# Weird car smell... worrysome? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380 "2008-03-06T21:46:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/1 "2008-03-06T21:46:55Z")
My car, for the past few days or so, has been making a really odd smell–almost but not quite like burning rubber, and unlike burning brakes. It only makes this smell when I’ve braked somewhat hard. Now, the only thing that’s changed in the last few days is that the smell started right after I’d gone through a few inches of slow-moving water during a flash flood. So is this related to that, or should I have it checked out? Braking power seems unaffected. This is a 2003 Neon SXT. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/2 "2008-03-06T21:50:09Z")
Look at your front wheels. Is one much dirtier than the other? Why I ask: you might have a brake pad that is rubbing and dragging, and it would surely cause the smell you mentioned. One wheel could show considerable more gray/black brake dust from this problem. Your rotor would be over heated, worn and warped as well. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/3 "2008-03-06T22:33:24Z")
I would be incredibly irritated if this was the case, since the car was at the dealer’s for a front realignment less than two weeks ago (skidded into a curb at 15mph, joy) and they said nothing was wrong with the axle or brakes. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/4 "2008-03-06T22:50:57Z")
[QUOTE=Zeriel] I would be incredibly irritated if this was the case, since the car was at the dealer’s for a front realignment less than two weeks ago (skidded into a curb at 15mph, joy) and they said nothing was wrong with the axle or brakes. [/QUOTE] Take it back to them. Sounds like it might be a sticking caliper, could be intermitant, or they could have overlooked it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/5 "2008-03-06T22:56:55Z")
Would that still be a relevant solution if the smell centers on the opposite side of the car? That is, the smell is driver’s side, the curb hit was passenger side. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/6 "2008-03-06T23:01:58Z")
[QUOTE=Zeriel] Would that still be a relevant solution if the smell centers on the opposite side of the car? That is, the smell is driver’s side, the curb hit was passenger side. [/QUOTE] Doesn’t seem likely, could be coincidence, but you’d think they would check the entire front end, then again maybe not. Needs to be fixed though, whatever it is and the shop that did the previous work might cut you a break, or not. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-car-smell-worrysome/440380/7 "2008-03-07T02:31:00Z")
Take it back to the dealer and ask them to put it on the rack. I could tell you 5 things that could be wrong with it but only looking at it will tell for sure.