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Home / Symptoms / Burning Rubber Smell

Hey, Why Does My Car Smell Like Burning Rubber?

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Most common causes for a burning rubber smell from the vehicle
A burning or burnt rubber smell is the second most frequent symptom identified by AutotechIQ records. Often, it is not tire-related, although it smells like that. The engine of your car or truck consists of many parts made of rubber. Examples are coolant hoses, steering hoses, and accessory drive belts, which are all key components of your car or truck.

Do you experience the smell of burning rubber?

The most common reason for a car making a burning rubber smell is because of a serpentine belt that slipped. The slipped belt commonly starts touching a hot component, and since it's made of rubber, it causes a burning rubber smell.

  • Overheating internal components:  Overheating internal components can cause a burning rubber smell due to the breakdown of rubber hoses and belts. When the engine or other components become too hot, it can cause rubber hoses and belts to deteriorate, releasing a strong odor.
  • Slipping serpentine belt: A slipping serpentine belt can cause a burning rubber smell in a car due to friction and overheating. If the belt is loose, and slips, it can generate heat and friction, leading to a burning rubber smell as the belt deteriorates.
  • Failed tensioner: A failed tensioner can cause a burning rubber smell in a car due to the increased friction and heat generated by a loose or misaligned serpentine belt. The tensioner maintains the proper tension of the serpentine belt, if it fails, it'll generate extra friction, causing the burning smell.
  • Bent suspension components: Bent suspension components can cause a burning rubber smell in a car due to the misalignment and increased friction between the tires and the road. This can lead to a burning rubber smell as the tires deteriorate.
  • Friction on the timing cover: Friction on the timing cover can cause a burning rubber smell in a car due to the rubbing of the timing belt or chain against the cover. This friction can generate heat and cause the belt or chain to deteriorate, emitting a burning rubber smell.
  • Faulty drive shaft center support bearing: The drive shaft center support bearing supports the drive shaft in its housing and allows it to rotate smoothly. If the bearing is faulty, it can cause the drive shaft to vibrate or wobble, leading to friction between the drive shaft and surrounding components.

It's common to notice a burnt rubber smell coming from your car. Often, it is not tire-related; the odor might come from rubber contact with a hot engine or exhaust pipe instead. Hence, many of your car's rubber parts, such as coolant hoses, steering hoses, timing belts, and accessory drive belts, might have something to do with it.

Acting early is crucial since rubber can deteriorate under high heat and affect related parts.

Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!

Are you noticing issues with your car's A/C, steering performance, radio system, and lights?

These symptoms can be caused by a faulty "belt-like" rubber component known as a serpentine — or accessory — belt. This component moves between gears and pulleys in the engine, providing power for systems like the A/C compressor, radio, water pumps, power steering, alternator, and lights.

So, if you're noticing an issue with any of these accessories/systems while also picking on a burning smell, explain this to a mechanic.

The burning rubber smell happens in this case because this belt can degrade, damaging some pulleys' bearings, loosening itself, and touching hot parts. Sometimes, the spring-loaded tensioners might be underperforming, causing the belt's looseness.

Do you typically drive on bumpy roads?

If you typically drive on bumpy roads, there might be a correlation that explains the smell. In this case, rubber parts like seals and sealings can deteriorate from impact. Then, these rubber bits fall and touch hot vehicle parts, burning themselves and creating a smell.

Acting early is crucial since rubber can deteriorate under high heat and mechanical failures. Components can get loose or lose their securing clips and pins through vibrations. If they dislocate and touch a hot part of the engine, they will burn, producing a unique smell.

Does the smell appears periodically and ceases for a long time?

There are various components under the car and its hood that have rubber covers and sealings. In some cases, driving conditions and collisions can cause some systems to misalign. If a component with a rubber layer gets out of place enough to touch a hot part of the car, it'll produce a burning rubber smell. The protective rubber covering might contact extremely hot parts like an exhaust manifold and melt.

Is your car's suspension less smooth than it used to be?

