When the car is at normal driving temp I get what could be electrical/tire/brake/rubber belt burning/melting smell. I can smell it inside and when I stop and get out it smells strong when I lean down and smell around the front left wheel opening.

Anybody experience this before?

 

clutch!

 

check valve cover gaskets for leaks. also look at your axles for cv boot maybe slinging grease onto your wheel/brake area.

 

This may sound stupid but check to make sure there's no plastic bag stuck under the car. One time a plastic grocery bag the ones you get at ralphs or vons, got stuck onto my exhaust piping and it started melting. That's where my smell came from.

 

^ Same thing.

Also, please try to more clearly identify the smell. If you can't, get someone else to do it. Electrical, tire, brake, rubber belt burning/melting all smell very different.

 

Thanks for the help so far guys...

I understand that my description of the smell isn't the greatest but it does smell like a combation of things. The car is going in to the Infiniti dealer on Monday so hopefully they figure it out and it doesn't cost me anything since my bumper to bumper warranty is still good for another 35,000 kms.

If it ends up being the clutch is there any way it might be covered or that's never an option?

 

This happened to me once, i thought it was the clutch.

Who would have known that it was just a stupid publix bag that got stuck to my exhaust.

lol

 

The clutch is considered a wear and tear item and not covered by your warranty. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news

 

Where do you live? Cold climate/snow? A burning rubber smell is common when driving in these conditions w/ VDC coming on frequently. Just a thought.

 

check to make sure your left front caliper is not hanging up

 

as jimmyc said, if your VDC [slip] is coming on its probably that.

I have a 6MT too and it SMELLS like a clutch smell in a way, but I'm fairly sure its the VDC kicking on and off on and off in this slippery weather. Especially us non X mt's

Don't sweat it, but if you are concerned get it checked and LET US KNOW what it was!

 

I do live in the great white north (Canada) and I did think it could be my VDC but it happens even when i've been driving on dry roads. For example our roads today are nice and dry, I was on the Hwy for about 20 mins with no smell but as soon as I got off there it was again.

I'll keep you all posted on what the outcome is once I get her back from the dealership

Thanks again for all your input guys!

 

Yeah I have been smelling my brakes alot lately..lol..but contribute it to snow and spirited driving w/ vdc on..

 

Same exact thing happens to me and I've only noticed it in the winter pretty much, but that's probably because my windows are always up in the winter. I've smelt it in the city before too, and thought that I might have spun my tires on the pavement which caused the smell. It happens all the time when coming off the highway though so wtf lol.

 

Just had a similar problem. It was the mid engine shield broken off and rubbing the front right tire. Sounded like I had wire or rubbing at slow speeds < 20 kpm.