Car Smells and What the Issue Could Be

Camelback Kia has expert technicians on hand that can help you with any diagnostics and repairs that you may need. If you notice an unusual odor coming from your vehicle while it's running, there are a number of issues that could be causing the problem, and our team is here to help. Learn about some of the most common car smells below.

Burning Rubber

The smell of burning rubber can come from a malfunctioning drive belt. A common issue is drive-belt friction that happens if a belt has slipped. Other possibilities include a hose that may be rubbing on a belt or leaking oil caused by a gasket seal causing oil to leak into the hot engine. In any event, this is a smell that you shouldn't ignore because you could be causing permanent damage to your engine. If the smell doesn't go away, it's time to schedule a service appointment for a full inspection.

Burning Carpet

The smell of burning carpet generally indicates brake trouble. This happens if you've used your brakes extensively, such as descending long, steep hills, if you're towing something or if the hand brake is on. A burnt carpet smell in your car can also mean that you have dragging or sticking brake calipers, or excessively worn brake pads. While new brake pads typically have a smell for about the first hundred miles, if the odor doesn't go away and you haven't been driving in stop-and-go traffic or on hills, you should schedule an appointment for an inspection.

Gym Clothes Odor

If it starts to smell musty and stale in the cabin when your vehicle is running, your A/C system may need to be serviced. This could be caused by mildew growing in the evaporator. Our experienced service technicians can easily help address this issue by doing a full system flush to eliminate any mold and mildew build up.

Syrup Smell

When the coolant in your engine is leaking, it will produce a very sweet and syrupy odor. You may find the odor is strongest when you have the engine running, but it could still linger after you turn it off. This smell can mean you have a leaky radiator hose, a leak in the heating and cooling system, a bad cylinder head or an issue with the intake manifold gasket. Your radiator or radiator cap may also be the culprit. This isn't an issue you should neglect because it could cause your engine to overheat, which could lead to expensive damage.

Sulfur or Rotten Eggs

Having hydrogen sulfide present in your exhaust system can produce the smell of rotten eggs. This generally indicates there is an imbalance in your fuel-injection system. When your catalytic converter is not converting the sulfur in your fuel to sulfur dioxide it produces a rotten egg smell. It can be due to a damaged or plugged catalytic converter, worn down filtering layers inside or a broken fuel pressure regulator. Other common warning signs to look out for include floor heat, issues with acceleration and dark exhaust smoke.

If you're encountering any of these smells coming from your vehicle, we encourage you to make an appointment with our auto repair shop in Phoenix. Just call, chat, or schedule your appointment easily online 24/7. Our team of Kia certified technicians will do a complete diagnostic of any issues and quickly repair them to get you back on the road.

* For informational purposes only. For an official diagnosis and details on your vehicle, please schedule an appointment with our dealership.