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Strange Smells


Chris.S
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Has anyone come across a burning rubber smell after a long journey or high speed driving ?

I did a long journey from Cardiff to Stoke-on-Trent recently which was all motorway,doing approx 80mph most of the time,when I got home there was a strong smell of burning rubber but I didn't find any problems with the tyres.Any idea's ?

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funny u mention this, when i was working on the rear bumber, i kept getting a burning smell as if a wire was overheating - i was doing some wiring at the time,(Battery was disconnected) never found what it was,

chris, do you normally do long runs?, I sometimes get a wiff of plastic/rubber but nothing is burning or melting s who knows what it is. ( its not the cats).

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You could regret starting this Chris!

I drove to Stoke on Sunday, didnt notice any funny smells, some funny people, strange cars. Is there a brewery there?:smilegrin:

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If the smell is coming into the cabin while you are driving...I would think that it is your clutch burning. When you say boot, do you mean the shidt boot (unless you're in an automatic). If it's in the rear, check the brake lines....maybe the hoses got caught on something and they're burning up. anyways, good luck.

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I cannot smell anything in the car while drive.The smell comes from the rear of the vehicle,ie the boot (lugguage compartment to all you posh people)only when I have finished my journey and the vehicle is cooling down.I know it can't be me because I've had my bath for this year :smilegrin:

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chris,

You dont think it is the Exhaust heating up on your trip and causing the coating of the exhaust to smell? or actually coming from the underseal on the bodywork getting warm from the exhaust?

[Edited on 27-2-2002 by Administrator]

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You might be right !!

It's only happened when I have done a long motorway run at about 80 mph and a medium run on open A roads where I've really thrashed it ,which would both make the exhuast hot or the exhaust mountings could have got warm

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I have had exactly what you describe on a few occasions.

Decent motorway run (45 mins at 80) and stood at the back of the car there is a faint hot/burning rubber smell.

Hasn't happened recently though.

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i think think it is the coating from the exhaust... or the body undercoat... i have smelt this on other newish cars....

When i was in the states i smelt it on the hire car... the heat softened the undercoating

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i think think it is the coating from the exhaust... or the body undercoat... i have smelt this on other newish cars....

When i was in the states i smelt it on the hire car... the heat softened the undercoating

Hmmm, doesn't smell like new exhaust and mine's done 12k miles anyhow - I haven't been bothered enough to have crawl underneath, but I guess it may be an exhaust hanger as they're usually rubber - deffo smells of hot rubber.

Hey Notorious, are you keepin your IS then? Wot happened to the RS?

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Mines 2 years old with nearly 50k on the clock and it still smells, didn't do it from new though, only the last 6 or 9 months.

lexicon, I still haven't decided, although my insurance is due on thursday, so it looks as though I'll keep it, unless someone gives me £13,500 before then :D

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I've never experienced the burning rubber smell myself but i do seem to smell a sulfer like smell when i "get on it" Have you guys ever smelled that?

I guess by "get on it", you mean nailing it :tumble:

The sulphurous smell is from the cat - hydrogen sulphide (i think) is a by-product.

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Phew - thx guys.... I get this smell too - noticed it a fair few times, especially if after the 'jaunt' I go in the boot or back seat (I mean to get stuff, not climbing in to check for size!)

So I assume all is well then and quite normal for Lexus(s) (Lexi ??) to smell after a drive. (I always drive 'enthusiasticaly' so I won't pass comment on whether this smell is only after pressing on a little......)

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Typical, only after reading this thread, I got my first instance of the burning smell. Did a five hour run from Surrey County Council to Stoke and drove the last hour and a half with a heavy boot. Lots of fourth gear from 60 to 100 to break away from stupid drivers trying to barge through in the fast lane. Saw an awesome GS though, X300LEX if anyone's seen it.

Haven't cleaned the external of the exhaust since I got the car before christmas (what do I use?) and I don't think is was ever cleaned.

I do think the Stoke connection is rather uncanny.

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