Certain car smells are concerning, one being the smell of burning rubber. It is never a good sign when rubber smells burnt. Because of this, you would like to learn the reason a car smells like burnt rubber.
In this guide, we highlight the most common reasons and discuss how they can be remedied. Finally, we will answer your frequently asked questions about the burned rubber odor.
Reasons A Car Smells Like Burning Rubber
If you smell burnt rubber, it may be a radiator coolant leak, engine oil leak, bad serpentine belt, sticking brakes or a worn clutch with a manual transmission. A short circuit in the electrical system, object stuck in the engine bay or worn out catalytic converter may also be a consideration.
Let’s examine some of the items a little closer.
#1. Engine Oil Leak.
You may not think that engine oil can produce a burnt rubber smell, but it can. A leak will drip on to a hot component under the hood and start to burn.
The leak could be from the drain plug, valve cover, seals, oil filter or oil pan gasket. Regardless, you are going to want to fix the problem sooner than later. The motor may not be getting the lubrication it needs, and may overheat.
Either situation could cause permanent damage to the engine and, which will create bigger repair bills. An oil leak onto the exhaust also has the potential of leading to a car fire, which is not something anybody wants to encounter.
#2. Radiator Coolant Leak.
Coolant has its own distinct smell from the ethylene glycol mixed into it. While straight from the bottle coolant has a sweet smell, somewhat like maple syrup, this is one of the most dangerous things to have exposure to around children or pets.
However, when coolant leaks onto hot engine parts and it smells, the odor will change slightly. The odor can still be sweet, but will have a little bit of a burning rubber-type smell also. It is important to control a coolant leak immediately to prevent engine overheating.
#3. Slipping Serpentine Belt.
The serpentine belt, or drive belt, transfers power from the engine. In addition, there is a timing belt that syncronizes the camshaft and crankshaft rotation.
If either belt is misaligned, broken, or loose it will slip. This causes more friction and a strong burning smell. The hoses near the slipping belt could rub against the slipping belt which would create an even stronger rubber smell.
#4. Sticking Brakes.
When a brake caliper seizes, it won’t disengage off the pads, which is forcing against the brake rotor. The caliper then begins to heat up and smell like it’s burning.
In severe instances, the heat could cause smoke to come from the wheel and even sparks that could become a fire. Most often, a stuck caliper results in pulling to one side, which would indicate the situation was happening.
There is also the possibility that you were just abusing your brakes, which is resulting in a burning smell. As brakes start to overheat from being ridden, the smell can be similar. During this time, you might also notice decreased braking performance.
#5. Clutch Slipping (Manual).
A burning smell is common when the clutch goes bad. This smell is the result of the clutch surface burning like a brake pad. When the clutch slips, the material burns, and you’ll most likely see smoke coming from under the hood.
You’ll know the clutch is slipping if there’s a delay between shifting gears. In addition, the pedal may feel soft.
Slipping can result from clutch use too often, not fully releasing the clutch between gears, or hauling a heavy load that’s too heavy for the truck. Slipping can also occur when there’s a mechanical issue.
#6. Electrical Short.
Today’s cars have more than 5,000 feet of electrical wiring, which is a lot that can go wrong. One short or disconnection can leave you with a large burning smell or a car fire, which are two things you don’t want to ignore.
Finding electrical shorts is the biggest problem.
Unless you are able to figure out which system is reading the short, you will be on a wild goose chase for several days to trace the wiring until you find the damage. This is the reason that electrical system issues can be among the most expensive repairs!
#7. Stuck External Objects In Engine Bay.
the engine and numerous other important components, such as the alternator, battery, transmission, power steering pump, and others.
If smoke or burning smells are present in your vehicle, chances are there is something in the engine bay that should not be there, as those components get very hot when the engine is running.
For example, you may be working in engine bay and you left behind a tool that is made of rubber or plastic, which may be burning. Or something else (such as the power steering pump or alternator) may be defective or excessively heating itself.
#8. Worn Catalytic Converter.
