Grinding noise and smoke from under the car hood
A grinding sound accompanied by sharp-smelling smoke typically points to either a seized component like a water pump or a heavily slipping drive belt. Continuing to drive risks complete accessory failure or engine overheating, making it necessary to inspect the belts and pulley covers before starting the car again.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Waiting until morning to jack up the vehicle and remove coversDid this help you?
- 2Checking if the smoke smells sweet or sharpDid this help you?
- 3Inspecting the pulley by handDid this help you?
- 4Asking for peer confirmation on online forumsDid this help you?
- 5Inspecting the center bearing, driveshaft, and exhaust systemDid this help you?
- 6Testing the car on the road and on a liftDid this help you?
- 7Switching the A/C off to see if the noise stopsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I think i know whats wrong with it, I'm looking for confirmation.”source ↗
“02 Honda civic lx, got home from work smelled the smoke and popped the hood.”source ↗
“I didn't hear much other than a grinding sound which I had already thought was the water pump and everything to go with that comes tomorrow”source ↗
“The noise is a high-pitched/strange squeaking or rubbing-type sound that seems to come from the front of the car.”source ↗
“The noise only appears when the engine is fully warm.”source ↗
“It starts at around 4,000 RPM+, mainly under hard acceleration/load.”source ↗
“Interestingly, when the car was fully warm and the noise was reproducible, he switched the A/C off, and the noise completely disappeared.”source ↗
“The only thing that makes me unsure is that the noise completely disappears when the A/C is switched off, even under hard acceleration and at high RPM.”source ↗
“I'll have to wait til morning to jack it up and remove some covers I guess to find out”source ↗
“The smoke is more sharp smelling, so probably belts I guess.”source ↗
“a bit of smoke came out the hood while she was driving.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 5Smoke and oil leaking from engine bay after driving