Why is there a burning smell in your car? Auto service experts answer.

 Do you have a weird burning smell permeating the cabin of your car? If you're wondering what could be causing it, the answer isn't that simple. There are multiple reasons why you could have the odor of something burning inside of your car and Toyota of N Charlotte is here to explain - see what our auto service experts have to say about it. 

Four burning smells and what they mean for your car 

As we said, there are multiple reasons you may have a burning smell inside of your car - four main ones, to be specific. Here's the breakdown from our Charlotte auto service specialists. 

#1: Burning oil smell

A burning oil smell indicates just that - burning oil. If you smell this odor inside of your N Charlotte Toyota, it usually indicates an oil leak. The oil is hitting something hot inside the engine bay and creating an acrid smoke smell that can spread into your cabin. It's important to get auto service immediately if you sense this odor. Leaking oil can cause your engine to overheat, damage your timing belt or crankshaft seal, or even cause a fire if it hits your car's exhaust. Bring your car in ASAP so our techs can take a look. 

#2: Burning plastic smell 

If you smell burning plastic inside of your car, you most likely have an issue with the wiring inside of your vehicle. The wiring is coated in plastic and when it wears down (or is chewed off - mice love to eat the insulation because it's soy-based), the wire is exposed. You don't want to ignore this smell. Exposed wires that touch each other can damage your electrical system and even cause a fire. 

#3: Burning rubber smell 

Smelling burning rubber inside your car? According to our auto service experts, this can indicate an issue with something under the hood that's made of rubber, like a hose or a belt. The smell comes from rubber hitting something hot and melting. Bring your car to our Charlotte auto service center so our techs can pop the hood and see what's going on. 

#4: Burning carpet smell 

The burning carpet smell is linked directly to your car's brakes. It can mean your brake pads or rotors are overheating, especially if you smell it mostly when you're hitting the brakes. The overheating can be caused by too-thin brake pads, sticking calipers, and more. The effects? You can wear down your brake pads prematurely and damage your rotors, which results in expensive repairs. 

Let our Charlotte auto service center take care of that burning smell

Need auto service to deal with a burning smell? Call Toyota of N Charlotte. We're open seven days a week at (704) 659-2025 and we're conveniently located just off the I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville.