Funny Smell

[robbycor]

Hello Guys,

Ive just recently noticed that there is a kind of burning rubber smell coming from my car.
I initially noticed it when parked up and thought it was the brakes ( as they could do with changing!)
But it wasnt, I looked in the engine bay and discovered the smell coming from the drivers side (uk) air box out of the vents on the side.

Any ideas what it could be, Ive done the obvious and tried to clean any visible dirt or dust from the filter.

One more point, I am a couple of months over a service

Thanks for any advice

Rob

[d3ity]

Depends on the smell exactly... Wierd smells are OFTEN caused by burning coolant. Burning coolant gives a sweet smelling almost like rubber almost like popcorn smell...Check your coolant hoses for a leak that could be hitting something hot on the engine.

[Dirty_Tool]

Check the exhaust system and see if possibly you ran over a plastic grocery bag and it has melted and stuck to the exhaust.

DT

[d3ity]

lmfao. thats suprisingly plausible.

[Dirty_Tool]

It actually happens quite often, thats why i mentioned it. If so its a free easy fix!!!

DT

[Torque]

heater core ?

[Eric S.]

I actually had the plastic grocery bag thing happen - it wrapped right around the exhaust and stunk for over a week.

Another possibility, and much more dire, is a defect in your brake light switch that could cause a fire! This discussion came up this past week at the Roadfly E39 forum - I recommend you go there and do a search to find it and read up. Sounded VERY serious to me (requiring immediate attention or risk fire).