Q: Rattling, loss of power, smells of rotten eggs, dash lights on

asked by on May 24, 2016

Hi. I need some advice on what to do with my car. The dashboard shows warning lights on. There is a very bad smell to it, like rotten eggs. When I drive, it seems to lose power. The car also rattles. What should I check first? Thanks.

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The first thing to check is the Check Engine Light to see why it is on. The smell of rotten eggs is an indication that the catalyst is bad and the rattle may be that the catalyst is broken up inside. The codes need to be diagnose and repaired before the catalyst is fixed, since it may of gotten damaged by the engine running condition. I recommend having a certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic come to your house or office to inspect the codes for your Check Engine Light, before any repairs are attempted.

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