haha thats funny, but yes I can see how the heater is drawing in smelly air because if I turn on recycled air the burning smell disapates instantly. So the question still remains, what the heck is burning?

 

i get that burning rubber smell too, but only when it's really cold outside. it smells like rubber burning right when i start up the car, but then it goes away after a few minutes.

-zee

 

I get it too. It must be coming from the heater because when I shut off the climate control the smell goes away. I had the filter for the cabin ari intake replaced, it was crazy-dirty but I still get the burning smell exactly the same as everyone describes.

I thought it was a belt too but everything seems to be fine. I'll see what happens when I play with the AC (it's still only around 5 Celcius here now) so no need for it to even be on whether it's being used or not.

 

Same smell with my 05 X. Belt noise too. Only 3 payments and the lease is over and i can give it back.

 

I've got the same smell. Seems to only be after I push the car to 80 - 90 mph. I can't seem to track it down either but I'm very interested to see what anyone comes up with. I do have a VERY faint belt noise so I might try and tighten that up this weekend and see if there is a difference.

 

so has anyone ever figured out or solved this problem?

I have it now was well. Only when i pull into the garage and walk around my car. I think its related to the heating system or water/snow splashing on stuff...

 

Same here. I have it as well. Very faint burning type smell. Not enough to be overpowering, but i get a whiff of it now and then.

 

i was just about to revive this thread back. The problem has come back for me as well, since winter has started. The pulley/belt noise seems to come and go, but the burning rubber smell can still be smelt inside and outside of the cabin as soon as the heat warms up. Turning on recurclate air will help rid of the smell inside and seems to quiet down the pulley noise. Still havent located where the smell is coming from! I am debating taking it to the dealer since my warranty is expiring soon, but Im sure they wont find anything like last time.

 

yea i dont get the inside...

 

I was getting it when I was having pulley/belt issues. Now that I have resolved those, the smell is gone. I think it is a belt issue.

My Situation,
Pulley nut fell off. Didn't notice for a while. Heard noise every time I started the car in the morning. Tightened the belts then saw the nut missing. Replaced the nut, re-adjusted the belts. All is happy now. It has been two weeks and the smell hasn't come back

 

Which pulley did the nut fall off of?

 

The serpentine tensioner pulley.

It's my own fault. I changed both of my belts back in April. The nut fell off recently. I'm guessing I didn't tighten it enough after i changed my belts.

 

i have same problem but only in the winter

 

I'm getting the exact same thing here too. I have about a 20 minute drive home from work and right before I get to my house (after the car gets good and warmed up + seat heater). I can smell it when I stop on the off ramp waiting for the light.

I use the auto climate, foot well only, ac off...

Smells like burning.

 

I have the same burning smell, but I never really smell it much at all inside. Outside towards the front it is stronger smelling. It only happens when I rev the engine (past 4k) which I don't do often. Also when it is snowing and wet out. So I assume it must be normal. Still kinda strange though.

I was driving through 6 inches of snow for 6 hours straight and didn't smell anything but I never reved the engine and didn't go much over 50mph the entire time. The next day, took off fast from a stop, 7k rpm, got home, and bam.. smell really bad. I think it might be related to the VDC intervening to keep wheel spin down. That seems to produce the most smell for me at least.

I have an X and snow tires. So the VDC doesn't come on unless I really drive hard in the snow.