Why My Car Smells Like Burning Rubber

Recently, a customer kept complaining of a burning rubber-like smell in his vehicle. We asked him to immediately turn off the car, call a vehicle recovery service, and take it to a workshop. The reason is that a burning smell indicates serious problems, which can result in the automobile catching fire or stopping the functioning of critical parts such as the braking system. So, ignoring the foul odour means unnecessarily putting yourself and others in harm’s way. Therefore, be a responsible person and get the car inspected right away.

What causes the smell? Well, experts and past experiences indicate that there are several plausible reasons. Today’s blog post will cover the most common ones.

Reasons Behind a Burning Rubber Smell

There are five common explanations, including:

Motor Oil Leak

When your car leaks motor oil, it will fall on the exhaust. Usually, the burning rubber smell is the strongest in this case. While you can feel it inside the vehicle, it is not as strong compared to the outside. When motor oil leaks onto the exhaust, you will see smoke and other fumes.

Aggressive Driving

When you brake and accelerate suddenly, you are putting pressure on the tires. Eventually, the tires will heat up, releasing a foul odour. When this happens, the best thing to do is to park your car in a safe place and let it rest. The tires will cool down eventually, and the smell will go away. PitStopArabia recommends that you drive responsibly and avoid rash driving.

Electrical Short-Circuiting

Modern vehicles have numerous electrical components. When there are electrical components, there is bound to be electrical wiring. When you install after-market car parts, the installer will play around with the wiring. When done in a non-professional manner, the wiring is a safety hazard. The short-circuiting will result in a burning rubber smell and may cause a fire. So, PitStopArabia recommends that you avoid getting any electrical work done from non-authorized shops.

Clutch

If you drive a manual, the car has a clutch. Suppose every time you switch gears, you come across a burning rubber smell. If that happens, the problem is with the clutch. You must have it checked promptly as you do not want your clutch to malfunction when driving. Many people have a habit of resting their foot on the clutch, i.e. pressing it even when you are not using it. You must get rid of this habit as it creates unnecessary stress and causes the clutch to wear out prematurely.

Brake Friction

When you suddenly apply brakes or use them continuously when driving downhill, you create friction. This friction will emit a burning rubber odour that is hard to ignore. If you see smoke coming from the brakes, it is time to pull over and let them cool. In case you continue driving, you may experience complete brake failure. In that case, read our blog ‘How to deal with brake failure’ in order to save yourself and the people around you.

Wrap Up

It concludes today's informative piece on the causes of the burning rubber-like smell from a vehicle. If you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to contact us. Thank You.