I have an odd smell coming from my 6mt sedan. It smells like the brakes are burning in the left rear of the car. I only notice the smell when I stop, and after driving for a while.

I thought it might have been coming from the engine, but I performed a "scientific" smell test and isolated it to the left rear section of the car, which makes me think it is the brakes. The car only has 2500 miles on in, so I really doubt the pads are worn. It just smells really bad and I can't pinpoint what it might be. Smells a little metallic... Any ideas?

 

did you have your e-brake on? my buddy smelled the same thing this past weekend while i was driving and it was a distinctive brake smell. in the end, i realized my damn e-brake was on for bout 2 miles.

 

lol, yea i did that twice, but i heard loud squeeling sound when i left mine on so I didnt go far.

 

That wasn't it, because it did it on more than one occassion.

 

your cars relatively new, but not that new.. i would say just bring it in if you can.. always better to be safe than sorry.. at least have them check it out and if they find something, then at least you got rid of the problem early, if not, maybe the smell's all in your head :P

 

I checked again tonight and it defnitely comes from the left rear tire area.

I put nitrous on my car and don't want to go to the dealer unless absolutely necessary, because I have to disconnect the kit or they will try to void my warranty. (What they don't know won't hurt me.)

I can't think of anything but the brakes...

 

nitrous.. haha.. nm.. don't take it to the dealer :P

it's probably the breaks like you suspected.. does it happen every time you drive the car? or only when you drive for a certain period of time?

 

It happens every time I drive, and I only smell it when I'm stopped. Maybe it is the exhaust? I installed a greddy cat-back exhaust a while ago but it was just a bolt up deal. Smells more like brakes still. I don't notice it until several stops and I don't really drive the car hard that often.

 

Could be the gaskets used for the new exhaust.

 

That's an idea... I looked at the pads and they seemed fine. I drove the car really hard today, and the smell disappeared for the first time in a few days. Would the gaskets start smelling more than a month after the exhaust was installed?

 

I get a burning smell from my exhaust for about 5 days now after I put on my borla, but I was told its normal after putting on a new one. Some stuff they put in the pipes for the shipping or like somebody mentioned the gasket I reused. It seems to be getting less and less, but then again it could be all in my head as I live in NJ and we got some shitty air around here.

 

i get that burning smell every time i run my car really hard...to redline...which is now at 7100 rpm.

G35S 6MT
K&N Typhoon intake
Technosquare ECU
350Z Springs & Struts (soon)
6-wire ground kit

 

There is a burning smell on brand new G35's due to a coating put on the exhaust for protection during shipping. I suppose it's possible that aftermarket exhausts also have a protective coating. If that's the case, it should fade out in a few hundred miles.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Maybe it's the VDC? Not the VDC exactly, but if you leave it on while running the car hard it has that bad brake/clutch smell when you stop.



BS G35C 6spd navi/aero/prem