Top Five Car Warning Smells

Burning When You Brake

If you smell burning when using your brakes, that means you have an issue with your brake system. This is common with mountain driving if you’re overusing your brakes, which makes your brake pads overheat and they can even catch fire. At the very least, you can expect damage to your brake pads if you notice a burning smell, as the surface of the affected pads, will solidify, making it more difficult to brake for a while.

What You Can Do

If you notice this smell combined with suddenly squealing brakes and a spongy brake pedal, avoid over-using your brakes for a while to let them cool down. This will help prevent further damage, though you likely should still have your brakes checked by a mechanic to make sure it’s still safe to drive with your current parts.

Burning While Driving or Just After Parking

This could mean a number of issues, but the most likely is part of your engine. Possible causes include a clutch wearing out, a problem with your drive belt, or an oil leak. If your problem is the drive belt, you will also notice strange sounds coming from under the hood. With an oil leak, you’ll also find oil spots under your car.

What You Can Do

Listen for any strange sounds and pay attention to when you notice the smell or other problems with your car. Any of the car repairs indicated by a burning smell will have to be addressed by a mechanic, though, so even if you’re able to figure out a likely cause, it’s important to make a repair appointment.

A Sweet Smell Like Maple Syrup

The cause of this smell is most likely a coolant leak. You may also notice drips under your car or possibly your engine running warm due to a low coolant level. If you have a coolant leak, your cooling system likely is not able to adequately moderate engine temperature, which can cause a lot of extra wear and tear on internal engine parts.

What You Can Do

With a suspected coolant leak, you can check the level of your coolant by opening the hood of your car. It’s important to wait until the engine is cool to remove the coolant cap, but then it should be simple to see whether or not you need to top it off. Beyond topping off your coolant, however, you should take your car to a mechanic for diagnosis and repair. And if you do top off your own coolant, be sure to use the correct type and ratio by consulting your owner’s manual.

What You Can Do

With a suspected coolant leak, you can check the level of your coolant by opening the hood of your car. It’s important to wait until the engine is cool to remove the coolant cap, but then it should be simple to see whether or not you need to top it off. Beyond topping off your coolant, however, you should take your car to a mechanic for diagnosis and repair. And if you do top off your own coolant, be sure to use the correct type and ratio by consulting your owner’s manual.

Rotten Eggs

You’ve probably driven behind a car and smelled this. If you notice it while driving your own car, your catalytic converter is likely to blame. Basically, your exhaust system is unable to properly convert hydrogen sulfide into sulfur dioxide. This can mean larger engine trouble and will also mean trouble passing any state-required emissions tests.

What You Can Do

While this car repair is not exactly an emergency, you do want to get it checked out sooner rather than later. It’s possible it comes alongside another more serious issue with your car’s engine or exhaust system and should be addressed by an expert mechanic.

AAMCO Utah Car Repair Can Fix the Cause of Any Smell

If you’ve noticed strange smells coming from your car, don’t hesitate to get it diagnosed. Our AAMCO Utah mechanics are fully trained to accurately diagnose problems on any car and take care of any auto repair needs. From an oil change to transmission trouble, we will get you back on the road.