6 Type of ‘Car Smells’ the You Should Never Ignore

When you buy a new car, you instantly love the fresh smell of brand-new foam, plastic, cushions, covers, and rubber. But, after a considerable period of time, there are other unusual smells that come out from your car. You should take note of that. Mainly, the unpleasant odor that generates from the engine area and enters through the AC vents in the dashboard.

These are the typical smells that you cannot afford to ignore, as that might be an indication of serious trouble. Maybe your car is trying to tell you something that you need to fix or repair. Therefore, it becomes important to pay serious attention to the vehicle smells that originate from different areas. So, let’s identify some of the unpleasant car fragrances and odors that you need to watch out for, as an automobile owner.

Common Car Smells That Signal Trouble — What They Mean and When to Act

1. Burning Toast Smell – If you smell something like a burned bread toast, this could be potentially due to an electrical short circuit or as a result of overheating and burning insulation material. Do not neglect it, and rush to an auto repair shop nearby to get the problem identified and fixed.

2. Gasoline (Petrol & Diesel) Vaporization Odor – You try to start your car’s engine, but it doesn’t ignite. Then you smell fuel—this means you’ve flooded the engine.

3. Heavy Pungent Smell – A very thick, viscous & pungent odor usually indicates burning gasoline or engine oil. Without any delay, you should immediately take your vehicle to a certified service center for an extensive repair. In fact, you can catch such problems early with regular preventative maintenance. Make sure to service your vehicle after every 30k, 60k, and 90k miles—or at least once a year.

4. Rotten Egg Odor – This particular car smell is easy to recognize, as it is very much similar to that of burning sulfur. It possibly indicates major issues pertaining to the catalytic converter and various other emission control devices that malfunction after a certain period. Therefore, you need to go for a regular check-up and maintenance.

5. Sweet, Smoky & Steamy Smell – Any sweet, yet steamy odor indicates that you’ve got a leakage in the coolant device of your car or truck. Suck leaks cannot be ignored at any cost, as it might result in engine under-performance, due to overheating.

6. Heavy Chemical Odor or Burning Resin like Smell – This is a clear sign of overheated braking components & systems. When the brake shoe & brake pad constantly works, the surface friction and the lubricants like grease present in the brakes produce such a burning smell. This means that the brakes and associated components need more lubrication. Otherwise, it can result in wear & tear.

Conclusion

Recognize these unusual car smells and take your vehicle to a fully authorized local service center. This helps extend the life of your car, truck, SUV, or van and keeps you driving safely on the road. Always, safety first!