Prius (2004-09) :: Smoke With Distinctive Burnt Electronics Smell Started Coming From Dash
Oct 7, 2015
I have a 2004 prius with about 350k miles on it, bought it about a year ago and we have had our first trouble with it (it's been great so far, and when you consider it's mileage, pretty impressive).
We were driving along and a constant alarm started (beeeeep!!!) and lights on the dash lit up. I assumed it was cranky because the rear hatch wasn't closed or something and kept driving (we didn't have far to go). It wasn't long before smoke with a distinctive burnt electronics smell started coming up from the dash at the front left lower corner of the windshield. Then the brakes started to feel very unresponsive and sluggish (no regenerative braking either). She still runs and drives. So here is where I am now:
The car screams constantly and the brake light, ABS light and the (!) light are all lit.
I've been poking about and figured out that my inverter coolant pump isn't working properly. At this point I am wondering if this is just pure coincidence though (i.e. perhaps its not been working for awhile). I will be replacing this soon.
I checked the error codes and they all seemed to be un-related and or old (catalytic converter not working properly, ran out of fuel, etc). I cleared them and no new ones are populating. (car has only been driven around the block 3 times though)
The 12 V battery seems to be working fine, and it's getting the proper charging voltage. (voltage tested through the console under various conditions)
I have reset the braking system (bridging the #4 and #13 pins thing) and this turned the buzzer and lights off for about 20 seconds. Still no proper brakes. And of course the noise and lights just come back. Still no error codes via my Bluetooth reader and smartphone.
I have my doubts that replacing the inverter pump will fix this brake issue. I am familiar with working on cars, but this is my first foray with 1) a modern car and 2) a Prius. (Previous cars are all mid 90s or older, so I'm a little bit overwhelmed here...)
View 16 Replies
Advertisement
I have a 1985 Silverado where a mouse must have chewed through the main electrical wire that goes from the battery to the starter. Without knowing this, I tried to start the truck, it turned over a couple times, then a burnt electrical smell and smoke was coming from under the hood.
I replaced the wire and the starter. Now I have all electronics restored but when I turn the key, nothing happens. The lights don't dim and it doesn't even click. If I arc the solenoid on the starter, it turns over and runs just fine.
I have checked all the fuses and relays under the dash. Those don't appear burnt out and I've tried swapping relays and that doesn't work either.
Is there anything else that could have shorted out? Are there other fuses or relays that I'm missing? Or is there something with the ignition that could be causing it?
View 8 Replies
When I drive home from work at night I see a thin white smoke come from the right side on my hood. (Headlight area) I open the hood and I can't pin point it....smells vaguely on burnt rubber. I am new to a TDI so maybe I'm just being an idiot, but what is it? I drive spirited on the way home, but dont floor it. I do have one hill thats pretty steep I usually charge up...(fun to burn the rice rockets who struggle!) I thought maybe parking brake? Its only got 750 miles on it, so maybe its oil burning? 2006 v10
View 24 Replies
Okay so basically I was driving today when I noticed the smell of burnt toast. Didn't think anything of it so when I turned off my R I noticed some faint white smoke coming from my engine bay. It appears that the smoke is coming from the left side of the engine, when I pop off my engine covers, there are two hoses (one going to air intake/one going into intake manifold). It looks like its coming from either one of those hoses or somewhere below. I don't see any leaking fluids or anything.
View 4 Replies
For the past month or so I've noticed that there are a few strange smells coming from the air vents on my GTI. Firstly, if the car sits for awhile and then is started it smells like that model airplane glue or some kind of strong adhesive inside the cabin. It goes away rather quickly. The second one worries me more. When I run the car hard for a few minutes (higher speeds, highway pull or two, etc.) and then come to a stop at a light, there is a very distinctive "burning" smell. It might sound gross, but the closest thing I can think of that smells like it is the smell in a dentists office when you're getting a cavity drilled out of a tooth.
View 7 Replies
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.
View 19 Replies
It's a 96 Honda Accord Ex. Yesterday afternoon, all of a sudden white smoke started coming out from the right side of the front of my car. I immediately pulled over and when I did, I could smell nothing but burnt or burning rubber! My car was overheating for some reason too, so I let it cool down for about an hour before inspecting anything. I drove into a residential neighborhood: in the process, my car was jerking forward, as if the engine was forcing itself to stay on, but not having the power.
When I finally was able to look under the hood, I saw that the hose that sucked coolant/anti-freeze out of the reserve to the side had melted off somehow, and my radiator wasn't able to pull anti-freeze out of the reserve. So I noted that I needed to replace that hose immediately. By this time, everything was closed in town, so I'm able to drive it home and let it sit overnight, to completely cool down. I added some coolant directly into the radiator this morning, in hopes that it would make it a little better. I started my car shortly after, and it did. But it has the same jerky motion when driving, as if it's about to cut off on me again.
View 13 Replies
I'm possibly being paranoid, but twice, after hard driving, my Prius has smelt strongly of burnt plastic/rubber.
