5 common car smells you shouldn't ignore

car maintenance tips 

"Sponsored article by Toyota of Clermont"

Have you ever gotten in your car and noticed something that just smells...rotten? You've checked under your seats and sniffed just about every inch of the carpet and upholstery in your vehicle thinking something may have spilled or rotted. Well, it happens to a lot of car owners. Vehicles have a lot of parts and when some of these parts need auto repairs they will emit certain sounds or scents. Toyota of Clermont is here to teach you about the 5 most common car smells and why you should give them your attention.

Toyota of Clermont auto service techs explain which car smells should be taken care of 

#1: Maple syrup 
If you start getting a whiff of sweet waffles when you start your car, chances are you didn't leave a stack in your passenger seat overnight. If you smell maple syrup when your car is running, then there's most likely an issue with an ethylene glycol leak - meaning a coolant leak. This car smell could be the result of a hose, your radiator, or any other component of your cooling system. When you leak coolant, your car has a harder time staying cool and preventing it from overheating. Bring your car into Toyota of Clermont for service right away.

#2: Rotten eggs
Rotten eggs never bring about a pleasant scent. In this case, a rotten egg car smell can indicate that you have sulfur in your fuel or hydrogen sulfide in your exhaust system. This could lead to an issue with your fuel injection system or your catalytic converter. You shouldn't delay talking to one of our Clermont auto service techs about this.

#3: A dirty gym locker
When you turn on your air conditioner and you car kind of smells like a sweaty gym locker after a football game, you most likely have mold or mildew growing in your air conditioning system. The mold could be coming from inside the condenser so this isn't really an issue you can resolve on your own. Instead, you'll have to bring your car to Toyota of Clermont to be cleaned out.

#4: Burning carpet
If you start smelling a burning carpet or fabric scent while you're driving, it's most likely due to your brake pads. This car smell comes from your brake pads being overworked and overheated. If the smell doesn't go away or gets worse after a few days, you may want to consider bringing your car in for Clermont brake service to have them checked and replaced if needed.

#5: Gas station scent
If your car smells like you left the door open for too long at the gas pump, this can be a really dangerous situation, so you shouldn't ignore it. This car smell usually means there's a leak in the fuel tank vent hose or a fuel injector line and your car is leaking gas. In this instance, you would be losing fuel, inhaling fuel fumes, and completely losing fuel efficiency. Your vehicle should be looked at by a Toyota of Clermont auto service tech right away.

Toyota of Clermont is here to help get your vehicle back on the road

Do you think there’s a weird car smell in your vehicle and want to get it checked out? Call our Toyota of Clermont dealership at (352)404-7001 or visit our dealership located at 16851 State Rd 50 just off the Florida Turnpike.