Driving is an immersive experience, requiring the use of all of your senses to stay safe on the road. And it's not just about being aware of how you and others are driving. Drivers also use their senses to diagnose car problems when they experience something unusual.

The most obvious car problems are easy to see with your eyes, but sometimes it's a sound or smell that will tell you what's wrong with your car. Here are some car sounds and smells to look out for.

Car sounds

Vibration

Every car makes some kind of familiar vibration whenever you turn the vehicle on, speed up, slow down, and stop. What you need to look out for are strange or unexpected vibrations, which could be caused by a tire problem. Your tires could be worn or out of balance, or you could have damaged wheels.

A strange vibration could also be caused by an engine or transmission issue. Take note of how the vibration changes while you drive and where you think the vibration is coming from. Share this information with your mechanic, which will help them diagnose the issue.

Grinding and screeching

You're slowing down as you pull up to a stop sign and your car lets out a horrible grinding screech as you push down on the brake pedal. You have probably worn out your brake pads. Get your brakes serviced before you are left with expensive rotor damage.

Squealing

If you hear a high-pitched squeal when accelerating, you could have a worn-out serpentine belt. This may be especially noticeable on cold mornings or during sharp turns. Inspect your car's serpentine belt to see if it's out of position or cracked. If it is, get it replaced quickly.

Whining or wheezing

A whining sound is usually caused by low power steering fluid, a damaged power steering line or a worn steering gear. Get this repaired so you have full power and control when steering.

Ticking

A ticking sound can be the result of several car problems. One of the most costly problems could be an exhaust leak, usually accompanied by exhaust odor. An exhaust leak could be hazardous to your car and you, so get your car looked at immediately.

Car smells

Dirty socks

If you turn on your car and immediately get unpleasant flashbacks to the gym class locker room, you might have bacteria and fungus buildup in your air conditioning system. A common practice to avoid this buildup is to turn off the air conditioning and switch to fan only for at least five minutes before the end of your drive. This can help evaporate the odor-causing culprits.

Urine smell

It can be a shock get into a car and smell an odor more commonly discovered in the bathroom. Again, the air conditioning system is usually the culprit. Spraying an anti-bacterial liquid into the system and flushing the drain tubes should eliminate this embarrassing problem.

Burnt carpet or hot metal

This smell could signify that you have worn out brake pads. If this is the case, you're likely to hear the grinding noises described earlier related to brake issues. Either that, or you may have forgotten to disengage your handbrake.

Rotten eggs

If your car smells like rotten eggs or sulfur, you may have a problem with your catalytic converter or your emissions system. This nasty smell is usually more prominent when you're outside your car. For the sake of your vehicle and your nose, this is one you'll want to get fixed quickly.

Sweet smell

If you smell something sweet while driving, take a look at your temperature gauge. If your vehicle's temperature is rising to dangerously high levels, there is an issue with your cooling system. Get to a service station quickly, because cooling system problem could disable your vehicle.

Is your car making an unexpected, unwanted sound or smell? AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities know how to diagnose these issues and many more. Find a repair shop you can count on at AAA.com/AutoRepair.

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