The cause of this can be a slipping engine belt. Another possibility is a hose from the cooling or power steering system that is melting because it is rubbing against a belt.
What to do: Allow your car to cool off before opening the hood and checking your belts and hoses. Take the car in to be looked at if the smell continues.
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Why does my BMW seem to be emitting a strange smell?
We could not tell you how frequently a customer calls us in a panic because their BMW is emitting a strange smell. We ask these customers to explain the smell, and most of the time, based on their description, we will be able to figure out what is wrong with your automobile.
Following are some instances of various fragrances and the problems they may indicate:
- Burning rubber smells can be a sign of a variety of problems, from drive belts to hoses that are loose. You can smell burnt rubber because when the hoses get loose, they tend to grind up against the driving pulleys. Do not attempt to disentangle the loose hoses in the hot engine department; instead, bring it right away to our attention!
- Perhaps you smell oil? If so, you may have an oil leak that is leaking into your exhaust system. Smoke coming from the engine compartment or oil on the ground are classic indications of an oil leak.
- Gas leaks are typically identified by the odor of gas; they mean that your BMW needs repairs to the fuel tank, injector line, or perhaps both! Because a gas leak could result in a fire, you should bring your BMW to us right once if you smell gasoline.
- Do you detect a sweet, syrupy smell? This could point to a problem with your engine coolant; this normally has to do with the cooling system of the car.
- Burnt carpet smell is typically a sign of braking trouble, which poses a serious safety risk. Please bring your BMW in straight away to have the brakes examined if you smell burned carpet.
- The smell of rotten eggs is never pleasant and can be a sign of significant issues with your BMW; it frequently denotes a catalytic converter issue. Or it can be a sign of a poorly operating engine, which causes the catalytic converter to overload and stop working.
After being in stop-and-go traffic during the summer, I sometimes smell burning rubber or plastic. Has this happened to anyone else? Occasionally, the odor will enter the cabin, but today I can smell it coming from the outside of the car.
Valve cover gasket inspection Normally, if it begins to leak, it drops onto the downpipe and smokes. I experienced the same problem; I replaced the VCG, and the burning smell disappeared.
me too, omg! I never really gave it much consideration; I assumed it was an exhaust leak, but it actually makes a lot of sense as I can smell it more when I’m driving and I would have assumed that you wouldn’t be able to smell or at the very least hear an exhaust leak when you rev.
The strange part is that I only detected this burning odor twice. I looked for any steam or oil drops on or near the downpipe but was unable to find any. Maybe it’s a tiny leak that only happens in hot weather (like during traffic)? I don’t track or push this car hard. The only other thing I can think of is that maybe after 10,000 miles my MPE is still breaking in.
Have you recently replaced your downpipe, by chance? Although I suspect it is due to exhaust parts deteriorating, it could be an exhaust leak. Additionally, if it were in the back of the automobile, it wouldn’t enter the cabin. particularly if you’re driving.
Yesterday, I looked over the car for a while, but I didn’t notice any oil on the edges of the valve covers. The high-pressure pipe leading to the oil cooler did, however, have some oil on it (m-sport). I’ve cleaned the oil for the time being, and I’ll drive the car more to see if any more oil or dirt stains form.
Update: The valve cover gasket was changed, however the cabin odors are still present. Although I think things are much better than they were, it’s possible that there is a little exhaust leak or that oil is escaping from somewhere else and burning on the manifold. This Friday, I have an appointment to replace my downpipe to see if it makes a difference.
Check your lines and harnesses if you detect a burned rubber or plastic odor. One can be lying down or positioned in such a way that they come into contact with a hot engine component. Do you notice it there as well? I would find out since you can end up stranded on the side of the road if the wiring harness eventually burns through. yet unlike plastic or rubber, burned oil smells like burned oil. GL dude!
Causes of Burning Rubber Smell in Cars
Coolant or oil leaks are the most frequent causes of burnt rubber odor in vehicles. A slipping clutch, sticking brake calipers, a slipping serpentine belt, or any other objects lodged in the engine compartment can also be to blame.