View 19 Replies
I have a 2005 Dodge Stratus. 2.7 Engine. It died the other day and wouldn't start up. I tried to jump it and noticed smoke coming from under the engine. When I checked the starter was burnt so I replaced it with a new one and it does the same thing. It almost cranked once and then just makes a woo-woov kind of sound.
View 7 Replies
I just got a 2009 Corolla S back in October. Everything is great so far. Until last weekend when I was driving uphill on the streets of San Francisco where I noticed there's a distinct burnt rubber smell coming from the right rear wheel.
Have this issue after driving on a steep climb? My first oil change is coming up soon and I'll mention this for sure with my dealership. I checked the web and the forums here and nobody have seem to mention it yet. I have an auto transmission by the way.
View 14 Replies
I have a 2004 F150 4x4 super crew with te 5.4L in it. Truck has 200K plus miles on it and I went to start it after driving (it may have say for 10 min) the truck hesitated and didn't start and smoke started coming from under the hood. Looked like it was coming from the drivers side maybe mid fender or closer to the firewall. Look at it and nothing was on fire but something defiantly happened cause now its compensating for something. The rpms are up from what they usually are and the drivers information was cleared. Truck runs now but just worried
View 6 Replies
I have an 04 F250, stock. Two times within the last week I have noticed whiteish smoke coming out of the tailpipe and a diesel smell. Could this be the glow plugs going out and not burning the fuel, I have not changed them since owning the truck or something else.
View 14 Replies
I had to park my car in the hot sun on vacation the last two days and when I first crank it up with the AC on I get a familiar burnt wire smell but a little different. It goes away after about 3 minutes.
View 11 Replies
2001 Prius (242,044 miles) with transaxle error code! Red triangle with exclamation mark, check engine light, PS error, Main battery error, and little red car with exclamation mark error. One week ago car gave random misfire codes with a burnt smell... could have been from my car or could have been a smell from the car next to me. Cleared codes and they never came back. This week I get the CODE OF TRANSMISSION DEATH the dreaded P3120 along with a 5 minute wait by the side of the road until I could restart it and drive the 5 miles back to the house. Cleared the code but it came back the next day with another total loss of power and another 5 minute wait on the side of the road.
After I turn off the car and wait a few minutes it will usually start back up and I can continue on my way... sometimes for a few miles and sometimes for 10 miles. My question is this... could this problem be something other than a bad transmission (transaxle) or should I be looking for a used transmission on ebay? I have also heard that it is possible that the MG2 might be bad and that it can be swapped out without pulling the motor so how can I test and confirm my real problem. I plan to repair myself one way or another... Other than all these warning codes and exclamation mark warnings symbols she drives great until she stops producing power and coasts to a total stop.
View 12 Replies
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.
View 2 Replies
I have a 2005 Prius that my son has been using for the last couple of months... He just called me this evening and asked if I had ever had a rotten egg or natural gas smell coming from the a/c. I have not... the car only has 30,000 miles on it and I have never had any issues (knock on wood). He shut down the a/c rolled down the windows and drove on flow-through ventilation for a while and the smell dissipated. However the minute he turned the a/c back on the smell returned. I should probably mention that this car is being operated in Las Vegas... so I am pretty sure mildew is off the suspect list.
View 9 Replies
Sunday I got in my car and noticed a distinctive odor coming from the a/c and to my surprise not cold air. The temp seems to work as well as the fan and controls.
View 5 Replies
Just happened today right after I bought diesel. thought it may be water in fuel but after researching wondering if it is injector, etc. It starts every time knocks real bad sometimes for a minute, but clears up to idle ok. During idle no smoke, slightest acceleration however produces white smoke harder I accelerate more it plumes and it smells like diesel in the air.
Cannot get past 15 or so mph till switching into 2nd gear then 25mph max. Had to drive 4 miles like this I can say it cleared up and drove 1/2 mile until I had to stop at a traffic light then going from idle to acceleration again ran bad rest of way home another 2 miles.
A few years ago I did have a rough idle and accel. similar and it ended up being the broke pick-up/sending unit in tank (but of course that was when you get to around 1/4 tank of fuel and didn't run bad above that much fuel in tank), plus there was almost or more than a gallon of water in tank. I have done the mod for the fuel pickup with hoses, filter canister, etc. but wondered at first today if I had gotten bad gas or water in the tank again. Not sure how that much water got in the tank to begin with but that was bout 5 or 6 years ago.
Truck has over 200k miles and Ive had it for 11 years. In the morning will check the ICP sensor by unplugging look at fuel filter bowl, etc. A question I have is: Is water heavier than diesel, would it run thru my line first? thinking diesel is heavier than gas because of oil content....
View 2 Replies
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.
View 8 Replies
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
View 5 Replies
The exhaust from my caprice if thick and white. And there's a strong carbon smell. Could this mean my cat converter is bad?
View 2 Replies