# just had quite a scare.. **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [September 15, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521 "2006-09-15T06:20:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![micah](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/micah/32/7257_2.png) [@micah](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/micah)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/1 "2006-09-15T06:20:22Z")
im driving from my apt to work this morning, i go for about 4 minutes at about 45mph… at a red light… smoke starts coming fom under the hood…had a weird smell to it, and all i could think abuot was teh vid of the VW goin up in flames, so i utrn into a parking lot right away and pop the hood… the smoke goes away, so i start my car again after about 10 minutes of no smoke…i then drive 75mph for about 10 min to work… and no smoke during the way and nothing when i parked again… do u think it was just something, like even water than dropped on somethin and evaporated? or another liquid leak? seems fine now, but regardless im gonna check everything at my dads shop after work ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/2 "2006-09-15T06:24:09Z")
yeah, my car did the same yesterday with the rain, i think it was just water evaporating. its a good idea to check everything out but your prolly fine ---
**Author:** ![SkunkApe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/skunkape/32/7575_2.png) [@SkunkApe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SkunkApe)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/3 "2006-09-15T06:27:04Z")
make sure to check anything for leaks… but it was probably nothing… maybe u just went through a giant puddle? LOL. You should be ok though maybe it was a bunch of (forbidden word)… oh wait… wrong forum :lol: ---
**Author:** ![JaysGreenLX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jaysgreenlx/32/7321_2.png) [@JaysGreenLX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JaysGreenLX)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/4 "2006-09-15T06:28:22Z")
Can you describe the smell you encountered? ---
**Author:** ![micah](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/micah/32/7257_2.png) [@micah](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/micah)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/5 "2006-09-15T06:33:09Z")
sulfurish smell, def a burning smell, not a steam ---
**Author:** ![duck](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/duck/32/7183_2.png) [@duck](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/duck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/6 "2006-09-15T06:49:05Z")
i guess coolant leak, those things can be pesky. could only leak under specific circumstances and can be hard to find. ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/7 "2006-09-15T06:49:56Z")
your car was smoking a blunt and didn’t pass. “puff puff, give…PUFF PUFF, GIVE!!” ---
**Author:** ![OfficerK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4da419/32.png) [@OfficerK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OfficerK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/8 "2006-09-15T07:00:14Z")
Yeah I was going to say oil…but now that you mentioned smell it may be a coolant leak more than anything else…perhaps power steering, but that has more of an oily smell ---
**Author:** ![micah](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/micah/32/7257_2.png) [@micah](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/micah)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 7:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/9 "2006-09-15T07:05:44Z")
the smoke originated from driver side towards the steering wheel… ---
**Author:** ![JaysGreenLX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jaysgreenlx/32/7321_2.png) [@JaysGreenLX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JaysGreenLX)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 7:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/10 "2006-09-15T07:10:20Z")
Coolant has more of a sweet smell than a sulfer smell. ---
**Author:** ![jeeves744](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jeeves744/32/7619_2.png) [@jeeves744](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jeeves744)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/11 "2006-09-15T07:14:41Z")
check all your fluid levels and see if any are low. ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 8:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/12 "2006-09-15T08:22:48Z")
power steering fluid? ---
**Author:** ![duck](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/duck/32/7183_2.png) [@duck](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/duck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 8:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/13 "2006-09-15T08:56:04Z")
> [@JaysGreenLX](#): > > Coolant has more of a sweet smell than a sulfer smell. i had a hidden coolant leak from about the driver side steering wheel area. it was definately burning… i can’t say it was a burning smell, like micah said, since smells can’t burn? ---
**Author:** ![RedGoober4Life](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redgoober4life/32/7610_2.png) [@RedGoober4Life](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedGoober4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 9:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/14 "2006-09-15T09:14:53Z")
Check the top of your radiator for cracks. Mine cracked last year ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Clean\_Baldy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/clean_baldy/32/7308_2.png) [@Clean\_Baldy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Clean_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/15 "2006-09-15T09:16:15Z")
> [@jeeves744](#): > > check all your fluid levels and see if any are low. :word: I’d be under that hook taking a look. It would really suck if your coolant magically disappeared while you were driving 75MPH on the 33… ---
**Author:** ![micah](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/micah/32/7257_2.png) [@micah](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/micah)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 9:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/16 "2006-09-15T09:24:07Z")
checked fluids they were fine… taking a closer look after work though ---
**Author:** ![The\_Russian](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/the_russian/32/7414_2.png) [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 10:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/17 "2006-09-15T10:30:04Z")
Mine does in the damp months everyday if i get on it. i think crap burns off the exhaust manifold and causes that smell. my buick and my van both did it. no smoke, just a foul odor ---
**Author:** ![Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/53a042/32.png) [@Ninja](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Ninja)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 10:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/18 "2006-09-15T10:40:18Z")
when you say sulferish smell… im immediatly reminded of my leaking differential. I know all too well gear oil reeks of sulfer… worst smell ever IMO. But dont hondas use motor oil in the tranny? … so… who knows… maybe your car farted. I had those scares everyday in the DSM I would just chalk it up to what The Russian says… moisture prolly adgitated some grime and buildup… got onto the exhaust. ---
**Author:** ![MPD47](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mpd47/32/7383_2.png) [@MPD47](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MPD47)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/19 "2006-09-15T12:00:12Z")
Next time dont just pop the hood. Get out, put your hands on the hood, see how hot it is, if it feels “safe” hit the hatch release, see if any flames lick out around the hood, if not, open said hood. If there is a fire, keep the hood closed and spray UNDER the car. ---
**Author:** ![dmoffitt](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dmoffitt/32/7455_2.png) [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 12:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521/20 "2006-09-15T12:05:20Z")
sulfer like kinda flinty? if so that’s moisture burning / steaming off. coolant smells like maple syrup, oil is a very distinct / unique smell - not at all like sulfur though. dif fluid / gear oil smells like rotten fish. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/just-had-quite-a-scare/17521.md?page=2)