These are the typical causes, but they are not all present. The most frequent reasons for why a car smells like burnt rubber are listed in further detail below.
Third cause: Your engine is leaking oil.
An oil leak is one that you shouldn’t ignore. An oil leak will smell like burnt rubber because when it contacts a hot engine part, it releases a distinct odor.
How does an oil leak start? There are a lot of potential causes, but you don’t want to disregard the fact that a worn gasket or seal is the most likely one.
It’s likely that your engine has an oil leak and isn’t getting enough oil to stay lubricated, which will lead to overheating. This may result in a number of serious problems, such as a broken engine block or a burst head gasket.
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Floormats! Okay, if you’re still reading, let me tell you my tale. This thread may seem silly, but I sincerely hope it will help a fellow “fester” avoid a headache. For a few weeks, I couldn’t figure out why driving occasionally was so unpleasant owing to an odor that fluctuated between exhaust, burning rubber or plastic, and new asphalt. I was about to give up and have my car fixed (and make a cry-for-help thread here) when I made the decision to experiment with all the climate control buttons to determine the source of the odor. After a few trips with various combinations, I discovered that the smell only appeared when the set temperature was higher than the outside temperature, indicating that the AC was in the heat mode; the smell was stronger the greater the temperature differential; and finally, the smell only appeared when the air was being blown from the bottom (footwell) ducts. Because I never use it, I accidently clicked the direction button for the last one (there are three buttons to the left of the AUTO button to control the air flow). So, as luck would have it, I got my floormats out and gave them a sniff: BINGO!
The incident actually started when I purchased rubber floormats in the spring from a major retailer. They initially smelled strongly of rubber, so I kept them outside for a few weeks. The smell seemed to vanish after that. However, it appears that the hot air from the car’s bottom ducts heated up the mats, producing the scent. The issue did not arise throughout the sweltering summer; rather, it appeared only when the temperature began to fall.
Various Burning Smells Coming From Your Car
Even though it might not smell like rubber, you are almost certain that something is burning inside the engine. Several items, such as a burned-out electrical fuse, an overheating air conditioning compressor, or worn out brake pads that need to be replaced, could be the cause of a burning smell in your automobile.
To find out whether you only need a quick wiring fix or whether you could need a brake check and repair to keep you safe on the road, it’s advisable to let a skilled technician have a look under the hood of your car if your car smells like burning plastic or you can’t quite place the smell.
What causes the burning plastic smell in my BMW?
The kind of smell you are smelling might tell you what kind of problem you are dealing with, whether it is a mild smell or there is plainly something wrong with your car. Here are five different odors and the areas that they suggest require attention:
The stench of rotten eggs or sulfur is typically the result of a catalytic converter in the exhaust system overheating. Either the converter or your engine could be in need of repair. This necessitates a visit to the service center in either case! Avoid waiting too long as this may lead to problems in the future.
Burning plastic odor: This typically indicates that a different component of your car is melting when it comes into contact with the exhaust. If a portion of your car is loose or you went over something on the road, it might be touching it or burning on the exhaust if you ran over it.
Burning metallic odor: This typically indicates that your clutch or brakes are failing. Your brake pads and the clutch disc have a similar chemical makeup and produce a comparable odor. Bring your car in to the shop so they can identify the problem and repair the broken component.
Anywhere this sweet smell emanates from—whether it’s within the car or outside—a coolant leak is present. You’ll likely smell it if it’s pouring onto your engine or the ground. Bring it in to identify the leak and address the problem.
Gas smell: If you smell gasoline when your car is in drive or while it is parked, there is a fuel leak. The gasoline tank’s top seal and the under-the-hood injectors are the two that are used the most frequently. Get this checked out to avoid wasting money on gasoline and to get rid of the odor of gas.
What causes the burnt rubber smell in my car?
A burnt rubber odor coming from an automobile is frequently an indication that the brakes or tires have been overheated. The most common cause of overheating in cars is a sliding or malfunctioning clutch. If you notice this odor and were applying the clutch at the time, wait until the car has cooled before attempting again.