Ford Aerostar :: Smoke / Burning Smell From Wheel Well - Caliper?
Jun 3, 2011
I have a 93 Aerostar RWD 4.0L that I was driving around town a few weeks ago and I noticed it wasn't braking that well. The pedal is usually firm but easy to push and very sensitive...instead it was a lot firmer and didn't brake as quickly when i put my foot down. The van itself felt a little under powered, like something was holding it back and I had to put my foot down a lot more to get it up to speed. After awhile I began getting a really bad burning smell coming in through the driver window. I pulled over and saw small faint lines of smoke coming out of the front driver side wheel well, upon closer inspection I got a good wiff of burnt brake pad (I am familiar with the scent) and the hub cap on the wheel was really hot. I automatically assumed the caliper was ceased.
Later when I had free time took the wheel off removed the caliper from the wheel and everything looked fine. I was able to push the piston back in with ease using a C-clamp, but there was a lot of corrosion in and around the piston, I wire brushed it off and greased and cleaned everything up. I took it out since then on a few short trips to the store, everything seemed fine. Today however it happened again, and I began smelling burnt brake pad from the same wheel well. It only seems to happen when I have been driving it for a long time like 30mins to 1hr, short trips everything is fine. Is this the caliper or the Master cylinder? Due to the excessive heat around the wheel hub should i maybe think about replacing the inner and outer wheel bearings as well?
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Today was the first day I notice smoke from the wheel well, it wasn't heavy smoke but enough to caught my eye. The past few days I been smelling burning oil from that side of the car. I am not leaking oil from the motor because I check it everyday. Why it would smell and be smoking from the wheel well?
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The wife and I ventured out last Friday evening to run a few errands. When we returned to the house and pulled into the garage, we both smelled burning brake pad. I felt the rear wheels, the drivers side was too hot to touch.
Dragging brake caliper. I got online and reserved a drivers side caliper and a set of pads at NAPA. Saturday morning I removed the caliper. Much to my surprise, one of the caliper pistons was broken into multiple pieces.
I took the offending caliper to NAPA and picked up the new caliper and a set of pads.
Side note - NAPA seems to think the 2007 trucks have calipers that mount in front of the axle, not behind the axle. They will try to sell you a passenger side caliper and tell you it is a driver side caliper. It will bolt up fine, but the bleeder valve will be at the bottom of the caliper instead of the top. You'll never get the air out of the caliper.
Got back home, bolted up the new caliper and pads, then bled the system. All worked well.
I decided to throw new pads on the passenger side brakes as well, since I had 2 remaining. I took off the passenger side caliper, much to my surprise I found a cracked and broken piston on that side also! Another run to NAPA to pick up another caliper. Installed, bled the system again, all working well.
Now, I have never seen a cracked and broken caliper piston like this, let alone one on each side of the rear axle. What might have caused this? About a year ago I had a shop install new backing plates. The pads and calipers are about 3 years old, same shop installed those.
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I know this has been talked about many times and how to solve the issue but thought I would ask some other questions too. Earlier in the summer, I did grease the slider pins as preventative maintenance. I don't drive my truck all that much and when I used it yesterday, (about 30 minute drive) I came home to burning brake smell. I'm wondering if enough heat would cause the caliper to go bad? Should I just grease the pins again or change out some parts?
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I pulled into my driveway after a 30 minute drive and smelled burning brakes. The right front was the culprit so I took a garden hose and cooled it down. The next day I remove the caliper and one of the pistons fell apart. So I need a new caliper and trying to decide if I buy after market or go with Motorcraft? I think the rotor, caliper, and pads are original since I the rotor is stamped Ford and the caliper bracket has TRW and Ford markings.
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Had numerous problems the last 9 months, and we've replaced the thermostat, water pump, clutch fan, flushed radiator. Last week we thought the heater core had died (air blowing cold, but gauge not indicating any overheating). But it just need flushing, had a clog. Has been kicking out the heat ever since.
What is bothering me though is that the temp gauge always seems to be right at the C, even after driving for a while. Before the van had issues, it stayed right between N and O.
Then this morning, I hear a loud pop, smell horrible burning antifreeze and smoke/steam pouring out from the hood (I managed to park it immediately, had just dropped son off at school). After I'm parked, all the antifreeze puddles underneath.
So hubby comes, and we see that the top radiator hose has blown, with a lovely crack/hole from one side to the other. Now, that hose was old, and probably was a big part of the problem.
We fixed it, and I just drove it again, but I am watching the gauge. And the van is blowing nice, HOT air from the heater. But the gauge is staying right at the C. Used to run between N and O. It is jumpy...not jumping towards hot, but little jumps...below the C, above the C, up to the N, back down to C...it just seems strange to me; it doesn't go past the N at all and spends most of its time at or below the C.
