7 Reasons Why Your Car Smells So Bad

Most of the time our car works well and we are used to it. Most of the cars are now reasonably well-maintained and perform reliably. So when something goes wrong in your car, it is quite easy to tell as you drive the car. Most of the time your car may not cause any problems if you do regular Car Servicing Cardiff.

But what if you notice an unpleasant smell which comes from your car, it can be your new car smell or other familiar smells like plastic, leather, polish or air freshener. But there are some unusual smells that you don’t expect to notice and you will notice it.

The ventilation system on your car is responsible for supplying fresh air into your car cabin at all times. That means it is normal to get different smells from around your car while driving, but these smells will gone again just as quickly. If you notice a smell that doesn’t go away immediately, it may be a sign of a problem that you need to take care of.

What Are Types of Car Smells You Need Aware of?

We make a list of some significant scents that could mean something is wrong going on in your car. If you notice any of these smells from your car, you should get your car inspected.

I Can Smell Petrol or Diesel

Let’s start with the most common smells. It is not unusual to have a few drops of fuel on your fingers or the button of your shoes after you have filled up. But if the smell doesn’t go away even after ten to fifteen minutes, it could be a more major problem such as a fuel leak.

The fuel could be leaking somewhere in the system such as the fuel lines transferring fuel from the tank to the engine or it can be the fuel tank that is leaking. Petrol is highly flammable so if you smell fuel from your car then you should get it checked by a mechanic as soon as possible.

I Can Smell Hot or Burning Oil

Oil is an important fluid for the engine to keep every component properly lubricated and working efficiently. But if you can smell burning oil, it means some oil is escaping through a leak and dripping on a hot part of the engine or exhaust system. 

You can check the dipstick to check the oil level and look under the car to notice if there are any patches of dropped oil on the road or driveway. Get your car checked by a mechanic if your engine runs out of oil quickly, it can cause a lot of problems in your car engine. 

I Can Smell Burnt Rubber

If you haven’t been doing burnouts or spinning up your tyres, the smell of burning rubber may indicate that an engine belt is slipping from somewhere and generating heat. Or it can be a hose that is loose and now is touching a moving part such as a pulley or any part of the engine that gets hot. 

Once loose belts and hose loose you need to tighten them, take your car to the nearest garage in your area and get them fixed.

I Smell Something Sickly Sweet

If you notice something sweet or syrupy whiffs coming through the cabin, chances are there is a leak in your car cooling system. The engine coolant fluid can give quite a sweet smell. If you ignore this issue it can lead to an overheating car engine, which is a costly issue to put right, so get it fixed by taking your car to a garage.

I Smell Burning Carpet

If you smell like burnt carpet, it is likely to be an issue with your brakes. Something may have become misaligned, or your brake pads may be dragging. Brakes are an important component of your car's safety, so you should inspect the problem carefully.

Smelling when applying hard brakes on a windy, downhill road is one thing. But there can be a potential worry if the smell is coming even while in normal driving.

I Smell Burning Plastic

There are many components which are made up of plastic under the bonnet of a modern car, if they are kept away from high heat, there is no problem. But if they end up contacting with any heating element, they could start to melt or smoke. That produces an acrid smell which you can notice in your cabin.

I Can Smell Exhaust Fumes

There are only a few things worse than a noseful of highly toxic exhaust fumes, Modern cars should not emit any noticeable smell coming from the exhaust system into the car cabin, so if you notice any exhaust gas in your car for a long period, your car might have a broken exhaust pipe or other leak in the exhaust system. 

Exhaust gases are unpleasant and if you smell them you may feel tired while driving. If the smell stays for a long period it may cause health problems. If the exhaust fumes come into your car cabin during a MOT Cardiff, the tester will fail your car in its MOT test. So get your car checked by a mechanic.