Car Smells and What the Issue Could Be

A car is a complex piece of machinery that requires hundreds of parts to operate together to function properly. Once one thing starts to go bad, the performance of the car suffers. A key sign that there is something wrong with your car is the presence of foul smells. These are the five most common car smells to watch out for the next time you get behind the wheel.

Burned Rubber

Several key components of a car are made from heavy-duty rubber, so the smell of burning rubber is one of the most common you will experience when driving. A melted or worn drive belt is the most common cause of this unpleasant smell. An electrical short, leaking oil or a burned clutch are a few of the other main culprits.

Syrup

Syrup has a distinct sweet smell. While you may not expect to find this smell in a car, it is fairly common. This is a clear sign that the vehicle is leaking coolant. The radiator, heater or intake manifold are all known to leak coolant when damaged. The smell will gradually start to build as you drive, and it will be so pronounced that it lingers after the car is shut off.

Burned Carpet

If you are experiencing a problem with the brakes, then there is a likely chance that you will smell something similar to burning carpet. This smell is caused by overheated or worn-out brake pads. Luckily, this can be solved by replacing the brake pads.

Gym Clothes

Everyone has smelled dirty gym clothes that sat around too long at some point in their life. This unpleasant smell is caused by mildew growing inside your air conditioning system. If your car starts to smell like a dirty locker room, it's best to dry out the system by letting the fan run.

Rotten Eggs

Hydrogen sulfide is a natural component of gasoline that cannot be fully removed. To reduce harmful exhaust fumes, cars use catalytic converters to turn this toxic chemical into sulfur dioxide. If the catalytic converter is not working properly, you'll likely get this odor.

If your car is experiencing any of these strange smells, then it is time to get it checked out by a professional. Our Ford dealership will quickly diagnose the problem and service your vehicle to get it back in pristine condition.