Wouldn’t it be nice if your car could retain that new car smell forever? Perhaps it used to smell like leather, new carpet, or that overall new car scent. But as the miles go by and you check in for maintenance and auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, that smell goes away and everyday life smells creep in. While you might be okay with the normal family smell, there are certain scents that can emanate from the engine that could mean you need auto repair. Here are some things to watch for…or sniff for, as the case may be.
Burning Rubber
If you smell that burned rubber scent coming from your vehicle, it probably means that somehow, rubber parts of your car are in contact with something hot and are melting. In most cases, that burning could be because of the friction between moving metal parts or a hose or belt could be slipped within the power steering system. Either way, the scent is not pleasant, and you probably need to have things checked over before you drive too much further.
Gasoline
You might smell gas a bit after you leave the gas station and that’s normal. But if you smell gas just driving down the road, it could be a leak in a pipe or something within the fuel injector or even gas tank. If the odor is strong, you need to get it checked out right away so there isn’t as much danger.
Hot Oil
You smell hot oil in the kitchen, but in your car? That’s not a good thing. Oil heats up when you are driving, but that system is enclosed so you shouldn’t smell it. That means that the leaks are likely in the oil circulation system. You should get an inspection as soon as you can because oil levels could drop and cause engine damage.
Burning Carpet
Just because you smell burning carpet doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the interior of your vehicle. Instead, it could mean there’s an issue with a brake pad or rotor overheating. You need that fixed right away or it could be a huge hazard to your safety.
Rotten Eggs
In a house, smelling rotten eggs means a gas leak. In a vehicle, it’s generally the catalytic converter. This area converts gas into a releasing form and the smell shows you that it’s not working well. The engine might also have an issue that is taking on the converter.
Any time you smell something unusual and unpleasant in your vehicle, assuming you haven’t driven by a skunk that was hit by another car, you should take your car in for auto repair in Philadelphia, PA as soon as you can. You know the normal scents of your vehicle and none of the above are normal in the least. The professionals at Schafer’s Auto Center want to restore that new car smell or, at the very least, keep the vehicle in good condition without any scent at all.
