The odd smells inside your car that could mean there's an engine problem

Drivers across Ireland have been warned unusual smells coming from their cars could mean serious issues with the engine, brakes or clutch.

Smells could be an indication of some serious underlying problems including coolant fluid leaking or harmful substances entering your car. 

Motoring experts at LeaseCar have named the five strange car smells that could indicate there is a problem with the vehicle including fruity sweet scents, rotten eggs and burning carpet.

A sweet smell may seem pleasant but might actually be a sign that the coolant fluid is leaking, meaning the car engine could soon overheat.

Rotten egg smells inside vehicles may lead to harmful substances coming into the car, because the catalytic converter isn’t working.

Smells of burning carpet may indicate that the brake pads are worn out or have become misaligned.

Tim Alcock, motoring expert at LeaseCar said: “There are several smells that might be coming from your car which may indicate there is a serious problem with essential parts of your vehicle.

“After identifying the smell and what it could mean, it’s essential to get the issue checked out with a mechanic as soon as possible to prevent any further problems or run the risk of ruining your car and putting yourself and others in danger.

“A fruity sweet smell may be deceiving as it can be quite pleasant, but this could actually indicate that there is a leak within the engine cooling system which can lead to engines overheating.

 “Musty smells coming from inside your car could mean there is a water leak, which increases the chances of  mould and mildew build up, so it’s best to check the seals on the windscreen, boot and doors are water-tight.

 “Another unusual smell to watch out for is burning carpet - this is likely a sign that there is an issue with the brakes.”

 Here are the five unusual smells in your car which is a sign something is wrong:

1. Rotten egg smell

A bad smell of egg inside the car most likely means there is an issue with the catalytic converter. It means that harmful exhaust substances could be coming into your vehicle because the converter is not working to convert the dangerous exhausts.

2. Fruity sweets

A sweet smell coming from your vehicle may seem quite pleasant but it could actually be a leak coming from the engine cooling system. If the coolant fluid is leaking then you run the risk of letting the engine overheat.

3. Burning carpet

A smell of burning carpet may indicate that there is an issue with the brakes. The brake pads could be worn out, are overheating or something has become misaligned. It’s essential to get this checked out immediately.

4. Musty smell

A musty smell inside of your car could mean that there is a leak and water that has accumulated is letting off an unpleasant scent. Areas where water can build up and lead to a smell are likely to be on the seals such as the windscreen, doors, boot and bonnet. 

5. Burning paper

Whilst driving and changing gears, if there is a smell of burning paper it could be a sign that the clutch is slipping. This is more likely to happen if the driver has a habit of riding the clutch and not taking their foot off.