Subaru - Forester :: Faint Burning Smell In Cabin After Drive For A Significant Amount Of Time
Dec 31, 2011
I recently moved to Pittsburgh where I constantly use my parking brake from Rochester, NY where I rarely ever used it. After I've moved to Pittsburgh (7 months after I've owned this 2004 Subaru Forester). After I drive for a significant amount of time (30+ minutes) and come off the freeway and stop or even slow down, the cabin of the car has a distinct, but faint burning smell. I am wondering if this could be the parking brake rubbing just slightly and when I slow down the smell stays in the cabin or if it is possible that the brakes are smelling (or something entirely different). Keep in mind that the smell doesn't happen when I only take a short drive, which is often. And of course, no I haven't taken this into an auto mechanic yet.
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I have a 2004 Turbo Forester. It's been maintained since purchased new at the same dealer with oil changes every 3500 miles or so and all the "big" required/recommended maintenance every 15000 miles. After the 75000 mile check, I kept smelling a burning oil smell, especially when car was idling. I had it back to the dealer several times but they couldn't find anything wrong. The car did not seem to be using excess oil, there were no "puddles" under the car where it was parked. Today I brought the car in for routine oil change (78400 miles). On the way in, started smelling the burning smell again and saw smoke around the turbo charger.
The mechanic saw "Moisture" (oil?) around a lower bolt on the heat shield around the turbo charger. He said it was likely a failing turbo charger causing oil to leak on making that bolt wet? The engine is not making any noise, nor is the turbocharger, and there was no "check engine light" illuminated. I'm scared now to take the care elsewhere for a second opinion...don't really want to drive it and trash the engine. It's out of warranty now, and this is a painfully expensive fix that couldn't have come at a worse time on a car that's been maintained "by the book". I'm reading a lot about this "banjo bolt screen" problem. Would that be something to find out about on a 2004 Forester? Is there anything else that could be causing the problem (mechanic couldn't think of anything).
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Had the head gasket replaced and metal machined due to HG failure. 2001 Forester, 120K miles. After I got it back, a bad oil smell. Cleaned and sprayed it, still there, though less; seems to be on drivers side. Comes into cabin from the air vents below windshield when stopped.
Could it be the line from manifold vacuum to brake master cylinder ie servo amplifier? Or something else?Should I worry? The car seems to get about 15 mpg, used to get 18 mpg, and the check engine MIL is on.
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While waiting at a stop light my car totally died, there were no warning lights, the car is a 2011 Subaru forester with 52,000 km. I had it pushed off the road, tried to restart it with jump cables but it would not turn over. I noticed an odd burning smell when I opened the hood. There were rat tracks on top of the engine area. I had the battery pulled out and replaced with another fully charged but it did not make a difference.
After sitting for two days, I restarted the car and the engine managed to turn over but very very rough, a mechanic thought there was something loose in the engine. I currently live in Mexico and closest subaru dealership is 5 hours away. I will need to get it towed there but I would like to have some idea of what it may be, my thought is somehow a wire got chewed off but I had driven it about 20 miles that morning and then it just stopped dead.
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Big time burning smell in the cabin at the end of a high speed run. smells like belts burning maybe.
There's a stretch i take on the way home sometimes, and i can open up and get up to about 120 easily. did it last week and got a strong burning smell, kinda smells like rubber a bit, but it could be fluids... kinda hard to tell, but absolutely a burning smell. but i wasn't sure if it was me.
Did it again yesterday, car pulls perfectly fine, but the cabin was again filled with a burning smell. no CEL's, no nothing that i can tell. cools down perfectly and everything, no beats skipped. All my maintenance is up to date.
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My 2005 chevy silverado 1/2 ton seems to be low a quart of coolant every 2-3 months. First alerted to this during a oil change, check it monthly and need to add a little to the reservoir every other month. The temp gauge never goes over half way. I do smell antifreeze after I shut the truck down after a significant drive, but only if I walk to the front of the vehicle.
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I have a 1999 Ford Taurus. I have noticed a faint knocking sound for about 6 months. I took it in and the mechanic said ' what noise? '. Then it got louder so I took ot back in and he ssid 'bad water pump' I had another mechanic friend check, and he said the water pump was fine. Plus, I've never had any overheating . a 3rd mechanic said "could be loose torque converter bolts." It sounds like metal clunking on metal under the hood.. rpms, speed, & temperature make no difference. Occasionally get a smell of coolant inside the cabin . I'll attach audio of the noise.
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When starting the RX, I smell something I would describe as "burning insulation". It happens only first 10-20 seconds after the air comes out from the vents, and then the smell disappears. The smell is stronger after prolonged parking. It is the strongest in the morning and less noticeable after I start the RX 2-3 more times ( I usually make 6-8 short trips during the day). The smell was very strong when I started the RX first time after it was parked for one week (while we went on vacation).
There are no warning lights, and the vehicle runs just fine. I pulled out the carbon cabin filter (changed about 3 mo ago) - it did not smell and was very clean still. I am hesitant to go to the dealer-afraid they will rip apart the dash, which they probably will not be able to put back together without having rattles and noises after.
