Strange odors coming from the engine can be a sign of a fluid leak or an electrical problem among other issues. This being said, you may also have strange odors coming from other parts in your automobile. We are going to discuss the odors below and what they mean.
Burning Electricity
If you smell burning electricity in the engine or in other parts of your automobile, your vehicle’s electrical system is overheating. This can happen if the alternator goes whacky and starts to produce electricity in excess of 14.5 volts, which is the maximum voltage it should produce.
Rotten Eggs
If you smell rotten eggs in the engine, it could be a sign that your battery is leaking battery acid. Battery acid is sulfuric acid, and sulfur smells like rotten eggs. It can also be a sign that you have a problem with the catalytic converter. It cannot treat the exhaust’s hydrogen sulfide properly.
Maple Syrup
If your engine coolant contains ethylene glycol and you smell maple syrup blowing through the vents, you’ve got a cooling system leak or a heater core leak. Coolant can leak out of the core, the radiator, the radiator hoses, or the seals and gaskets. It can also leak out of the water pump.
Burnt Paper
Moving away from the engine for just a moment, you may smell burnt paper inside your car, SUV, or truck if the clutch is slipping. This is a sign that the clutch facing is burning away when you use the clutch. You may also smell burnt paper if you are riding the clutch while driving.
Burning Oil
If you smell burning oil coming from the engine, pull over and check your oil level. If it is low, you need to add oil to the engine right away. The oil can also leak onto the hot parts of the engine, such as the engine block, and you will smell burning oil as it burns away. It may even sizzle.
Musty Odors
Musty odors blowing through the vents are a sign of mold or mildew growth in your vehicle’s ventilation system. A simple trick to dry up the AC system and ventilation system is to turn off the air conditioner in your automobile and use the fan instead. Make sure to turn it on high.
Finally, if you smell burning carpet while you are driving, you may have the parking brake set or glazed brake pads. Glazed brake pads mean your brakes are overheating, so pull over and call for a tow truck to our shop. Overheating brakes can fail and leave you in a dangerous situation.