If the smell persists, take the car in to be checked out. No smoke - just smell. Here’s a look at six reasons your furnace could smell like it’s burning and what you need to do about it. BMW 328i Oil Leaks From Lower Engine Area - 226 reports. Burning plastic smell returns. Car Smells from Clutch. Basically the face of the clutch burns off as the clutch slips. Many times a burning smell will come from your clutch. Cylinder misfire, loss of power or a loss of fuel economy may accompany any color exhaust smoke. 9000 miles When I stop the car after driving for an hour or so, there is a burning smell (like burning rubber) that is very noticeable when you get out of the car. The hot engine burning that shopper would also make the burning smell of rubber as in other cases. 2008 BMW 335xi: manual trans..burning smell (..that is very noticeable 2008 BMW 335xi manual trans. Heater Core. If you’re leaking gear oil and it drips onto the exhaust, it will likely stink up the cabin every time you come to a stop. Some exhaust systems are placed in close proximity to the transmission or transaxle. The smell is or used to be a Sweet kind of smell and it would irritate your throat after time. Burning Dust There’s a good chance you’ve noticed a burning smell come from the furnace when you turn it on for the first time as the cold weather sets in. When the plastic insulation has worn down (or been chewed off by an animal that’s gotten into the engine), the exposed wires can rub together and produce a short, which could cause a fire. Blue smoke comes from oil burning in the cylinders. BMW 328i Leaking Oil or Smells Like Burning from Engine Ran at Idle with the heat on and the smell did not really come back. A smoky, burning smell can be lovely when it's coming from your fireplace, but otherwise, it's something to be worried about. I park it for the session and investigate. Finally, if your heater core is figuratively running out of steam, it can cause a burning smell. Burning gear oil is acrid like a burning clutch, but smells a bit more like very burnt bacon. After the work was completed i have not had the smell at all since. There is a small chance when your car smells like burning rubber; the cause may not be due to something related to your car but something external like a shopping bag getting stuck in your engine bay during one of your road trips. I have a 2000 BMW E39 528i and had the same burning smell coming from my vents when the heat was on also. Found nothing. October 28, 2016 — BMW is recalling more than … BMW recalls 136,000 cars after complaints of gas odors and stalling engines due to fuel pumps. If you notice any engine smells, then stop driving your car immediately. Sessions 2 and 3: No Rain - Heater Off. Oil usually gets in through either a leaking intake valve seal or through worn piston rings. I took the car into Patrick BMW in illinois and they said that the vanos like was leaking onto my headers and that my head gaskets needed to be replaced. This is a special type of burning, like burning newspaper. Hope this helps. This can occur when you are changing gears. Session 4: Rain - Heater On. I dont know what kind of new Anti Freeze they use in an 11’ BMW these days…but the days of everyone having the usual Green Anti Freeze are LONG GONE…who knows what this type is or what it smells like when atomized in the car. If you notice a burning smell once you turn on your heater. Ran the full session. It could be anything. If Your Car Smells Like Burning Plastic What it might be: A short circuit in the wiring. Pull over to safety, turn on your hazard lights, and pop the hood to take a look. Only a slight odor the second session and nothing the third session. Learn about this problem, why it occurs, and how to fix it. You may have picked up a shopping bag loose on the road.