The smell comes from the inside - there is no smell under the hood after I start the RX.
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I have always had a occasionally burning smell in the cabin when I am using the heating system. Has never happened in summer. Only happens randomly in winter when I am using the heat. I don't think I have seen steam and stuff and definitely no water puddle in footwell area. This strongly makes me think that I have a leak in the heater core area, maybe not the core itself, just o-rings and things like that. Vw has checked many times and replaced the valve gaskets. But the smell is still there. This morning when the smell came, I opened up the hood immediately and I think the smell was around the passenger side plenum chamber area.
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My car smells like some plastic part is burning inside. The heat works just fine but for some reason i am getting this horrible smell. How to get to air filter of the fan.
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I have a 2005 Durango with the 4.7L engine with 140,000 mile and there is a burning oil smell coming through our vents. I also smell it when stopped at a light or drive thru and when the hood is raised. Our mechanics can't find anything. We've changed the plugs and wires, replaced the valve cover gasket and water pump recently, and can find no leaks or evidence of leaks. It uses oil a little, but mostly over a long period of time or on long trips.
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Okay, I've been trying to diagnose this problem for ages. Whenever I top off my tank with fuel, the garage smells of fuel until I use up about a quarter of the tank. The smell stays mostly outside of the car. So far I have replaced the drain filter (a few years ago), fuel filler neck, hose leading from the filler neck to the tank, and had the system pressure tested. I'm fairly certain it's not the tank because the car has been undercoated since new and my mechanic saw no signs of a leak when he replaced the rear crossmember recently. My next guess is either the gas cap, the charcoal filter, or some hose leading to/from the charcoal filter.
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I purchased a 2006 Impreza 2.5 back in July, and since then, have replaced the cam seal twice but I am still having problems. I smell burned oil and see faint smoke coming from the motor (lookers right- battery side). My local mechanic thinks the camshaft might be at fault, but is unsure. I have only owned Subarus, and have never had this issue with any other models. Head gaskets are brand new, same with timing belt, water-pump, radiator, and cam seal. Vehicle has 160k on it, and is my daily driver.
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After smelling a bit of a "hot oil smell" on and off for several weeks and culminating in a getting smoke from the engine at the end of a mountain road, we took our 2004 Subaru Forrester (147,500) to the trusted mechanic. We were told that it needs head gaskets in both banks.
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After battling the general nitwit public earlier. I was on my way home and as I neared my house, a party bus was blocking the road. Well, I got angry, shifted to reverse, revved the engine while letting out the clutch to back up and take a different route. Then this horrible burning electric/plastic smell inundated the inside of my R. I knew I rode that clutch while backing up. My question is did I do noticeable damage my clutch, or is it one of those: it'll be fine just don't do it again thing?
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We have a 2003 Explorer Sportrac and the fuel cap light came on. Then ck engine light came on. took it to a dealer to check it out. Said it has a fuel pressur issue. could be the cap or something in the fuel tank. it needs a pressure check they said. cleared codes and put new factory fuel cap on. 2 weeks later it happened again.
XLT model 108,000 miles on it and we are the original owners...
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I just had my 10k service and noticed my two front tires still had a significant amount of brake dust and the rear tires did not. I always have more brake dust on the front than the rear and was the case when I dropped the car off. The service guy said they rotated from front to back but that didn't happen. I was under the impression they moved front to back and vice versa. What is the standard rotation for tires at the prescribed service intervals?
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With the very cold weather I'm having problems getting my car to start again after it's been running a while--starts okay initially no matter the temp, run it for ~15 minutes then go to my first work stop. One hour later sitting outside in 0F and I can't get it to start, won't turn over. Just got a new battery, had the spark plugs/starter/fuel line checked "looks okay". Starts after it gets really cold again, needs to sit out for a few hours in the single or negative digits. Dealer is 100 miles away and I have not been happy with the service there.
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Having problem with an exhaust or fuel smell in the cab? i have had the exhaust checked & the seal on the back door, all have been fine. it has only happened in the really, really cold weather.
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When the weather gets really cold (below 30) I intermittently smell a gas/exhaust smell in the cabin but also on the exterior. I have on two occasions had my mechanic check this and each time he has replaced an "old and cracked" hose.
He has to use the smoke tracer to find where it is leaking and replacing hose. On both occasions he urged me to make the repair immediately as it could be extremely dangerous. (Makes sense if I am smelling gas.)
I am wondering if this could be an exhaust/heating system problem. The car is 11 years old with 120K miles and I want to keep it running a few more years. I am due for front brakes and new tires soon...
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My father in-law gave us a 1996 explorer AWD with a 5.0 for my son who is 16. A couple of weeks later he's out learning with my wife and a very strong electrical smell took over the cabin. They came right home and when I got in I found all of the gauges not working. The instrument lights work, blinkers work, but all gauges do nothing. Pulled cluster and wires look O.K. behind it from what I can see. They saw no smoke, just smell, fuses look O.K.. What could cook on this vehicle that would wipe out just the gauges?
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