Most cars have a subtle smell that is particular to new or clean vehicles. But, when your car is emitting strange smells, it could be signaling underlying mechanical problems. Here are some of the most crucial information regarding your abnormal car smells and what they mean.
The smell of burned rubber is not pleasant and can originate from the different parts of the car. One popular culprit is friction that emanates from the drive belt. The burning odor is caused by a melted drive belt problem or leaking oil burned by a hot surface. Both of which require urgent attention.
Brakes are the source of the burned carpet smell. If you have recently used your car brakes extensively, you will notice the burned carpet smell from your car. Mostly this issue is caused by overheating your car brakes. The irritating odor may also be coming from the worn brake pads. The solution here is to invite a mechanic to have these brakes replaced.
If your vehicle starts to develop some suspicious locker room smell, then the culprit could be the air conditioning system. The issue here is the mildew that grows in the motor vehicle air evaporator. To solve this gym clothes odor, you need to stop the A/C unit from running and allow the fan to run to help dry out the system. If it still doesn't work, then a good mechanic can help clean out the mildew.
The syrup scent is as a result of leaking coolant fluid. The smell is apparent when the vehicle is running or after you have turned it off. The leakage may come from several sources: a radiator hose or the heater, the intake manifold gasket, or the cylinder head, including many others like the damaged radiator or the radiator cap itself.
If your car is running and you notice the suspicious sulfur smell, then the most likely cause is the hydrogen sulfide concentration in the car exhaust system. The scent is contributed by a small level of sulfur in the gasoline, which failed to convert to sulfur dioxide through the catalytic converter.
If the car continues to produce a suspicious smell, contact our Mazda dealership to schedule service. Or visit our service center in Houston, TX, so our certified technicians can help get your vehicle back on the road, running smoothly.
* Indicates a required field
