Why Do My Brakes Smell Like Burning Rubber?

When noticing a burning smell coming from your vehicle, it likely sets off alarm bells in your head. From oil burning from a leak to the engine itself overheating, this odor could be attributed to several potential issues in the vehicle. One of the most common, however, is issues with the brakes that cause the pungent smell of burning rubber. 

In this article, we’ll go over a few possible reasons your brakes could be emitting a burning odor, why this may happen, and how to go about preventing this from happening in the future.

What’s Making My Brakes Smell?

Overheating Brakes

Maybe this one’s obvious, but a common cause of a burning smell from brakes is simply overheating pads and rotors. Brakes rely on creating friction to stop the vehicle, which in turn generates a lot of heat. Normally, most of this heat is dispersed into the air around it, but when braking aggressively, often, or down a long and steep hill, this thermal buildup could be too much for the pads and fluid, and may begin to emit a burning smell as they degrade. 

The best way to avoid this is to brake gradually, rather than slamming on them as you approach a stoplight or descend a steep decline. This allows your brakes to disperse the heat better and avoid the harmful overheating that damages the sensitive fluid and components of your brake system. Driving less aggressively and allowing the vehicle to coast will also help prevent overheating, as you won’t need to brake as hard to get the vehicle stopped. 

Leaking Brake Fluid

Another common reason for a burning smell from your brakes is leaking brake fluid. Brake fluid is what our brake systems use to transfer and amplify force between the pedal and the brake pads, and runs through lines to each caliper. These steel lines can corrode and wear over time, allowing brake fluid to exit the system. In many cases, this fluid will leak onto hot engine or exhaust components, burning it off immediately and producing an odor. 

Not only does leaking brake fluid lead to this pungent smell, it can drastically reduce the performance of your brake system. Without adequate fluid, the system will have a more difficult time producing the necessary friction to stop your vehicle and may cause the pedal to feel spongy or unresponsive. Brake fluid leaks should always be taken care of immediately to avoid dangerous circumstances and damage to crucial braking components. 

Jammed Caliper

The brake calipers in your vehicle act essentially as a clamp, pressing the brake pads down onto the rotor to produce friction and stop the vehicle. In some cases, brake calipers can become stuck with the pads pressed against the rotor, possibly due to brake fluid problems, mechanical issues, or corrosion/debris buildup. 

As you drive with the pads clamped down on the rotor, this friction will cause the rotors and surrounding components to overheat and produce the smell of burning rubber or overheated metal. This constant thermal buildup will not only damage the pads and rotors themselves, but also transfer harmful amounts of heat to the fluid, lines, and other essential parts of your brake system.

Glazed Rotors

When brake rotors are exposed to extreme temperatures, it may cause their surfaces to crystalize and lose much of their ability to generate friction. This problem often occurs when brakes are continually overheated without adequate time to cool down. 

The glazed surface may cause a significant reduction in braking capability as well as an accompanying burning odor.

New Brake Pad Bedding

When new brake pads are installed, they generally need to go through a process called “bedding-in”. This refers to material from the new pad surface being transferred to the rotor, which helps increase brake performance. 

During this process, your pads and rotors may experience slight temporary overheating as the material is embedded in the rotor surface, leading to a burning odor similar to other overheating issues. 

Fortunately, this process is intentional and temporary, meaning that it should cease after a few hundred miles. If this smell persists for longer, you may have a further issue with your new brakes that you should have inspected by a trusted professional. 

Over-Worn Brake Pads

Due to the constant friction while braking, the pads will gradually wear and lose the abrasive surface they use to slow the vehicle down. Past a certain point, your brake pads may have worn down to their metal base and wear bar, causing both a screeching noise and metal-on-metal contact, which can cause the components to overheat. 

Overly worn pads can cause more issues than just an unpleasant odor. Without the proper amount of friction material, it will considerably reduce the performance of your brakes and can land you in some dangerous circumstances if left untreated. 

How to Protect Your Brakes & Avoid These Issues

While there are countless issues your brake system could develop over time, there are fortunately a few steps you can take to best protect them from excessive wear, leaks, and overheating.

• Decelerate gradually rather than a hard stop
• Use the parking brake when parked, especially on hills
• Change your brake fluid at the recommended intervals
• Replace your rotors and pads as needed
• Let your engine do some of the braking on declines

Brake Services at Scott’s U-Save

If you’re experiencing an odd smell from your brakes, or other issues with the performance of your brakes, the expert technicians at any of our four Scott’s U-Save locations in Steger, New Lenox, Schererville, and Crown Point have the equipment and training to narrow down the source of your issue and repair it with the highest quality of workmanship and parts. Give us a call or schedule online with us today!