Every sound and smell that comes from your car is a form of communication. Those sounds and smells will tell you when everything is running smoothly. They will also tell you when it might be experiencing problems.
Unfortunately, if you fail to notice those sounds and smells, you may end up with costly repairs, especially if you ignore them for too long. Here are just a few of the ways your car may use to communicate with you.
Slap Slap Slap Go the Tires
You're driving down the road. Suddenly, you hear what sounds like rubber slapping on the road. You speed up and so does the sound. You slow down and so does the sound. Don't ignore the slapping. It's your tires trying to tell you that they're about to fall apart – literally.
As the tread separates from the body of the tire, it will let you know by creating a slapping sound on the pavement. That sound is actually the tread slapping the road. If you hear that sound, drive to the nearest repair shop and have your tires replaced.
The Sweet Smell of Coolant
You start smelling something sweet coming from the engine. It smells vaguely like pancake syrup. Then you notice that the temperature gauge is reading slightly hotter than it usually does. That sweet smell is ethylene glycol – the main ingredient in engine coolant – burning in your coolant system.
As soon as you start smelling pancakes, you should stop driving your car or you could end up with even bigger repair costs, especially if your car overheats and damages the engine. Contact a repair shop and have them conduct a thorough inspection of your cooling system.
It's a Grind Thing
Most grinding is caused by a problem with your brakes. When brake pads begin to wear out, you'll hear a squealing sound. Unfortunately, if you ignore it, the squealing will eventually go away once the pads finally wear through to the metal bracket.
Once that happens, the metal bracket will grind up against your rotor. If you're hearing grinding from your brakes, you need to have them inspected by a repair technician as soon as possible. Don't drive your car until you have your brakes repaired.
Your car uses sounds and smells to communicate with you. If you experience any of the sounds or smells described above, you should take your car in to an automotive repair service as soon as possible.
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