Categories: ServiceTips & Tricks

What’s Causing the Burning Smell Outside My Car?

While you might notice smells inside your car more easily, since that’s where you spend most of your time, the smells outside of your vehicle can be just as indicative of issues that need to be fixed. We’ll help you diagnose the issue that is causing the burning smell outside of your car. Read on and learn about the smells that indicate issues with different parts of your car.

Bad Smells Outside Your Vehicle

Whether you are just noticing a slight smell, or there is obviously something wrong with your vehicle, the type of smell you are noticing can indicate what type of issue you are facing. Here are five different smells and what parts they indicate need some work:

Rotten Egg/Sulfer Smell: If you are smelling rotten eggs, it is usually caused by a catalytic converter in the exhaust overheating. The converter could be failing, or your engine might need some work. Either way, this means a trip to the service center! Don’t wait too long, as this can cause issues down the road.

Burning Plastic Smell: This usually means that another part of your vehicle is contacting the exhaust and is melting. If you ran over something on the road, this can be burning on the exhaust, or if a part of your vehicle is loose, it might be touching it.

Burning Metallic Smell: This usually means your brakes are wearing down, or your clutch is failing. The clutch disc and your brake pads are similar in composition, and both create a similar smell. Bring your vehicle in to the service center to diagnose the issue and replace the affected part.

Sweet Smell: You could smell this inside or outside your vehicle, but wherever it comes from it means a coolant leak. If it is leaking onto your engine or the ground, you will probably be able to smell it. Bring it in to find the leak and repair the issue.

Gasoline Smell: If you are smelling gas when your vehicle is parked or when it is in drive, it indicates a fuel leak. The most common ones are the top seal on the fuel tank and the injectors that you find under the hood. Get this checked out and save money on fuel, and get rid of that constant gas smell.