Funny I smell burnt rubber myself from time to time. Few weeks ago it was burnt plastic from a bag getting stuck to my exhaust but recently vie been smelling burnt rubber myself

 

Sorry to bring this one back from the dead but my wife's Ralliart Sportback was smelling really bad after she would park the car in the garage. I started by looking under the hood and I couldn't find a thing. Pulled the spark plugs thinking that oil was getting by them and cooking. Then I got scared that the transfer case was leaking and burning on the exhaust. I checked the transfer case and the rear diff and no leaks (so happy those weren't leaking) . So then I saw the post about the plastic bag and went back under to find a black bag melted around the catback. I was surprised i didn't see it while I was checking the other items but what happened was that during the these winter months all the grime and mag chloride camouflaged the bag. I probably scrapped it off for 30mins before it was all off. Super happy that it was that simple of a fix. Thank you forums!

 

I noticed this yesterday as well actually, on an exceptionally cold day (-24*) through my heating.

 

-24 C I assume? -11 F. Still really cold.

 

My SE has been doing this as well.

 

This is happening on my Sportback Ralliart as well in the cold temperatures. I installed my HU myself, as well as steering wheel controls, sirius, and a rear-view cam. I've tapped into power and ground wires so many times, I was starting to worry the burning smell was because of that. It's a brand new car as well, only 1000 miles.

 

I get this when i break hard suddenly maybe at a traffic signal. The cabin fills with weird burnt smell. I stopped and inspected to find the source.It was mostly from the brakes/calipers area. Sometimes even the winter tire smell of burnt rubber during cold (5-7F) and dry days.
I think its quite normal.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies! I'm glad i'm not the only one experiencing this (not crazy sensitive to smells lol).

Just to follow up on the last comment: its not brakes, and its not my tires, +90% positive. Ive stopped several times and gotten out to smell inspect. It's coming in through my airfilter/cabin/underhood maybe. I also had this problem in the summer/fall when it was warm out with different tires (only on long trips though 6+ hours).

Also, I can come to a stop, park, keep it running for 15 minutes and still smell it coming through the vents (not just lingering).


Thanks!

 

I have noticed this as well and took it in to the dealership to check for leaks of any kind and none were found. I noticed it more in the colder weather they said its probably frozen slush burning off once the car is brought up to temperature

 

I had a similar smell and it was a leak from my transmission case onto my exhaust. You might want to have it checked out if it lasts for a while.

I've got a 2010 and it had about 10k miles on it when this was discovered and fixed under warranty.

 

I had a similar smell and it was a leak from my transmission case onto my exhaust.

Interesting, and this may explain it on my MR - I get the burning rubber smell only when I drive it hard and use the paddle shifters.

Need to go the dealer anyway in the next few weeks, will have it checked then.

 

Thanks everyone for responses. I hope its not the SST ( I have nightmares of that failing ). Curious did they just replace your entire tranny when they found the leak, as they do for everyone else? Were you able to see any leaks under your car or was it immediately burnt off by the downpipe? If it is that for me, maybe I'll squeeze another 10k out of my car before i get it replaced .

 

Not the whole transmission. There's some kind of L valve or clamp or something that had to be replaced and re-sealed. Haven't had a problem since.

I really, really, doubt what people are smelling is the tires. That kind of smell usually doesn't linger and if that were it, and you smelled it regularly, you'd have to be going through tires every 500 miles!

 

MR's smell funny...

Anyone figure this out yet?

 

08 GSR 30,000 KMS, faint burning rubber smell.

 

Dope! On a GSR, you sure it isn't clutch smell? Imagine a rubbery fart smell...

 

I bought an MR in California and drove it back (West Virginia) last November and I get this smell all the time. It was fall when I purchased it and I didn't smell anything then. The first time I really took note of it was on a road trip to Key West from West Virginia and not until I reached Georgia for a gas stop. The tires were hot and tossing all the road debris at the under carriage and when I smelled the rubber smell I just assumed it was because of the tire temp. Now it's a little over a year later, 30K miles on the clock, and the edge of winter but the smell remains. I get it when driving hard or light on the throttle. On long trips and short commutes to work. There doesn't seem to be a specific set of circumstances to replicate the smell. Perhaps I should take it to the dealership to have it checked out.

 

Funny you mention it,

2010 GSR with 10k miles and I am smelling something like that too. I took it in to the dealership on my last oil change (gets done every 2500 miles) and they found nothing. I am not burning my clutch.

 

I think it is the tires if you push the car on gravely/salted down roads.

I never got this smell until last week when I made a highway pull. It was cold, the roads were covered in salt, and the heater was blowing.
After the pull, I parked about 2 minutes later at work and experienced it. Smelt like burning rubber/oil.

Def different smell than the parallel parking on an incline (clutch).

 

Yeah I dont know about everyone else but like I said I definitely smelt it in the summer/fall with different tires. Its also pretty obvious when you get out of the car and the tires dont smell like they were burning, but you still can smell it in the cab and even very slightly in the engine bay.

I wouldnt doubt if it were the tires though, it would probably bring in that smell through the vents. Like Carruthers said I can smell a nearby smoker instantly, whenever i use the windsheld washer, or just about anything, lol.

I'm still waiting til I can get under her and check for leaks, i don't hold much hope i will find one though.


Thanks!

 

what kind of tires are you guys running? i just noticed the smell today too. i'm running contiental DWS's.

 

:+1: SO am I.

 

I had it on the stock Advans & now running on Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3's (like better then the DWS i had on my other car, in winter driving)

 

continental DWS

 

Blizzaks WS60s. I had the car checked at the dealer and they found no leaks.

 

Car picked up in summer as a dd for 50km/day type of usage... but did not notice this until winter came especially on cold day like -10C lower after long drive (say 20km).

 

I had the smell come back today after a highway pull. It would be nice to see what exactly is causing this as it seems to be a common problem. It does smell like rubber from the tires.

 

guess if no one can find the problem and it isint major ill just block it out with a car freshener or two lol

 

I'm curious: out of everyone who reported this here (that is who are fairly positive it's not the tires), are you all SST transmissions?

 

no i have a gsr.

 

I too have a 2008 GSR and have been complaining about a smell I guessed exhuast, even posted about it once. Have taken to the dealer numerous occasions they say they cant duplicate it. Always happens when under acceleration. Thought at first i was smelling someone elses exhuast that i was following but its happened to many times with no one else in front of me. There is something wrong with these cars but no one has been able to pin point it yet.

http://www.evoxforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33645&highlight=Blue_X&page=5 Post starts at #43

 

I have 2008 gsr and it too smells like burnt rubber don't what it is...

 

I have an SE that I bought last September. I had the "normal" smells the first few weeks that went away, but sometime in December I noticed a new burning smell. I just figured it was from all the snow and rain and moisture splashing around on the exhaust, but when it didn't go away after several dry days I decided to take to the dealer. They put it on the lift and found the transfer case had burped a small amount of fluid that ran down to the exhaust and caused the smell. They checked the fluid level, which was still full, and wiped off what they could. They couldn't find any reason for it to do this, but advised to keep an eye on things for a while. After another week or so, the smell went away and the car has been performing fine the whole time. Perhaps something to look for on your car...