Sometimes, a bent suspension component might stretch out of place and rub against the tires. This rubbing motion will cause excess friction, produce heat, and make burning smells from the tire's rubber. You'll also notice rougher steering when trying to turn the car like it's heavier than it used to be.

Do you typically drive under rough terrain with gravel and road debris?

There's a cover on the engine that protects some components like belts and chains. This cover is called the timing cover, and it's like a "shield." Driving the car under rough terrain can cause this cover to lose integrity, developing cracks or leaks.

In some cases, the timing cover might develop a big crack and allow debris to enter it. Then, debris inside can make overheating easier, damaging plastic and rubber elements like the timing belt. In this case, tracking the problem is tricky since the smell doesn't accompany any noises. So, if you smell the odor in your car, head to an auto shop urgently.

Have you checked under your car for melted rubber?

A few car problems leave trails under the vehicle, which is the case with a drive shaft center support bearing. This part is a cylindrical structure under the car that supports the driveshaft (a long metal rod under the car that connects to the wheels). 

When a drive shaft center support bearing fails, it leaves traces of rubber and dust on the car's underside. These rubber particles can fall on hot parts of the car's suspension or related structures, melting and creating a burning smell. In this case, handling the car further melts these particles, producing a burnt rubber odor.

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Vehicle Health Inspection Proof

Explore the following typical inspection results that show a potential cause for the symptom and select the one you believe is similar to your vehicle's issue.

A serpentine belt slipping

This image shows a melted pulley and belt, causing the burning rubber smell. Hence, replacing both parts is crucial to avoid overheating failure.

In this case, the technician found that the serpentine belt was out of place like it had slipped. The serpentine belt is a critical component under a vehicle's hood; it transfers the power from the engine to basically everything else, like the alternator, power steering, A/C, and more.

The serpentine belt is connected to the water pump in most vehicle engines. This vehicle's water pump pulley has composite material, which can endure high temperatures. Unfortunately, the mechanic discovered that the slipping serpentine belt was causing excessive heat. Consequently, the pump pulley was enduring beyond its resistance and started to melt, causing the burning smell.

Now, the technician will also take a look at the water pump and belt tensioner. Then, they'll plan a fix for the whole system.

While you can see all accessory v-belts and serpentine belts without removing other parts, highly skilled technicians will see beyond. Mechanics quickly find clues in the engine compartment, like shredded rubber, frayed belt materials, rub marks, and stains from worn and failing components.

Broken rubber hoses

Various car parts surrounding a vehicle's engine have a rubber covering protection. This rubber cover endures high temperatures, protecting the component from overheating. The engine is extremely hot, and surrounding parts can have severe temperatures. So, if somehow a rubber covering from a different component misplaces and falls into any overheating part, it'll burn and produce a smell.

Protective rubber covering and heat shield burning on hot exhaust manifolds can cause a burning rubber odor in the engine bay. In this case, an inspection showed that excess movement from broken engine mounts was pulling the harness out of position.

Many protective coverings can cause burning odors. Hence, part of the inspection is to check for excessive movement from broken engine and transmission mounts.

Broken mounts allow the engine block to pull harnesses and other rubber hose protections. Additionally, faulty coolant hoses might cause overheating. Then, without support brackets, components will touch hot engine parts.

A technician will check for clues to burning rubber parts under the hood. Then, they'll look for damages in the mountings while the car is on the lift.

Bent suspension components

In this case, bent suspension components were rubbing against the tires, forcing excess friction and causing the smell. To fix this issue, the shop must make measurements, repairs, and a wheel alignment.

The damage above results from some type of impact. Modern vehicles with power steering may mask damages around that part. But, with an alignment machine, mechanics diagnose those areas precisely.

The technician will check for any out-of-place car components that might create friction. Note that this is an example: burning smells don't necessarily come from the engine compartment.

Failed drive shaft center support bearing

The center support bearing often incorporates rubber components, including the bearing mount, which is made of rubber. These rubber parts help absorb vibrations and reduce noise transmitted from the driveshaft to the vehicle's body. Over time, the rubber components within the center support bearing can melt due to heat generated by nearby parts like the drivetrain.

