Car Smells and What the Issue Could Be

You should never notice a bad smell in your car. If you do, there may be more serious underlying problems. Depending on the smell, you can get some indication as to what might be wrong with your car and how urgently you should make an appointment with our GMC service center. Here we offer some insight into the most common car smells and how you may identify or even fix them.

Burned Rubber

Burning rubber may be one of the most common car smells the typical driver encounters. The smell of burning rubber may be due to leaking oil from the engine and mechanical system onto the exhaust pipe. When the exhaust pipe gets hot, the oil will burn and produce a smell of burning rubber.

Gym Clothes

The smell of gym clothes is never pleasant, but it may be one you can fix. This smell is often caused by an accumulation of mildew or mold in your car's air conditioning system. The buildup of mold and mildew can create an unusual odor, which likely gets worse when you turn the A/C system on. A simple solution is to try running the fan without the A/C on to dry out the system.

Burned Carpet

A burning carpet smell often points to a problem with the brakes. In this case, the brake pads may also be worn out and in need of replacement. A burning carpet smell can also be due to a problem caused by the driver, such as driving with the hand brake on or using the brakes heavily while driving downhill, causing the brake pads to overheat and emitting the burned carpet smell.

Syrup

A sweet and sugary smell often described as maple syrup can signify that coolant fluid is leaking. The leak may arise from several possible sources, including the cylinder head or radiator. This smell warrants a trip to the mechanic.

Sulfur or Rotten Eggs

This smell may be produced by a catalytic converter failure. It can also be caused by a fuel-injection problem. In either case, you'll want to have a mechanic inspect your car for problems before they get worse.

At Husker GMC, our highly-knowledgeable technicians are ready to identify any strange car smells and get repairs going. If your car doesn't smell quite right, contact us promptly to make an appointment.