What’s that Smell? How Your Nose Can Help you Diagnose Car Problems

When you first purchased your Land Rover, the new car smell was intoxicating. Every time you climbed into the driver’s seat, you’d find the scent invigorating and wonderful. It was a reminder that your car was new and operating perfectly. Unfortunately, there are many other scents that can emanate from your car, and not all of them are this pleasant. In fact, some of them can indicate serious issues with Land Rover parts and can even prove deadly.

If you’ve noticed an unusual scent coming from your vehicle, understanding what the odour means is important. Keep in mind that some odours will only appear at certain times, like when the Land Rover is running or when it is idling. By taking the time to notice what the odour smells like, when it occurs and even where it is coming from, you can diagnose many problems with your car.

Diagnosing Odours in Your Land Rover

Odour: Maple Syrup

When: This odour generally occurs after the engine has had a chance to warm up, but it can also occur after the car has been turned off for a couple of minutes.

What Causes it? If you find yourself suddenly craving your mum’s famous crepes and maple syrup when you get behind the wheel of your Land Rover, there’s a good chance something is wrong. This sweet odour is most often caused by leaking coolant that contains ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is a common ingredient in coolant. It gives off a sweet-smelling fragrance that is actually toxic. A number of car parts could be to blame, including the cylinder head, intake manifold gasket, heater hose or radiator. If the scent is more noticeable outside the car, the problem is likely coming from the radiator or radiator cap. If it is stronger inside the vehicle, a bad heater core is likely to blame.

Odour: Dirty Socks and Feet

When: This scent often occurs when you turn on the air conditioner or heater fan.

What Cause it? This odour may quickly remind you of your physical education class in school, and it is most likely caused by mildew that has built up inside the air conditioner evaporator because of excess moisture. While you may need to replace the evaporator to fix the problem, an inexpensive solution to try first involves turning the air conditioner off about a mile before you plan to stop. If you set the fan on high after this, you may be able to dry out the system and get rid of the build-up of mildew.

Odour: Sulphur and brimstone

When: This odour tends to occur continuously, especially after your Land Rover has been sitting for a while after driving a long distance.

What Cause it? No, your car isn’t possessed, although it might smell like it is. This scent can actually be caused by gear lube that is leaking from one of three car parts: the differential housing, transfer case or manual transmission. The oil in this lube contains sulphur compounds that help to keep your gears lubricated under extreme pressure. If the lubrication isn’t changed every once in a while, it can begin to smell. A leak releases this odour and generally means you will need to call your mechanic to find the source.

Odour: Rotten eggs

When: This odour generally occurs whenever you have your car on.

What Cause it? Unless your child forgot his science project under the back seat, this rotten egg odour is most likely the result of hydrogen sulphide in your exhaust. Petrol contains trace amounts of sulphur, which should be converted to sulphur dioxide by the catalytic converter. If you’re smelling rotten eggs, however, this means the catalytic converter isn’t doing its job. This Land Rover part may be failing or you may have a fuel-injection problem.

Odour: Burnt paper

When: This scent occurs when you’re driving at any speed, and is most noticeable when you’re shifting from one gear to another.

What Cause it? When you begin to smell something that resembles burnt newspaper, take a good look at your clutch. The problem is likely the facing of the clutch burning off when the clutch slips. This clutch facing is actually made from a material that contains paper, which explains why this type of odour occurs. You’ll likely need to replace the clutch to fix the problem.

Odour: Burnt carpet

When: You’ll typically notice this scent after you’re been hard on the brakes or have been using them frequently.

What Cause it? The cause of this odour has to do with your brake pads. These Land Rover parts tend to create this odour when you’re being tough on the brakes when driving downhill. This is completely normal, especially if you aren’t used to downshifting. However, if you’re driving on a flat stretch of motorway and small this, the problem could be caused by other car parts. You might have forgotten to release the handbrake before you began driving. The issue could also be caused by a seized-up calliper piston that resulted in a dragging brake.

Odour: Hot oil

When: This odour can occur any time your engine is hot.

What Cause it? This earthy, burning smell is typically caused by oil leaking onto your exhaust manifold when it is hot. The most likely culprit is a leaking crankshaft seal. You may notice that much of the leak falls to the pavement under your Land Rover as well. Look under the bonnet for smoke to determine exactly where the leak is occurring.

Odour: Petrol

When: You may notice this odour when the Land Rover is parked, especially in an enclosed space.

What Cause it? In older cars, the smell of fuel was a typical problem that occurred after a normal drive and shutoff. In newer Land Rovers, however, evaporative-emissions systems should take care of this odour before it gets to you. If you smell it, there’s a problem. The most likely care parts are fuel-injection lines and fuel-tank vent hoses.

Worried about the odours coming from your car? Use your noise and a few of these tips to diagnose what Land Rover parts might be to blame.