Ominous aromas

How many distinctive odors around a car could you detect? Maybe five? There's the rotten egg smell of exhaust when something is amiss in the emissions system. Brake fluid has its own smell, too. An overheated engine spewing hot antifreeze has a distinctive aroma. Burning rubber, from under the hood gets your attention, too. And, of course, there's the unmistakable smell of gasoline. While all of these need to be investigated as soon as they're detected, the smell of gas is the most frightening, according to the Car Care Council.

One spark can set off a fire or explosion, so you want to have your fire extinguisher handy. Then, assuming the odor is coming from around the engine, you or your expert can lift the hood, seek out and correct the leak. One common source of gas fumes is the vapor canister, part of the emissions control system that collects fumes from the gas tank. Another is a leaking fuel line.

Ask your technician to give you a sniff of some of the more dangerous orders, such as brake fluid, a sure sign of looming brake failure. For more information on automotive maintenance, log on wwwcarcarecouncil.org.