Car Smells and What the Issue Could Be

While your car naturally loses that fresh, new car scent over time, it should never produce any strange car smells. If it does, there may be a more serious underlying problem. While you may not know what the strange scent may be, our dealership offers some helpful guidance as to what some of the smells you're experiencing might be and what they may be indicating.

Burned Rubber

The smell of burning rubber is never pleasant. It may indicate a problem with the brakes or brake pads. Normally, the brake pads have a layer of material that separates the metallic components of the car's brakes. At times, the brake pads can wear out and cause friction, which creates a burning scent. The smell of burning rubber can also be caused by an oil leak when oil hits the hot exhaust pipe.

Gym Clothes

This smell can indicate that there is mold growth in your car's air conditioning system. The air conditioning system can become filled with moisture, inviting the growth of mold, bacteria, and mildew that produces the unpleasant smell of dirty gym clothes. You can try to alleviate the smell by running the fan without the A/C turned on. This should air out the system and reduce the scent.

Burned Carpet

An equally unpleasant smell of burning carpet can be caused by a problem with the car's brakes. The smell may arise when you drive around with the hand brake or emergency brake on. It can also be caused by the brake pads wearing out or using the brakes excessively.

Syrup

A sweet smell coming from your car may not be the most unpleasant scent, but it may be a sign of trouble under the hood. A maple syrup smell may be caused by leaking coolant fluid. A coolant fluid leak can start from several sources, such as the radiator, a failed intake manifold gasket, or a cylinder head.

Sulfur or Rotten Eggs

A foul sulfur smell may be due to a problem with the catalytic converter. It can also be a sign that the car's engine is running poorly. This problem can cause the catalytic converter to cause significant issues if it's not addressed.

If your car is producing unusual scents, be sure to contact our friendly representatives to schedule an appointment, or visit our Nissan dealership in Peoria for diagnosis and repairs today.