Your vehicle can produce a variety of smells. Some are subtle and can be picked up by people with sensitive noses. Others are pretty strong and you’ll notice right away. Routine maintenance can help prevent many of the smells a vehicle can produce, but simply knowing what a small might be is a good start to gaining knowledge about what to do next. RPM Automotive of Prairie du Chien is here for you. Between our noses and our ASE Certified technicians, we will get to the root of what is making your nose tingle. Here are some tips:

Mold or Mildew

Your vehicle shouldn’t smell like a shower or locker room. The faint, or sometimes very strong smell of moisture and mildew can get stronger over time too. One probable cause of the issue is your vehicle’s air conditioning system not draining condensation properly. Your air conditioning system can also have standing moisture if it’s not used often. If you smell mildew, you have a couple options. Run your air conditioning system and see if you can dry it out and remove the smell. The problem could be a debris clog. RPM Automotive can help with this and get your vehicle smelling normal again.

Fruit or Sweet

A sweet smell that might be a bit fruity is likely a coolant leak. Coolant should stay in the reservoir and circulate, then return to the reservoir. A lack of coolant can be a serious problem as your engine can overheat and get damaged. RPM Automotive can find if the reservoir is cracked or if a hose somewhere has a leak issue. Get these fixed right away!

Smoke

Unfortunately, burning oil smells like smoke. You might also see a puff of blue smoke coming out of your tailpipe. An oil leak isn’t a good thing, as just like coolant, the fluid is essential to your engine’s proper lubrication and maintenance. Just like coolant, get your vehicle in right away and check your oil levels before you even go. 

Burnt Carpet

Your brakes might be too hot. If you are currently driving downhill or have to often, consider pumping brakes are letting your brakes cool helps. If this smell persists, bring it to RPM Automotive and we will find out why.

About UsOur goal at RPM Automotive is to provide the best possible neighborhood service. People have heard about our service and come from cities like Bloomington to have their vehicles serviced. We care about your time and convenience, so we offer car rentals and a shuttle to get to and from where you need. Same day repairs are also common and we have an after hours drop box. Want to make an appointment? Call us at 608-527-0377 or drive on in to our location at  1519 S. Marquette Road, Prairie Du Chien, WI. We love our community and are here to serve your automotive needs.