Car Smell Like Burning Rubber? There Are Many Potential Causes

Cars make a lot of strange smells while they drive, but the scariest among them is burned rubber. This smell is NEVER a good sign and is typically a problem associated with your oil or lubricant. That said, it can also be caused by a variety of other situations that can be dangerous.

Oil And Lubricant-Related Problems
One of the most common causes of a burning rubber smell is a motor oil leak. When your oil leaks, it ends up on your engine and burns up. This can cause a nasty burning smell and even make your engine overheat. Other burning smell problems caused by oil include a leaking gasket or seal spraying out on the engine. However, coolant leakage can also cause a bad burning rubber smell.

Loose Hoses
There are many rubber hoses underneath of your hood that can get quickly loose as you drive. When this happens, they can touch the engine and start burning. If a burning rubber smell occurs out of nowhere while you’re driving, stop your engine and look for loose hoses that may be resting against the engine.

Drive Belt Problems
When drive belts start going bad on your engine, they can either rip and fly off their gears or stop the pulley from turning and create a bad smell. This smell will be coupled with a loud squealing noise and needs to be addressed ASAP. Otherwise, your engine may stop working for good.

If your car is suffering from regular burning rubber smells, you need to contact us today. We can help identify the problem and help make your car safe to drive again.