What’s That Smell in My Car?

PEKIN, Ill. – Is something not right with you car? Sometimes, a good way to detect a problem with your vehicle is by using your senses. If nothing looks wrong, do you smell anything? There are six very distinct smells you should look for if your car is not running like it should. Here are the six smells to know, and where they're possibly coming from.

What’s That Smell in My Car?

1. Hot Oil: Two signs to look for if you smell hot oil – smoke spewing from your engine and oil underneath your vehicle. Make sure you TURN YOUR ENGINE OFF before checking. If you see either of these two things, then you most likely have oil leaking onto your exhaust system.
2. Rotten Eggs: If you smell rotten eggs the problem is probably your catalytic converter. Your catalytic converter basically creates a chemical reaction to turn bad gases that come from your vehicle into less bad gasses that will go out your muffler. When you smell the rotten eggs, it means that your catalytic converter isn’t altering the gasses correctly.
3. Gasoline: If you’re smelling gasoline in your vehicle, it’s a possible leak from your fuel injector line or fuel tank. BE CAUTIOUS about this. If gas is leaking, a fire could start. Turn off your vehicle immediately and have it towed to our Velde Ford service center in Pekin.
4. Burnt Rubber: The good new is this could be an easy fix. Make sure your engine is off and isn’t hot before checking under the hood. Look for any belts that have come off their tracks, look loose, or are visibly cracked. If it’s cracked, you’re encouraged to get the belt replaced as soon as you can.
5. Syrup: If your coolant is leaking, it will give off a sweet smell like syrup. Engine coolant is a very important component to your vehicle running smoothly. It keeps your engine from overheating when it’s working and keeps it from freezing when you’re not running your vehicle in the winter. So, if you smell something sweet you should bring your vehicle to our service center right away.
6. Burning Carpet: If you smell burning carpet the first thing you should check is your hand brake, if you left it on while driving that could be where the smell is coming from. If that’s off, your brake pads are overheating, which is normal after slamming on your brakes. If you consistently smell it while you’re driving normally, then you have a dragging brake.

Now you know what that smell is in your car, you should make sure that your get it to our Service Center at Velde Ford so we can help you solve the issue and extend the life of your vehicle. We have certified service technicians that can take care of any repair or routine maintenance. Stop by our showroom if you’re looking for a new Ford to drive away in. The 2016 Ford Escape is a perfect small SUV that you need!

Come to Velde Ford to take a test drive in one today. We’re excited to find the perfect vehicle for you to take home today! At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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