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Friday, October 7, 2011

How to Diagnose Car Smells


Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual.

An odor in your car may just be an annoyance, but it can also be a sign of car problems. Knowing what different smells indicate will allow you to maintain your car properly and stay safe on the road. The following is a guide on how to diagnose car smells.

Steps

Notice a smell that is similar to maple syrup.

  1. 1
    Walk around the outside of the car.


    • If you notice the smell in this area, this indicates a radiator leak.
  2. 2
    Sit on the passenger side of the inside of the car.
    • If you notice the smell in this area, this indicates a bad heater core.
  3. 3
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Have the heater core or radiator repaired by an auto mechanic.

Notice the smell of gasoline.

  1. 1
    Park the vehicle outdoors in the heat or indoors.
    • If you smell gasoline, there is a leak in your vent hose or fuel injection line.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Have an auto mechanic repair the leak.

Notice a smell that is similar to a burnt carpet.

  1. 1
    Smell the air after you have used the car's brakes extensively.
    • If it smells like a burnt carpet, the brake pads are overheated.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Get the brake pads fixed as soon as possible. Driving with bad brakes poses a safety threat to you and other motorists.

Notice a smell that is similar to a locker room.

  1. 1
    Turn on the car's air conditioner.
    • If the air that comes out smells like a locker room, this indicates mold and mildew growth inside the vehicle's air-conditioning evaporator.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Run the vents without the air-conditioner on. This will help dry out the system.

Notice a smell that is similar to sulfur.

  1. 1
    Look for oil stains under the car.
    • If oil stains are present, this indicates a leak in the vehicle's transfer case or differential housing.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Take the car to an auto mechanic as soon as possible. This type of leak indicates a serious problem.

Notice a smell that is similar to rotten eggs.

  1. 1
    Turn the engine on.
    • If you notice a smell that is similar to rotten eggs, this indicates that something is wrong with the catalytic converter.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Have the catalytic converter replaced. It may be covered under your warranty, so check with the dealer to find out more.

Notice the smell of hot oil.

  1. 1
    Check for oil stains under the car.
    • This indicates that the vehicle's engine is leaking and burning oil.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Lift the hood of your car.
    • Inspect the engine and oil pipelines. Look for spots of wet oil.
    • If you find spots of wet oil, take the vehicle to an auto mechanic to be repaired.

Notice a smell that is similar to a burning newspaper.

  1. 1
    Check your car's transmission type.
    • This smell should only occur in cars with a manual transmission.
    • This smell indicates a worn clutch.
  2. 2
    Troubleshoot the smell.
    • Purchase a clutch and install it yourself or have an auto mechanic do it.
    • sources and citations;
    • Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Diagnose Car Smells Extractor. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.


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