There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a stinky car, but assuming you haven’t just left a pair of old socks underneath one of the seats, nasty odours can actually be a handy diagnostic tool.
There are a number of odd smells that a vehicle can start to emit that can give the driver and occupants a clue that there may be a bit of a mechanical issue brewing. Being able to recognise some of these smells can help to catch an issue before it becomes something very expensive or perhaps even terminal.
In this blog we’ll have a look at some of the smells you might encounter inside your car, and what they might be signalling. So hold your nose and let’s jump in!
If you’re getting an exhaust smell inside the car then you’re going to have to address that pretty quickly. It most likely indicates a leak in your car’s exhaust system and/or poor seals around the windows and doors.
Exhaust gases are noxious, and if left to build up inside the car, can have severe consequences for everybody inside, including your pets. Depending on the severity of the leak and the ventilation of the car’s cabin, such an issue can potentially be fatal, so as soon as you notice this smell, get the problem diagnosed and fixed by a mechanic right away.
If you’ve just filled up, there is a chance that the odour you’re noticing is coming from a little bit of residue on your hands or feet. So, in most cases, it’s probably nothing to worry about. But if the odour continues to linger for longer than you’d expect, it might indicate an issue with the car’s fuel injection system, or a leaky fuel line or tank.
Like exhaust gases, petrol fumes inside the cabin can be a pretty serious hazard so if you do notice such a smell, you’ll need to have your car looked at by a professional.
This pungent, sulphur smell is one of the more common odours that a driver might begin to detect. There are a few causes of this smell, and the most common is a faulty catalytic converter. This component is responsible for converting nasty exhaust chemicals into harmless H20 compounds such as water or steam.
If the catalytic converter becomes clogged, it can no longer do its job properly, and instead turns these exhaust chemicals into an eggy smelling sulphur dioxide.
A faulty fuel pressure sensor can sometimes be the root cause of the catalytic converter’s failure. If this sensor is faulty, it can pump excess fuel into the engine system, which can then overload the catalytic converter, causing damage.
Whether it’s an isolated problem with the catalytic converter or if the fuel pressure sensor is involved, either way you’re going to need to get the problem fixed by a professional before it does any more damage. Besides, nobody wants to sit with rotten egg smell so it shouldn’t take much convincing to take it in to be fixed.
Sometimes moisture can build up in the air conditioning vents. This can then cause mould to grow which can give off a musty or dirty sock smell. Breathing in mould spores is quite bad for your health so if this odour persists, you’ll want to take it in to be looked at.
Assuming you’re not performing irresponsible and illegal acts on the road, the smell of burning rubber can indicate a faulty hose or belt in the engine bay. Hoses and belts are made from rubber and when functioning properly are secured into the parts of the engine that they are supposed to be. However, if a hose or belt has malfunctioned, it could potentially become displaced and begin pressing against the engine block.
If this is the case, the heat from the engine will likely start to burn the rubber component which will then end up going through the vents and into the cabin of the car. A fault like this will usually be followed by the engine overheating, depending on exactly what component it is that has suffered a fault. If you can’t fix it yourself, you’ll end up needing a tow to your local mechanic.
That lovely ‘new car smell’ that you get when you drive your brand new Skoda Kamiq out of the dealership for the first time is what we all want through our noses when behind the wheel.
However, over time, and as our cars start to rack up a few kilometres on the clock, a few of these less pleasant odours may start to fill their air instead. But if you know what you’re sniffing for, you should be able to perform a rough diagnosis and then get your car to a service professional quick smart.
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