is to let your car cool down after hours of driving and open the hood and inspect your belts and hoses as it was mainly the cause of this problem.
Burning Carpet
This smell indicates only one thing, it has a tendency that there is something burning in your car. It is caused by dragging or sticking brake calipers or brake pads that are too thin, this indicates when you feel that the brakes are spongy. The brake is the critical part of the car, any issue of them should be repaired immediately to avert any hazard. So, when you are driving non-stop and notice these smells you should stop and as soon as possible check every detail on your car or get it inspected by a professional. There is a situation when you just replace your brake pads, it would be normal for them to release a specific smell for the first couple hundred miles of driving.
Hot Oil
This causes when the oil heats up from hours of driving or any instance, but it’s enclosed in its system. The problem with this is that sometimes, you may not feel the burning smell, but if you start to smell this kind of odor on your car there is a big possibility that there is a leakage in the oil circulation system, or could be dropping on a hot part. If this can’t be treated right away it may result in low oil level and damage the engine of your vehicle. The best way to solve this problem is to take your car into inspection.
Gasoline
The most dangerous smell, this could mean that there is leakage in one of the pipes passing it or near the exhaust, like a fuel line. It’s either the gas leak is the fuel injector or a fuel tank. If you’re driving a car from 1970 or earlier, most of these cars it is typically normal to release a constant odor after you turn off the engine, but if the odor is strong, go and check it out ASAP. The best thing to do is to pull over safely and turn off your car’s engine immediately and safely.
Syrup
Drivers should not be deceived by this sweet smell as it is probably the leakage of the engine cooling system. It causes havoc to your car and the vehicle may overheat and could damage the engine more if you continue driving. Be careful when opening the radiator, do not do it when it is too hot as it may cause burnt on your skin. Have your vehicle towed instead.
Rotten Eggs
This problem means your catalytic converter has a problem. It is designed to convert the gasses coming from the engine and release it afterward, so if you smell this type of odor it shows that it is not functioning well and the catalytic converter is overwhelming. Catalytic converter can be saved if you notice the problem and have it repaired right away.