Back to all

No Yolk! Rotten Egg Smell (Sulfur Smell Causes)

October 2, 2022

The pungent smell of rotten eggs can send people running for the hills.  So when that odor is inside your vehicle, yikes!  Yolks!  The good news is that a trained service technician can search the source of that smell and stanch the stench… that comes from another words that begins with S.  Sulfur.

Fuel contains small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, but they're enough to stink up a vehicle when it's not properly burned.  You may know that the smell of rotten eggs can often be a sign of a catalytic converter that isn't working the way it should.  That could be due to age, damage or an abundance of oil that's clogging it up. 

If a sensor in charge of managing the fuel has failed, the engine can run with too rich of a fuel mixture.  That can overload the catalytic converter and allow some of the byproducts to escape without interruption from the chemical reaction that is supposed to prevent them from going out the tailpipe.

There's another possibility, but it's usually only in stick shift vehicles.  That's leaking, old transmission fluid.

Catalytic converter repairs are best left to a professional. Technicians at your vehicle service facility have equipment and training that can help them pinpoint the cause of this funky fragrance.  Once the cause is found, repairs made and/or parts replaced, the smell should go away fairly rapidly.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Batavia
301 S. Randall Rd
Batavia, Illinois 60510
630-879-9941

More articles from Tuffy Batavia

Mercury Rising (Hot Weather Vehicle Concerns)

May 5, 2024

The heat is on, and your vehicle takes a beating when it is. Several of your vehicle's systems are under extra stress in hot weather, so here are a few to make sure are getting the care and maintenance they need. It makes sense that the cooling system is one to make sure is in top shape. Vehicl... More

Used Cars: Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Batavia Advice on What to Do After You Buy

April 28, 2024

Used vehicles are certainly an economical choice for budget-conscious Batavia drivers. But how can we know we're getting a good used vehicle and not just inheriting someone else's problems?There are good used vehicles for sale in the Batavia area. Vehicles are sold when families upsize, when fami... More

Full of Hot Air (Air Conditioning)

April 21, 2024

In warm weather, you want to be in a cool vehicle. When we're talking cool, we don't mean stylish or trendy, but cool as in not sweltering inside. And if your vehicle's air conditioner stops working correctly, it seems to always break at the worst timeduring a heat wave. Automotive air conditio... More