The catalytic converter is a key part of the car’s emissions system and will begin to emit a rotten egg smell as it fails, which could be misconstrued by you as burned rubber. That rotten egg smell is hydrogen sulfide which is coming from the catalytic converter.
If debris gets caught up on the catalytic converter, you could also smell something rubbery. Because the exhaust gets so hot, it could burn anything that comes into contact.
How To Diagnose A Burning Rubber Smell?
You do not need to be a certified mechanic to assess the situation with your car; most of the time you just need to take a closer examination. Let’s scrutinize some techniques to better assist with the evaluation process.
#1. Make a visual examination to start.
If nothing is stuck in the engine bay, check under the hood where you want to make sure, nothing has gotten lodged. This can be done by popping the hood and looking around. If you discover something that appears out of place, remove it. If you just drove your vehicle, anything under the hood could be very warm/hot, so proceed with caution.
You may also look under the car to see if anything got lodged against the exhaust. You guessed it; again, this system will be very hot, so you may wish to wait before you touch this debris.
Next, look at the belts; if a belt is either slipping or loose it will need to be replaced.
#2. Look For Leaks.
It is not hard to find leaking oil or coolant. If you are worried about fluids leaking, put a piece of cardboard under the car overnight. When you come back in the morning, you may see a puddle on the cardboard.
If it is brown or black, it is probably motor oil. Coolant can be many different colors from green to blue and other colors in the rainbow as well. However, you will know it is coolant just by the sweet smell!
Once you find the leak, you need to fix that leak. It is never a good idea to keep on driving a vehicle leaking fluids.
#3. Consult Service Manual.
For other issues, it will take a little more mechanical ability. Checking for stuck calipers isn’t much harder than changing brakes, but you may find it difficult to locate an electrical short. You can always refer to the factory service manual for some advice and step-by-step instructions for your specific vehicle.
Otherwise, at this point, you may feel better about involving a professional mechanic. It is not safe to drive with a burning smell coming from the vehicle.
When in doubt, keep in mind that vehicle fires do develop and you don’t want to take the issue lightly only to find yourself on the side of the road watching your vehicle burn.
FAQs.
Should I drive my car if it smells like burning rubber?
Definitely not. Something could be severely wrong, and you could be at risk of a fire. You need to pull over safely and look for a burning smell before driving.
If there’s debris in the engine bay or something rational, you may be able to get back on the road safely.
Why does my car smell like burning rubber but isn’t hot?
A rational reason could simply be debris lodged in the engine bay. The burning smell could also be a stuck caliper, slipping belt, or failing catalytic converter.
These issues would not cause the engine to heat up, but they could be just as dangerous, so you should stop driving and check it yourself.
Can a bad alternator cause a burning smell?
Probably, there are numerous damaged parts that could cause a burning smell in a car. If the alternator fails you would smell a burning smell, which might be more odorous if there is an electrical problem with that component.
You should check to make sure everything looks safe before getting back on the road, as you don’t want to end up with a car on fire.
Can low oil cause a burning smell?
Yes, an oil leak could cause a smell. If oil leaks and comes into contact with a hot part it could start to burn, creating an odor. There are many hot parts located under the hood, as well as along the exhaust.
Even small drips of oil on hot engine parts can cause a horrible smell. The leak will also put you at risk for vehicle fire, so get it taken care of ASAP.
Does burning coolant smell like rubber?
There is a sweet smell that indefinably smells like fresh coolant. If the coolant is leaking due to your vehicle overheating, and it drips on hot components in the engine bay or on the exhaust, it will create a specific odor that could smell like burning rubber. If you go driving and smell burning rubber, pull over and check to see if there is a problem.
If you smell burning rubber while you are driving your vehicle, this is a problem I would not ignore, as it can mean something is seriously wrong.
It could be as simple as some debris got stuck under the hood and is no longer a fire hazard, in which case that’s the best-case scenario. Or it could be something much more serious.
For example, if you have a leak from your oil or coolant, the engine is no longer adequately protected, and any fluid leaking onto hot parts could cause a vehicle fire.
Either way, you should still fix what is causing the burning smell before there could be severe consequences. If you’re not sure what to do, contact a local mechanic.