burnt smell in WRX?

[peter]

Once or twice a week, I smell rubber burning from inside my 2002 wrx when
windows shut and outside ventilation. Sometimes, the rubber burning smell is
followed by electrical burning smell (I think electrical wires have a
different odor than rubber). Usually I'm cruising on the freeway when this
happens (did not gun the engine or anything). My clutch was replaced a year
ago by the dealer under warranty (clutch judder).

Today the two smells were so strong, I was afraid there's going to be a melt
down or car fire. But nothing happened. Ten minutes later I stopped the car
and opened the hood. Did not see anything suspicious or smell anything.

This has been happening ever since I got the car new. Any ideas?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Once or twice a week, I smell rubber burning from inside my 2002 wrx when
windows shut and outside ventilation. Sometimes, the rubber burning smell is
followed by electrical burning smell (I think electrical wires have a
different odor than rubber). Usually I'm cruising on the freeway when this
happens (did not gun the engine or anything). My clutch was replaced a year
ago by the dealer under warranty (clutch judder).

Today the two smells were so strong, I was afraid there's going to be a melt
down or car fire. But nothing happened. Ten minutes later I stopped the car
and opened the hood. Did not see anything suspicious or smell anything.

This has been happening ever since I got the car new. Any ideas?

Check for a split CV boot possibly throwing grease onto the exhaust.

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

 

[S]

Hi Peter!

Check for a split CV boot possibly throwing grease onto the exhaust.

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

Just as Carl suggests, a torn CV boot is a likely culprit. Oil leaks
from the front of the engine can cause a stink as well. Failing this,
DO NOT continue to operate your car until you find the cause; a car
fire is no joke, and even a melted wiring harness is troublesome (read
expensive) to repair. I'd start by taking as much of the dash apart as
possible, while leaving the car drivable. Buy, borrow, or beg one of
the infrared non-contact surface temperature thermometers (or even
better, one of the IR "night scopes"), and start looking for the hot
spot the next time you detect the burning smell. Keep going 'til you
find it. In particular, check around the fuse box; several high
current wiring feeds are present there.
It may, or may not be useful, but I have the complete WRX service
manual available on my server. Feel free to grab anything you want,
but be warned; the files are large .pdf documents, and probably
unsuitable for 56K modem action.
<http://chester.uccs.edu/WRX_Manual/>
Happy hunting, and please do report back and let us know what you
find.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

 

[peter]

Checked CV boots -- nothing.
Thanks for the manuals.
I was hoping this is a common problem with a service bulletin. Guess not.
I think the first order of business is to isolate whether the smell comes
from inside or outside the firewall. Next time I smell the odor I will close
the vent, open the window for a few seconds to clear the odor, then close
the window. If the odor comes back, then it is from inside the car. If it
doesn't, then I re-open the vent.

I think I'll also bring a fire extinguisher with me.

Is there any known report of WRX catching fire while running?

-peter

 

[Frank Logullo]

Checked CV boots -- nothing.
Thanks for the manuals.
I was hoping this is a common problem with a service bulletin. Guess not.
I think the first order of business is to isolate whether the smell comes
from inside or outside the firewall. Next time I smell the odor I will close
the vent, open the window for a few seconds to clear the odor, then close
the window. If the odor comes back, then it is from inside the car. If it
doesn't, then I re-open the vent.

I think I'll also bring a fire extinguisher with me.

Is there any known report of WRX catching fire while running?

I had smell problem in my '98 Forester. I change my own oil so I just drove
on ramps, crawled under car, and looked at exhaust where I found a wheel
seal leak. Was fixed under drive train warranty. Only takes a few drops of
grease to pyrolize to bad smell and never thought there was danger of fire.
But, do not rely on your nose to find problem.

 

[Al]

I had smell problem in my '98 Forester. I change my own oil so I just drove
on ramps, crawled under car, and looked at exhaust where I found a wheel
seal leak. Was fixed under drive train warranty. Only takes a few drops of
grease to pyrolize to bad smell and never thought there was danger of fire.
But, do not rely on your nose to find problem.

On mu Jeep, the burning smell came from a bad bearing on an idler pulley.

Al

 

[Michael]

I had a a 97 Probe GT awhile back. Very strong burning smell inside and
outside the car. I would pop the hood, no smoke, thought maybe the clutch
was burning. After reading posts on messages boards found out that the front
o2 sensor going bad was a common problem with the Probe. Never had a CEL
but the code was in there. The smell was most noticable after hard
acceleration. I replaced it with a universal bosch o2 sensor and no more
smell.