Not everyone is a mechanic, but there are some things that you can and should be able to identify as a driver. Some of those things include knowing what’s causing certain smells, like a musty or burning smell. While your first instinct may be to bring it into the shop, you might not need too. In some cases, an unusual smell is just a way for your car to tell you to give it a good cleaning or airing out or to make sure a fluid isn’t leaking. Here are six common smells that will be helpful to add to your basic car knowledge.
Gasoline – Gasoline is something that many of us smell on a regular basis, however, you should only really ever smell it when you are at the gas station. If you smell gasoline on your travels, you should bring your car to a mechanic to have them look at it as there may be a leak in the fuel line or bad fuel pressure.
Sweet – Cars can be “sweet”, as in awesome or cool, but they shouldn’t smell sweet. If you do smell a sweet scent the heater core may be leaking. Next time you park, check the pavement under your car for a puddle of antifreeze.
Sulfur – Sulfur is a pretty distinctive smell. If you smell rotten eggs, bring your car in for a checkup as the catalytic converter may need to be repaired.
Acrid – An acrid smell is a very harsh burning smell and that usually indicates something is burning. Most likely, the smell is burnt brake material so ease up on the brakes while you are driving and make sure your parking brake is completely off.
Burning Oil – Another burning smell you might encounter is that of burning oil. It’s a very distinct odor and is often accompanied by a thick smoke. This smell usually indicates oil leaking on a hot surface, like the exhaust system. Get rid of the leak and the smell should go away.
Musty – A musty smell is a result of standing water or fabric that has been soaked by water. When water collects somewhere it can be a breeding ground for mold or mildew. Check for damp floor mats or upholstery and let your car air out on the next nice day.
Are you experiencing any of these smells or something that’s not covered in the list? Bring your vehicle into DELLA Toyota in Plattsburgh today and let us take a look!
Laukkonen, Jeremy. “Seven Reasons Your Car Stinks.” About.com Autos. N.p., 30 Sept. 2015. Web. 29 July 2016.
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