# Maple syrup smell

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963>\
**Category:** The Show\
**Tags:** chrysler\
**Created:** [February 27, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963 "2011-02-27T23:10:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![onelazysusan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@onelazysusan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/onelazysusan)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963/1 "2011-02-27T23:10:36Z")

</div>

In response to the caller who smelled maple from her car, I have a less dire possibility. My husband smelled antifreeze and couldn’t find a leak. Turned out to be a cracked wiper fluid tube was spraying on our engine. Happy, happy husband!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963/2 "2011-02-28T00:02:15Z")

</div>

If replacing the windshield wiper fluid hose worked for you, then I am very happy for you.

However, since windshield wiper fluid tends to smell like alcohol, rather than like maple syrup, I am very skeptical of this “fix”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![onelazysusan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@onelazysusan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/onelazysusan)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963/3 "2011-02-28T00:12:34Z")

</div>

Could be that the alcohol was burned off by the hot engine? Also, we have to use non-freezy wiper fluid this time of year. Don’t know, but the end of the smell coincided with the fixed hose.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963/4 "2011-03-01T14:11:41Z")

</div>

It’s funny, because I never thought that anitfreeze smelled like maple syrup.

But today I drove the car that has a very slight heater box leak - and I can easily see how someone could mistake the smell for maple syrup.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maple-syrup-smell/61963/5 "2011-03-01T23:08:43Z")

</div>

I never thought either antifreeze or washer fluid smelled like maple syrup, but I have mistaken the smell of “winter mix” washer fluid for antifreeze.