Have you ever smelled something in your car that might have been a little…. Out of the ordinary? I know I have. Usually, my car smells really nice and fresh because I have a great little car jar thing that smells like lavender and lemons. It’s great! But then one day I got into my car and started driving and it started smelling decidedly like maple syrup, which I do NOT have as a car jar flavor! So I, being nervous and paranoid about everything to do with my car, took it into the shop. And thank goodness I did! It turned out that coolant had been leaking out of my car, which could have made my engine overheat! So, I got that fixed right away and now my car is back to the nice lavender and lemon scent, and I know what it means if my car smells weird. So, let me take a minute to share those smells with you, just in case you’re experiencing the same thing!

If your car smells like rotten eggs, it’s not that you’re driving near some trash – unless you are, of course! If it’s a persistent smell, you shouldn’t ignore it. This means your engine probably isn’t running very well and you could have issues with your catalytic converter. The “cat,” as it’s called, can be a really expensive repair, so you need to get this looked at ASAP!

Burning carpet smell is also an important one to keep a nose out for. If you experience this smell, it could be that your brakes need to be checked. Especially if you’re driving in normal conditions – as opposed to in winter or rain or something. Your brakes are one of the most important parts of your car, so take good care of them!

Like I said earlier, maple syrup smell can mean that you have a coolant leak – this can lead to your engine overheating! If you want to check on your coolant yourself, wait until your radiator is cooled down to remove the radiator cap and check the fluid level in there.

Burned rubber smell can mean slipping drive belts or loose hoses rubbing against other things in your engine. You should get this checked out quickly because you don’t want to throw or break a belt while you’re on the highway!

Hot oil smell may mean oil is leaking onto your exhaust system. Look for oil on the pavement underneath your car when you’re stopped, or for smoke coming out of your engine area. Similarly, gasoline smell can mean a leak in your fuel injector line or gas tank. Check under your car for leaking gasoline as well, and then hoof it on over to the shop to get that fixed!

If your car smells like dirty socks, even when it’s neat and clean as a pin, it’s probably mildew in the moisture condensing in your A/C evaporator. To fix this, just drive a mile from home and turn off the A/C and run the fan on high to dry your system out. Voilà!

I hope these sniff-tips have helped you out! Remember, if something seems funky, go to your dealer or shop and get it looked at! You’ll be so glad you did!