The inspection shows that the center support bearing has traces of burnt rubber. Also, the technician spotted telltale orange rust dust of a failed bearing; both factors took part in the noticeable burning rubber smell.

Some issues are tough to detect. For instance, you'll need to lift the car for an in-depth inspection to spot a lousy center support bearing. Moreover, whether the car is all-wheel, 4-wheel, or rear-wheel drive, high temperatures on lousy components lead to burning smells.

A failed tensioner

The tensioner, also known as a serpentine belt tensioner, is an engine component. This belt-like component runs between engine gears and rotates them simultaneously in a timed interval. This whole process helps in combustion and mechanical movements that make the car work.

An in-depth inspection can identify if a tensioner is damaged and causing engine internal components to fail. In the example image, the failing tensioner was causing burning odors. The bad smell is possibly due to the tensioner loosening and rubbing against overheated components, burning itself.

In the example case, the serpentine belt's edges had damage, becoming an inspection clue. Then, the mechanic found that a bearing failure was changing the belt's alignment, preventing it from running straight.

Surprisingly, the failed serpentine belt pulley wasn't making a more noticeable noise, which would be common. Still, a quick look at the crooked tensioner pulley revealed the failed bearing, which was causing the belt to rub, producing a burning smell.

The timing belt cover got loose and start rubbing against the timing belt, creating a burning rubber smell

The timing cover is a component that works adjacent to the engine, acting as a protective housing. The timing cover protects the timing belt, a sort of chain that rotates with gears and synchronizes engine components to run the combustion process.

The timing belt cover is typically made of metal or plastic and works close to extreme temperatures. Over time, the timing cover can weaken and start melting, producing a burning rubber or plastic smell.

This is a "silent" type of issue since the smell doesn't accompany noises. In the example above, the only symptom noticed by the driver was the strange odor. Unfortunately, tracking this type of problem isn't easy; the best approach is to take your car for an inspection.

Letting this progress would have cost the car's engine. Fortunately, the client was quick to visit an auto shop.

Typical Makes

That need Burning Rubber Smell significantly more often than average vehicle makes

  • Make: Honda
  • Model: Civic, CR-V, Element, Accord
  • Timing Belt Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Engine Vibration , Test Suspension
Timing belt kit
  • Make: Acura
  • Model: TSX, ILX, RDX, CSX 2006-2011
  • Timing Belt Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Engine Vibration , Test Suspension
Water Pump
  • Make: Ford
  • Model: Explorer Sport Trac, GT, Explorer, Expedition, F150 1/2 Ton – Pickup, F53, Excursion, F350 Super Duty 1 Ton – Pickup, Mustang, E450 Super Duty 1 1/2 Ton, Lobo 1/2 Ton – Pickup
  • Tensioner Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Suspension
Tensioner
  • Make: Ford
  • Model: E150 1/2 Ton Econoline – Van, E350 Super Duty 1 Ton, F550 Super Duty, F450 Super Duty 1 1/2 Ton Truck, F650 Super Duty, F250 Super Duty 3/4 Ton – Pickup, E550 Super Duty, F59, E250 3/4 Ton Econoline – Van, F650 Super Duty , F650 Super Duty, F750 Super Duty
  • Tensioner Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Suspension , Drive Shaft Repair
Drive shaft
  • Make: Lincoln
  • Model: Mark LT, Navigator, Blackwood, Aviator
  • Tensioner Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Suspension , Drive Shaft Repair
Drive shaft center support
  • Make: Mercury
  • Model: Mountaineer
  • Tensioner Replacement , Water Pump Replacement , Test Suspension , Drive Shaft Repair
U-joint

Typical Fixes to Address the Cause(s)

The following chapters bases themselves on experiences from our auto repair shop; we'll describe related problems' causes and fixes.

Sometimes a problem is more challenging to describe than it initially looked like. If you are not sure your problem is described by this article, please find below similar vehicle symptoms, which might describe better the issue you are experiencing.

Vehicle Symptoms

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