I have no idea what is wrong with my car – Part 1: Smell

It’s a situation you’ve likely experienced before. You are going about our day or sometimes just about to start your day and you are relying on your vehicle to get you to where you need to be. 

We assume our car is going to work, and we don’t think much about it – until it doesn’t! 

Either there weren’t any warning signs or you didn’t notice them. Maybe there were signs and you didn’t even know. 

Most of the time, you don’t need to know anything about what goes on underneath the hood, but when something goes wrong you start to wish you knew a little bit more about the mechanics of it all. 

We know that very few car owners are expert diagnosticians and often you don’t even know which service you need to book for your vehicle besides oil and tire changes.

Of course, with Toronto Mobile Mechanic you don’t even have to worry about knowing what issue your vehicle is suffering from but we believe the more information you are able to share before we come on-site, the better!

There’s a lot you can determine based on what you see, smell, hear, and feel. Once you’ve identified the sense your issue applies to, focus on the qualities of each sensation. For example, if there’s an odd feeling to your car, think about if it’s vibrating or if it’s pulling to one side.

In Part 1 of our guide, here is what your sense of smell can tell you. Keep an eye out for Part 2 (Hear) and Part 3 (Feel).

Using Your Sense of Smell to Diagnose Issues With Your Car
Smells Like	What It Could Mean
Burning wood or rubber	Overheating brakes or tires (rubber smell) Malfunctioning clutch (wood smell)
Exhaust	Carbon Monoxide (CO) may be leaking into the car (note that CO is colourless and odourless but is part of exhaust gas)
Gasoline	Leaking fuel system component Failing evaporative emissions system component
Hot or burning oil (often referred to as “exhaust smell”)	Engine oil leaking, possible from a failed gasket or seal
Mildew or mold	Cabin air filter needs replacement Buildup on evaporator Water inside the car
Sulphur	Failing catalytic converter Overcharged battery Issue with fuel system
Sweet	Leaking coolant

Remember, no matter what – we are here to help! Contact us anytime at: 647-299-6077 or at[email protected]