If your car smells like it’s burning, then something is likely burning. But where is it coming from, and what is causing it?
There are a few different things that could cause this (doing donuts is one), and you’ll want to identify what is happening so that you can get it fixed as soon as possible.
Here are 9 of the most likely causes of a burning smell coming from your car to aid your troubleshooting.
Common Causes of a Burning Smell From Your Vehicle
Although the most frequent causes of a burning smell coming from your car are certainly an electrical short or a broken A/C compressor, they might not be the only causes.
See each cause below and check your vehicle – it can be exactly what you need to identify your issue and save some cash in the shop!
#1. Burning Electrical Components/Worn Out Fuse.
If you have a burning electrical component smell, you probably have a burning electrical component. This is one of the most common causes of a burning smell in the interior of your vehicle.
Electricity creates a lot of heat, but generally, the wiring and various components hold all that heat. However, if you have a short in the system, that heat gets stuck in one place.
Electrical shorts can eat through plastics and other components to create a burning smell inside your vehicle. The risks are very serious. If the short reaches a more flammable component, it will light on fire. The short can also heat up enough to damage other wiring.
#2. Overheating A/C Compressor.
Do you smell a burning smell in your vehicle after you turn on the air conditioning? If so, there is a good chance that a faulty A/C compressor is the problem.
Your vehicle’s A/C compressor is driven by a belt, so if there are internal problems, the A/C compressor can generate a burning smell in a couple of different ways.
First, the A/C compressor can be stuck. So when it engages, it can grab the belt and heat the belt up as well as wear out the belt. While this will prematurely wear out your drive belt, it can also generate a burning smell.
But the more likely problem would be that the A/C compressor does turn, even though there is a failure internally.
When the A/C engages, the belt turns the compressor, and damaged components begin spinning inside the compressor. This generates a ton of friction, which creates heat, and it starts to burn.
#3. Stuck Brakes/Driving Mistakes.
There are a few reasons the brakes might smell like they are burning, and none are good.
I’ll start with the mechanical aspect- stuck brakes.
Stuck brakes could be the parking brake and/or service brake; if either sticks or won’t release, they will create a ton of friction that overheats.
If the brakes have enough heat, they can catch fire, meaning you will lose braking power! But just because the brakes smell like they are burning doesn’t mean it is a mechanical issue.
You may have inadvertently left the Parking brake engaged, or you may be using improper driving techniques.
There are a couple of common reasons this happens. Firstly, you could leave your foot on the brake while driving. This is common for novice drivers, but can cause overheated brakes if you’re continuously riding your brakes.
Secondly, there are areas where you need to drive on extremely steep terrain. When travelling downhill on a steep incline, a driver may ride the brakes, which can cause them to overheat!
While this is more common with larger vehicles- and this is where they provide runaway ramps for truckers- any vehicle can fry its brakes after riding its brakes long enough and aggressively coming down any incline.
#4. Broken or Stuck Belt.
Another common problem that generally creates a burning smell in your car is a stuck or broken serpentine or accessory belt, which will smell like burning rubber and is a significant problem.
There can be many issues that create this problem, including a pulley or accessory that is stuck, or a snapped or ruined belt!
Also, keep in mind that if the vehicle has a completely broken belt, that smell will likely exist as well.
That’s because the cooling system in your car uses a water pump, and this is belt-driven, meaning if the serpentine belt is not working as it should, it can leave your engine to overheat!
#5. Fluid Leaks.
If fluid evaporates on a hot surface like an engine or exhaust, it will burn. This includes power steering fluid, oil, transmission fluid, and even antifreeze!
This is not a problem unless you leak, or you overfill a fluid (for example, antifreeze), and the fluid leaks on your engine or exhaust.
There are hot spots on your engine and the top of your exhaust that get hot enough boiling point to boil fluids, and leaking fluids that burn will create a burnt smell.
#6. Burning Clutch.
If anything can create a burning smell for you, it can also occur with the clutch. The clutch puts a transmission position in neutral so that you can switch gears, and (if you don’t know) the clutch does this by pushing against the pressure plate.
The clutch will get so hot it will burn if you do not fully release the clutch by completely disengaging the clutch either before or after shifting gears, or riding the clutch pedal.
It is a common problem with new drivers learning to drive a manual transmission (stick), but it is just as important to learn to take it easy on the clutch, or it will need to be replaced much sooner than it should.
#7. Debris in the Heater.
Yes, you can smell burning when turning on the A/C, but what does it mean when it smells burning only when you turn the heat on? Well, most of the time, it means something burned is stuck in the vents.
We’ve found M&Ms, plastic bags, and old rags in heater vents – and all three of those things will burn and create a burning smell when you blast the heat.
When you have found and removed any debris, you should also change your A/C filter.
#8. Old Fluids.
Do you remember the last time you changed your oil or transmission fluid? When oil is fresh, everything runs smoothly, but once oil maturing happens, the oil thickens, starts to lose its heat absorption ability, and most importantly, stops lubricating the parts as it should.
All these things add up to trouble. Not only can everything get hot and result in a burning smell, but it will also scorch and damage different components. If you leave the old oil in long enough, it will cause engine damage.
#9. Loose/Damaged Splash Shield or Wheel Well Liner.
If a splash shield or wheel well liner comes loose, it can touch moving parts on the vehicle, such as the drive shafts, axles, tires, or wheels.
As the splash shield or wheel well liner rubs against the moving parts, friction is created, which creates heat. Eventually, the splash shield/plastic will begin to throw off a noticeable burning smell.
Even worse is that a dangling splash shield has direct contact with your extremely hot exhaust system. The plastic piece touching the exhaust will instantly melt or burn, which results in a strong smell.
Can you drive your car with a burning smell?
Technically, you can drive a car with a burning smell, but you shouldn’t! Every possibility that leads to a burning smell from your vehicle is serious and could quickly turn into a hazardous situation.
The problems are so serious that your very next stop needs to be at the mechanic. A burning smell can cause fires, ruin engines, and destroy brakes. Get your car to a mechanic or repair the issue it is having, but you should not drive the car!