What’s That Smell In Your Car?
What’s the usual smell of your car? For most newly purchased cars the usual smell would be the scent of leather or other materials used. But as your car goes through time and use, there are distinct smells that will come from your car. Being a car driver or owner, you need to know and distinguish the usual car odors that should not get you alarmed, along with the types of smells or odors that you should be on the alert of.
Always pay attention to those unusual smells or odors which might conceal something more serious. If you smell something from your exhaust, this could indicate leak in the vehicle’s exhaust system. It might be a hole in the car’s exhaust pipe, tailpipe, exhaust manifold or your muffler. This might also mean that your rear door or hatchback already has a worn out seal. When this happens, you should bring your car to the mechanic right away for you might get carbon monoxide inside your car which is really quite deadly.
Be wary when you smell raw gas as this could mean there’s a leak in your car’s fuel delivery system. This could affect your car’s gas tank, fuel lines, or fuel filter and is quite dangerous as fuel leaks can spark a car fire. Check first if you have returned the gas cap properly. If that is not the one causing the problem then go right away to your mechanic.
The smell of rotten eggs usually signals a problem with your catalytic converter. However, it could also be a symptom of another problem. Once you smell this, act quickly and go see your mechanic to find and repair the problem causing the smell from your converter.
Rolling your windows down when your car smells won’t help your situation at all. Remember, if you do notice a sudden, strong odor and you can’t find its cause with a quick check under the hood, then the best thing to do is to visit your dealer or mechanic as soon as possible.