I guess I am wondering if there is any other reason why the hose could've blown this morning besides it being old and worn out....for example, excess heat and pressure building up that for some reason is not registering on the temp gauge? It's making me nervous. Is there something else besides the thermostat that could cause erratic temp gauge or cause gauge not to show me the true engine temp?
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I turned on my AC in my 94 ford f250 and it made a squealing noise then I started to smell smoke or more like electrical burning. I turned off the AC and the squealing and burning stopped. I found that the compressor was the problem and after pulling the pulley and clutch assembly off I found that the coil had melted or got really really hot and smelled lie it had burned. My pulley and surpentine belt were still spinning fine so what happened? My AC had worked fine a few weeks before this.
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I recently noticed that my car was starting to smell like oil burning off. Soon i realized that from time to time there would be a bit of smoke form under the hood I looked under the car and noticed that oil is dripping onto the cat but i am not sure from where. There is not alot of room in the back of these engines to see.
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I don't know much about cars. I have a 99 Mercedes e-320 and I started smelling a burning, but when I opened the hood, there wasn't any smoke. What could it be and is it still safe to drive?
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Took about a 200 mile trip this weekend, stopped at a rest area about halfway through and smelled burnt carbon, smelled like a burnt clutch almost. It was very strong and there was smoke coming from the engine. It wasn't a lot but it was cause for concern. I checked the oil, last oil change about 1500 miles ago but no problems there, temp gauge was in the middle. Let the car sit for a 10 mins or so and then headed of again. When I got home that night, couldn't smell it and there was no smoke. Car has 42K ... Also, I got an airbag fault light about 30 mins from my house.
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So yesterday I was on my way home from work, and I had smelled a little burning and then I saw smoke from the steering column???? i pulled over and it had stopped no lights came up? the car is fine now..? I don't know whats going on?
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So I took off today and my friend behind me in his ford ranger was telling me my car smelled like ish, and there was a lof of black smoke coming out my exhaust.....
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I have a 2002 ford f350 triton 5.4 V8. I just put front brake pads on my truck today. Started driving around and i could smell burning brakes. Stopped and alot of smoke was coming from my brakes on my front passenger side but nothing from the front drivers side. Replaced all the brake pads on the front. What is making them so hot?
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I can smell burning oil and when stopped see oil smoke coming from the right front area. Theres absolutely no fluid on the ground ever even after sitting for days. I cant visually see any oil leak on the engine but I cant see the back. Im guessing its a valve cover leaking just enough on top of the exhaust on that side. Ive seen the gasket/plug seal set from $25 to $80. Some include the timing chain area gaskets/seals. Is that necessary to change at same time? Also, is there a gasket where the intake manifold and valve cover meet needing changed along with?
2004 Passat 2.8l V6 GLX
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We have a 2015 Santa Fe Sport AWD (without turbo). It has about 4,200 miles on it. Recently my wife complained about a burning smell that she hadn't noticed previously.
I drove it and noticed the smell. Pulled into our garage and left the engine running and noticed a minor, but noticeable amount of smoke coming out from the hood on the passenger side. When I opened the hood it appeared the smoke was coming from the lower, back side of the engine.
I later went out and started the car and let it idle for a bit. Didn't notice any burning smell or smoke. Later drove it again and noticed the smell and a little smoke. So it seems like it occurs when the car has been driven rather than simply started and not driven.
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2002 Santa Fe V6
Ran the AC yesterday for the first time after a long cold winter. Seemed fine for about 15 miles but then I came to a stop and all of the sudden smelled burning plastic/electrical... white smoke started blowing out of the vents. Pulled over, popped the hood. The smoke appeared to be coming from the passenger/rear side of the engine.
Drove it another 15 miles home (had to) but with no AC or even fan on... made it and noticed the smell and smoke but only very little.
This morning I started it up .. got under the hood and clearly can smell it coming from the same area. That is the alternator at the back of the engine passenger side right? Voltages read fine... seems to be charging ok as well.
The only indicator that it is going bad is of course the smell and smoke... I can feel it is getting very hot.. too hot to touch after only a few minutes running. Spun bearings in it maybe? Just thought I'd put that out there before I start tearing it apart.
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Yesterday I made a 3 hour round trip with my car, and on the last leg coming back into town, I noticed my check engine light came on, and I saw white smoke coming from underneath the hood of my car, along with a burning smell. Luckily I was able to make it home just fine. I've googled this issue, some people have suggested coolant leak.
Also, I checked the oil levels today and they appeared to be slightly below the lowest level tick, which could be why it was having issues yesterday. Last time I got an oil change was November of 2015. I'm surprised it's this low considering I normally don't commute farther than a couple miles each day.
