Burning smell
Car Smells Like Burning: Causes and What to Do
A burning smell from a car can come from the brakes, the belts, the engine, the cooling system or the wiring. Smoke, flames, or the smell of burning plastic mean stop, turn the engine off and get everyone away from the car. Match the smell to its likely source below.
- All makes and models
- $125 diagnostic, credited if you go ahead with the repair
- Nephi to Ogden, including Eagle Mountain and Heber
What each smell can mean
The kind of smell narrows the cause.
- Burning rubber. A slipping or rubbing belt, a hose touching a hot part, or a dragging brake.
- Burning plastic or an electrical smell. Overheated wiring or a failing electrical part. Treat it as a fire risk.
- Burning oil. Oil leaking onto a hot engine or exhaust. It is often a leaking gasket or seal.
- A sweet, syrupy burning smell. Coolant leaking onto a hot engine. Watch the temperature gauge.
- A sharp smell after hard braking, especially downhill. Overheated brakes. A brake that stays hot after you stop can be sticking.
- A sharp burning smell in a manual car when you shift. A slipping clutch.
When to stop right away
A burning smell together with an overheating gauge, a flashing warning light or a loss of power also means stop.
Can you keep driving?
Not with smoke, a plastic or electrical smell, or an engine temperature that is climbing. A faint smell of burning oil with normal gauges is less urgent, but oil on a hot exhaust can ignite, so avoid driving the car until it is checked.
Having it diagnosed
Call or text and describe the smell and when it happens. The diagnostic visit is $125 on every job, with the $75 to $100 travel fee added. If you go ahead with the repair, the $125 counts toward it.
What to do right now
Note the smell and when it happens.
After braking, at idle, at highway speed or only when the heater is on.
Check the gauges and lights.
A rising temperature gauge or a warning light changes how urgent this is.
Stop if it is safe to.
Turn the engine off and let it cool before looking under the hood. Never open it if you see smoke.
Call or text.
Say what you smelled and what the car was doing.
Questions
Questions about a burning smell
Why does my car smell like burning rubber?
A belt that is slipping or rubbing, a hose touching a hot part, or a brake that is dragging can all smell like burning rubber. Note when it happens, and stop if it comes with smoke or a warning light.
Why does my car smell like burning oil?
Oil is usually leaking onto a hot part of the engine or exhaust. It is often a worn gasket or seal. A leak that drips onto the exhaust can smoke, so check the oil level and have it looked at soon.
Is a burning electrical smell dangerous?
Yes. A burning plastic or electrical smell can mean overheated wiring, which is a fire risk. Pull over, turn the engine off, get everyone away from the car and call 911 if you see smoke or flames.
Why does my car smell like it is burning after hard braking?
Heavy braking, especially downhill, heats the brakes enough to smell. If the smell stays after the brakes cool, or one wheel is much hotter than the others, a caliper may be sticking and the brakes need checking.
Smell something burning?
Give the year, make and model, the smell and when it happens.