Does your Car smell like burning rubber, burning brakes, burning plastic, or else?
A bad smell coming from your vehicle isn't a lucky sign. Whether the smell resembles burning rubber — or something worse — identifying the source is challenging. And truth be told, car issues make us panic about the worst scenario.
To cover this type of issue, we've made this set of four articles empowering car and truck owners like you to find answers. By reading through the articles, you’ll get familiar with:
If you’re far from your trusted shop or driving somewhere unfamiliar, check out our list of AutoTechIQ-certified auto repair shops. This list includes experienced shops in your current area that helped drivers like you in the past. These shops perform a free vehicle health inspection to diagnose your car’s issues on a first visit.
Depending on the smell, the issue can advance quickly. For example, while driving your car or truck with a burning plastic smell may seem ok, you should consider that serious problems might develop under you. It can quickly turn into a dangerous and very costly situation.
To avoid fires, blown engines, binding brakes, or other forms of hazard, take your car or truck to auto repair shops recommended by AutoTechIQ. We include shops based on trust, customer education, and experience.
Find Nearest car repair shopsRegardless of the problem’s complexity, you’ll always receive a vehicle health inspection to make the best decision matching your budget and goals. Note that safety-related items are always high-priority topics to discuss.
Typical testing procedures and a vehicle health inspection tell the likely diagnosis, listing what fixes should take care of the smell. In addition, ask your trusted automotive repair or service advisor for the best inspection interval based on your driving habits.
These are the most common causes for odd smells from the vehicle:
First of all, any trusted auto repair shop should perform a comprehensive vehicle health inspection regardless of the situation.
In addition, this inspection reveals only what the shop needs to fix. No unnecessary repairs will occur. We recommend sticking to the same trusted automotive repair shop you use for car maintenance or, as it is often referred to, an “oil change.”
Plus, performing this inspection twice a year allows you to see trends of wear and tear. Also, you’ll grow confident that the cost of regular maintenance is a good investment in increasing the lifespan of your car or truck.
The details you provide help the shop save testing time, which also saves you money. For example, if your car makes strange noises, the critical questions are:
To ensure that the auto repair shop performs the proper fixes, please share your goals for vehicle longevity with the service advisor.
Specific goals might be:
Does the information on this page help you take the next step, be confident in interacting with your auto repair shop and guide you to the best course of action?