The Student Room Group

Smelly Ford KA?

I have a 2001 Ford Ka, no problems since I bought it nearly a year ago; its been serviced and MOT'd since then too.

Today I drove to town (6 miles away) and on the way noticed a funny smell; tried all sorts thinking it could be my damp umbrella, something I'd stepped in etc etc! Couldn't find anything like that, on my way home I cranked up the air blower (not got air con) and the smell got worse; switched it off and it seemed to go away; however, stopped at supermarket and on way out realised smell was back, but air blower was still off... it smells almost toxic, really unpleasant, seems to get a little worse and then better, then worse again.

Any clues as I'm clueless!

Cheers,
Reply 1
Have you checked for dead things?
Reply 2
Have you been holding it on the bite on any hills? Or having to rev it a fair amount to move off on like a hill? I had a bad smell coming from the air blower things when I did this in my mums car, but that was only the once and it made sure I didn't do it again, lol.
Reply 3
I had the same type of problem in my fiesta.
The front windscreen washer had broke and was leaking near the front of the dash/back of engine bay.

Is the windscreen washer working? Check the level. Add some scented screen wash like apple, but don't mix them - perhaps empty it all by using the washer for a long time.


If its not that, see if there are any leaves etc. near the back of the engine bay, close to the front wipers

Check all the above, and post back :smile:
Reply 4
Smells arnt good signs.
Check the exhaust for leaks. The fact it got worse with the heater on is not a good sign.
Its obviously drawing in air from outside.

I hope its not wiring. :s-smilie:
Reply 5
There's a dead bunny rabbit stuck in your grille?
Reply 6
I've had a look under the bonnet, but nothing is visibly different to what is normally there. Took mum out to sample said smell- but no smell!! I was definately not imagining things- it was so bad I felt ill and switched music off incase something dropped out/exploded/went on fire! Was really bad when I pulled up on driveway, car sat there for 2 hours and then drove with mum and nothing?!

First noticed smell about 12.30 today, car sat for 3 hours and then drove it again and smell still there...but all gone now...

Will see how things go tomorrow, I am on a training course and then at work in the evening so need car to be ok!! Am still worried about it though- if something was really wrong it would carry on smelling wouldn't it?
Reply 7
You arnt driving past a field full of rape seed are you?
Reply 8
Do you need a new clutch?
Reply 9
that sounds like you've burnt out the clutch.. does your car over rev when you press the pedal down much when you are driving?

my clutch failed after all that snow we had in february.. took me 4 hours to get home, and constantly starting it in 2nd didn't help it. i think it was going anyway, but i pushed it over the edge. that produces a horrible smell, a toxic one like you describe, and it kicked in when you put the blower on.

take it to a service centre and ask them to just check for you.
Reply 10
pumpkin7
that sounds like you've burnt out the clutch.. does your car over rev when you press the pedal down much when you are driving?

my clutch failed after all that snow we had in february.. took me 4 hours to get home, and constantly starting it in 2nd didn't help it. i think it was going anyway, but i pushed it over the edge. that produces a horrible smell, a toxic one like you describe, and it kicked in when you put the blower on.

take it to a service centre and ask them to just check for you.

Surely the clutch isn't totally burnt out? I only held it on the bite and had to rev quite hard to get up the hill (the car was full of luggage and stuff as I drove to Newquay in my mum's car) and didn't think it was that bad... there was a not-so-nice toxic smell coming through the blowers though.

Also, we were in my mate's 1.1 206 a few days after this, on the same hill and he had to do the same as me. This caused a similar smell to come through his blowers... surely we haven't both burnt out our clutches on one hill?! lol. My mum's car has only done 16k miles too...
Reply 11
Just because you get a smell from the clutch does not automatically mean you burnt it out.

I regularly roast my clutches and in roadcars they last and last!

Although I did once burn out a paddle clutch in 6 miles... :s-smilie:
Reply 12
JC.
Just because you get a smell from the clutch does not automatically mean you burnt it out.

I regularly roast my clutches and in roadcars they last and last!

Although I did once burn out a paddle clutch in 6 miles... :s-smilie:

Oh, cool, thanks for that. I was worried, lol. I haven't had any problems since, and nor has my mate with his Pug afaik, so I'm guessing the clutches were just 'roasted' a little cause we were both having to pull a lot of weight up some very steep hills in pretty weak cars. I'll definitely try not to do it again!
Reply 13
What were you trying to pull?
Reply 14
JC.
What were you trying to pull?

Well not pulling something like a trailer but the car was packed to the roof with suitcases, sleeping bags, booze and the like. Backseats were down too so there was a fair amount of stuff and I could definitely feel the extra weight whilst driving!
Flash6289
Well not pulling something like a trailer but the car was packed to the roof with suitcases, sleeping bags, booze and the like. Backseats were down too so there was a fair amount of stuff and I could definitely feel the extra weight whilst driving!


That wouldn't weight you down that much, people are heavier than you think.
All the fleshness of a single person can add 70kg.
Reply 16
Eulaca
That wouldn't weight you down that much, people are heavier than you think.
All the fleshness of a single person can add 70kg.

Well yeah, there was only one more person in the passenger seat and there's usually only one more person in the car with me at any time, but I certainly felt the difference in the drive so the stuff did add a fair bit of weight... We were taking stuff for like 4 people (2 went by train) including suitcases, rucksacks, sleeping bags and the obligatory cases of beer. :smile: