All summer long, most of us drive around Columbia with the A/C blasting or the windows cracked. Once October settles in, the windows go up and the heater comes on. That’s usually the moment people start noticing a faint exhaust smell inside the car that wasn’t there before.

It’s tempting to shrug it off, especially if it comes and goes. That’s one habit worth breaking. Your exhaust system’s whole job is to carry fumes from the engine to the back of the car and out the tailpipe, away from the people inside. When there’s a crack, a rusted-through pipe or a bad gasket somewhere along the way, some of those fumes can find their way into the cabin.

The real concern is carbon monoxide. It has no smell and no color, so you can’t count on noticing it. The exhaust odor you do smell is a sign that other gases are getting in too, and carbon monoxide may be coming along with them. Early symptoms are easy to blame on something else, like a headache on the drive home, feeling drowsy or a little dizzy, or an upset stomach. If those ease up once you’re out of the car, pay attention to that pattern.

A leak doesn’t always announce itself with a loud exhaust, either. Some leaks are small enough that the car sounds almost normal. Others show up as a ticking noise when the engine is cold, or a puttering sound that gets louder when you speed up on James Campbell Boulevard or Highway 31.

If you notice an exhaust smell inside your vehicle, crack a window and get it looked at soon. In the meantime, avoid letting the car idle in a closed garage to warm it up, and don’t sit parked with the engine running and the windows shut for long stretches. Those habits are risky even with a healthy exhaust, and much more so with a leak.

At Exhaust Plus Auto Center, exhaust work is what we’ve been known for since 2001. We’ll put your car on the lift, inspect the system from the engine back to the tailpipe and show you exactly where the leak is. Sometimes it’s a simple gasket or clamp. Sometimes a section of pipe has rusted through and needs replacing. Either way, you’ll know what you’re dealing with before any work starts.

If something smells off inside your car this fall, call us at (931) 388-8411 or stop by 102 W 5th St in downtown Columbia. We’re open Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.