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I've got an 08 Gen II with 173k miles on it. The last few days of coming up the huge hill in front of our house I've noticed a burning smell, link burnt coolant.
So today I actually popped the hood to investigate and found a small tuff of smoke coming from the back of the engine.
After climbing underneath I found a leak of some sort of brown/cream fluid.. Kinda scary color. Anyways it seems when put a significant load on the car going up a hill it sprays this fluid on the exhaust, thus the burning smell..
Oil is clean on the stick and under the cap.
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So I've always been aware of my slight oil leak on my 2003 Hyundai Accent. But it wasn't until I took it to Firestone for a discount oil change that it started getting worse and began to actually smell of burning oil while driving. I've checked the obvious places (ie the oil pan bolt and the newly installed oil filter) and I've determined it's definitely coming from higher up in the engine. Also, when putting cardboard underneath, you can see that it drips from right behind the engine. I figure it is probably that seal that costs but loads of money in labor to replace but when checking it today I noticed that the oil SEEMS to be in the top part of the engine dripping down. I'm attaching pictures of the one spot in particular that appears wet with oil. I'm not sure what it is but I believe it is next to the injectors.
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Ok, here's the situation... (Elantra GLS - Automatic)
I was at a 4-way stop sign. No other cars were around so I accelerated. Then suddenly, I hear and see a car coming at me REALLY fast, and well, I panicked. I floored the throttle (almost literally), and I heard something popping or maybe it was a farting sound... It happened so fast that I don't remember clearly...
Then behind me was a HUGE cloud of smoke behind me. I mean really, it covered up the whole street. It was 10 PM, so I couldn't really tell what color it was, but it seemed to be white... So I turned off my car. Checked the engine, no smoke from the engine. I started it up again, and instead to revving to about 2000 rpm at start up like it always does, it only went to about 1000, and more smoke was flushed out the exhaust.
I was close to home, and with no 24-hour mechanic shop around me, I drove home. As I drove home, I had quite a bit of smoke trail behind me which scared me through out the whole 2 minutes of driving. I got home, and I checked the exhaust again, but there was no more smoke. However, a burning smell lingered around the exhaust.
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My mechanic cannot figure out what's wrong with my car My car is a manual trans 1996 Toyota Corolla with almost 154K miles. I had the oil changed two weeks ago (about 1000 miles with my commute), and at that time, I let my mechanic know that it's been losing oil and so check it over. At that time, he changed the oil, cleaned the engine, and added a dye to the oil to show up any leaks.
I took it in this past Thursday for him to locate the leaking, and the mechanic let me know that 1) It came in mostly dry (no oil), 2) there was no visible leaking except for a seepage around the oil pan, which he says could not account for the loss of 4 quarts of oil in two weeks, and 3) it's not burning it out in the exhaust system.
A bit of the history of the car. I got it when it was at 59K, used, and there were a number of things wrong with it that I didn't discover until later, such as that no maintenance had been done to it at all in the 60K someone else had owned it. It came to me needing a timing belt, brakes, and an engine and radiator flush (the radiator fluid was brown instead of green).
At one point at around 70K, as a stupid teenager, I did let it run dry. The oil light came on, I panicked, shut it off, dumped in two quarts (which brought it to full on the dipstick, which I thought was weird), and took it straight for an oil change, where they told me it was dry, which was odd, because I'd just put 2 quarts in it.
After that, there were no issues until it hit about 120K. At that point, I started smelling burning oil and there was smoke coming from under my hood, so I towed it to my mechanic at the time. He replaced the valve cover gasket, the rear main seal, and the head gasket (with engine block machining and all). That more or less cleared the problem up, but then I took it across the country on a 3K road trip, and it ended up accidentally running dry again. Oil light came on, I shut it off, dumped in oil, took it for a lube job.
Since that time, it's been occasionally throwing me an oil light when I go downhill (I figure that this is because it's low but not out, and the change in pitch reduces the pressure?). Each time it does this, I've shut it off, coasted to a stop, dumped in 2 quarts (which brings it to full on the stick), and gone on, berating myself. These times have become more frequent, however, even though I now check the oil regularly.
So before I endure the deserved lectures about being dumb, yes, I blame myself, but regardless of my lazy maintenance, it's becoming ridiculous. My car is now finding a way to lose a gallon of oil over the course of 1000 miles, with no discernible leak or consumption.
Also, why my oil light comes on when it's only 2 quarts down on the stick sometimes, and then sometimes goes almost dry without throwing the oil light? I just got it back with the oil topped up, more dye in the engine, and instead of going for 2 weeks, I'm going for 1 week to see if maybe he can catch it in the act of learning this magic trick of vanishing oil.
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