First started this afternoon on my drive to my parent's house. Got stopped at a stoplight and a strange smell started coming in through my AC. I switched it from "outside air" to "recirculating inside air" and the smell went away. When I got home this evening, I opened the hood and found the smell seems to be coming from the passenger side, rear part of the engine bay. I can't place the smell, does not smell like burning plastic, maybe a fluid of some sort?

Sound familiar to anyone? The engine didn't over heat in the 100+ miles I drove, no funny business with the tranny, or anything really. It ran nice and smoothly, even under WOT. I'm stumped....

 

Hmmm. It has only happend once?

 

Yeah, today the smell did not emerge. Makes me think maybe I ran something over that which covered part of the engine and was burning off thru my drive home? I don't know, hoping it doesn't happen again...

 

I thought I smelt something similar the other day. I think something is going wrong with my A/C. Make sure that's not your issue. My A/C is definitely going.

 

Ever change the cabin air filter behind the glovebox?

 

Actually changed it 1 week ago (it was filthy too, had never been changed in ~91k miles!!!)

My AC is still blowing nice and cold, however maybe it sprung a small leak. I'll have to get under the car and take a good look around. There were no puddles or anything this morning in my garage though...

 

Your AC didnt spring a leak If it did it wouldnt be working. You dont smell AC either. They system either drew in some air that had a odor to it or it was a combination of the exchangers cold temp and condensation giving off a odor. If it comes back you may want to think about cleaning it with something to help remove mold/mildew and desanitizer (they make stuff for ac systems)

 

How do you get to the cabin filter?

 

check to see if plastic bags got sticked to your exhast pipe.

 

I have a burning smell too. it seems to come mostly in stop and go traffic after the car is good and warm. Sometimes while I am idleing, the smell is pretty powerful, but I have a hard time placing it. It's not burning oil, or coolant, temp is fine and mileage is consistent...

I will check for the plastic bag, hopefully that's what it is...

 

I had same problem, Weird smell then I found out that my fog like came out of the socket and was burning through the bumper

Make sure u check those fog lights!

 

i have found out what it is for my car....if water splashes on my front brakes it evaporates if the brakes are hot and it gets sucked into the vents it stinks

 

i smelled sumthing funny like that too..but i found out later a fart slipped out and it reeked... ...