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I am smelling a very strange burning smell from the engine. Not sure exactly how to describe it, but sort of like burnt rubber. Any clue what it could be?? I have now smelled it twice, after two consecutive drives after pulling into the driveway and sitting still. After the second time I opened the hood and definitely smelled that it was coming from something in there, but could not pinpoint what it was.
I'd ask how new your car is. If it's brand new and you're still breaking it in, it could be from overrevving the engine a bit during the break in period. I did avoid it as much as possible, but when I just had to floor it to get on a freeway here during my break in period, I would smell a slight smell for a bit, like a burnt rubber smell. It would go away fast, and soon after the break in was done it no longer did that.
Hope this helps, if your car is past break in, then I have no idea.
Could be a lot of things. You say it smells like burnt rubber. That really can only point to your belt, so check that, but could it be coming from your tires? Also check to make sure the A/C compressor clutch is kicking on. A burnt out compressor usually has an electrical fire smell to it. Has there been any fluids spilled around the engine such as oil or trans fluid? They give off a unique smell.
Really it could be anything though. Hope this helps.
Brand new cars smell like burned rubber for the first 500-800 miles in my experience. All the new parts are getting used to the heat cycling. I love that smell because its the smell of new machinery....
Im at 42k and still smell it. Its at different periods. I could be cruising it happens, pulling into the driveway it happens, coming to a stop, i think i've smelled it once when I floored it.
if you got an oil change recently it is probably spilled oil. Also check and make sure the filter isn't loose and leaking.
Also, I had my oil changed at the dealer once and a week or so later I got home from work and noticed a smell from the engine. Lifted the hood and saw a little smoke coming from someplace low. Took it back to the dealer and the guy that changed the oil overtightened the drain plug and broke the washer / gasket on the plug, so it was leaking and probably hitting the exhaust or someplace hot. Just something else to consider.
Guys - sorry for being MIA after posting this. I appreciate all the input. The car is not new so it's definitely not a smell due to being in the break-in period. It was very weird because the smell only came when I climbed to the top of my friend's driveway (I was there for the Thanksgiving Holiday). His driveway it is at an incline so I would pull in slowly, and then give it some gas to get to the top. As soon as I stopped the car there was this burning smell. Rubber is the closest thing I can compare it to, but it was almost more like burnt mulch or something like that. I re-parked the car in the same manner and the smell came every time at the top of the drive way; no where else. Now that I've been back to chicago I do smell a slight burning smell as soon as I turn off the car and open the door (the crisp cold air makes it easier to smell it). When I called the Service Manager he asked if I was riding the clutch when I park, and I said no. That was his only idea of what it could be. Sounds like quite a few of you have some sort of burning smell regardless of how many miles your car has, so I will continue to keep an eye/nose out for it to see if it gets worse.
11-25-2010, 08:50 PM
