Car smells like it's on fire.
 

Ok, so I don't know where to go with this problem. I hate to keep posting new threads with my problems, but all have been resolved but this one. And this is the only one I'm worried about for right now.

After I drive the car for any amount of time (usually longer than five minutes) and turn it off, the car almost smells like it's burning something. I checked the oil level (replaced around 900 mi's ago) and it's fine. And it's been doing it for a long time before the oil change. However, we did go upwards of 4500 mi's before an oil change. I don't know if that would matter though.

Also, after you turn it on, something sounds like it's spinning for up to three seconds, and it's not a pretty sound. I heard it might be the engine mounts, but I'm not even sure what those do so I have no idea...

Any help?

ps. that's all the problems :)

Whens the last time you replaced the incabin micro filters

maybe your cat(s) are clogged and are gettin rele hot and gives u that burning smell

What about your power steering fluid? Have you check to see if the hose is leaking? Is that the type of smell we are discussing?

do you know the difference between burning and clutch and brakes? ,... not trying to be rude just trying to help pin point the smell... any signs of fluid leaking in the driveway... have you checked all your fluid levels.. any low?

...to bad they dont have an app that you can smell through the phone :wall:

My muffler rusted off my car and the resonator pipe (or whatever the pipe is that curves up) was burning the plastic in my trunk, it was like rear heated seats too. Maybe thats your problem. Have you checked to see if you have a muffler on your car recently?

2 things.

1) Check your exhaust system for something like a plastic bag melted onto it. A few years back I got a Home Depot bag stuck on the Y-pipe of my Jeep and nothing but 6 months of buirning could get it all off.

2) If the sound is after you turn the key on, but beofre you crank teh starter it is probably the fuel pump pressurizing the system. It should be a whirring sound. Shouldn't sound too bad. If it's loud and grinding it could be teh fuel pump on its way out.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

It could also be the starter engaging for too long, or one of the timing sprockets.

OP, is it a clatter sound, or a sort of whistling/whirring sound when you start your car?

Not sure, will check.

Cats? Like a catconverter or what? Sorry, I'm young and new to cars.

I will check that.

Bump on the phone app. Also, there are zero signs of fluid leaking in the garage, and I can double check the fluid levels but they should be good. The cars an AT so there's no clutch, and I don't think the brakes would be doing it because they're babied.

I don't believe the smell is coming from the back, but I can double check yet again haha.

I don't think there's any bags or anything. Will check.

The sound is once the car is turned OFF after driving. It's not a whirring sound or something, it's loud and grind like. You can hear it in my video I believe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezgfQig0cXg It's at the 15 second mark.

It's not the starter (which also catches and makes a noise) but the noise happens AFTER the car is turned OFF, not when it's on. Just for clarification.

There are two things that occur on the 2000-2001 Maxima when you shut it off:
1.) The throttle body opens and closes
2.) The electronic motor mounts move

Is it possibly one of those? I know on my 2k2 when I shut it off, about 2 seconds after I hear what sounds like a "tick..tick" sound...it's just the butterfly valve in the TB moving.

I've been told that it was most likely the electronic motor mounts, but my question is, what the heck do those do? haha. :rolleyes:

I'm in the process of checking fluids, etc. as we speak. Will update asap.

2000's are mechanic throttle bodies.

Oh, okay. Didn't know that. Thanks for the heads up. :D

Sounds kinda like a muffler issue (from your video) Whats the mileage on the vehicle? Might want to get your pipes checked out.

Noise is the motor mounts.

The smell sounds like an exhaust issue, or possibly the transmission. Try and pinpoint where the smell is coming from and look for any obvious issues. Report back.

Mileage: 168k.
We spilt a tiny bit of oil when we changed it, so could it just be the smell of it burning?

The tranny seems to slip or I guess hesitate during high revs from time to time, but generally it acts perfectly and doesn't seem to have anything wrong with it. But then again that's when it all goes wrong.

Should I worry about the motor mounts? It only happens every once in a while.

Also, the smell is coming from the front end. Hoping it's not the transmission, given that it's been treated nicely all ten years of its life.

Hmm...after reading your OP again I realize the sound is on start-up. It seems like the bendix on the starter. I had the same issue and replaced the starter. I wouldn't worry about it now, only until it gets worse.

The smell could be any fluid that is burning on the outside of the engine or tranny. I would check the exterior of the engine and tranny to see if there is any staining.

Haven't smelled it for a while, but the sound happens a few seconds after you start the car, but it also happens for 3-5 seconds after you turn it off. It bugs me because it sounds awful, like spinning metal.

Hmmm, well on that note it is not the starter if it is happening at shut off.

Is it consistent? It would help if you can get an audio clip of it and post it up.

How's your power steering fluid, are you losing some? Could be it! It ends up on the exhaust.

It's consistent as long as the car has been driven around for 5+ minutes every time. If you start it up and turn it off, it doesn't do it. Only after driving it. See video:

Edit: Skip to the last minute or so of the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXW_S5LFbqY

I checked the fluid levels the other day, no loss in fluid. Smell is unnoticeable right now. Might have just burned off the spilled oil.

I listened to it. It sounds like something winding down. I believe I have heard this before in my car when one of the motors to my cooling fans up front was going out. Actually, the bearings went out causing the fan blade to rub against the shroud creating noise.

Try checking your fans and motors for excessive play. I would say run the car and check under the hood for any abnormal noise like that. Other engine bay noise may mask it when you drive.

It would kind of make sense about the cooling fans too because one of them only comes on when the car needs it, so likely does not come on within the first 5 minutes.

Should I be worried about the motors? Because the noise just sounds so much more awful in person that it makes me cringe because it sounds like a chainsaw going through the car. Not good. I want to get it fixed as soon as I can, but I also need a new starter (will go for the $60 one at autozone with lifetime warranty) and will need new struts soon, the car is very bouncy and not rigid and sporty like it used to be. So this is the last thing that is wrong with the car, once all of these are fixed, the car will be like new :)

Thanks for your reply as it is.

Also, could this be the cause of the hot smell? Do the fans themselves cause the engine to cool down correctly and that's maybe why it is hot smelling? Just spit balling right now, if that's even what those fans do.

the radiator cooling fans do make loud, nasty noise when the bearings go bad. just wiggle the fan blade front to rear and if it moves, its bad. I just bought a replacement motor for $62. I don't think the fan motor is your burning smell.

my car has been making the exact same noise, it was coming from the fan that was loose as foodmanry mentioned.

Checked my radiator fan, and that was definitely loose and moving back in forth with the smallest amounts of pressure. Should I get the whole fan replaced in this case? Also, will this or the starter throw any codes without a CEL coming on?

haha i have this problem, my exhaust rusted apart where the exhaust connects at the axle. my car smells like burnt plastic if i was to drive far, but i have been running it w.o. muffler for a while now. no melting of any kind cept a decent growl

The busted motors will sound loud and actually vibrate your car. Once I determined it was a bad motor, I went with the whole fan shroud replacement via fleabay. Instead of replacing the individual motors.

Cost was like $75 for the whole thing. Plug and play.

I think the smell came from the spilled oil. And the noise and vibration come from your fans. A common MAX issue.

Yeah, I have a feeling that I really shouldn't worry about it. Just called Dave B up, he said the Radiator Cooling Fan Motor would cost me 119.31, and I assume thats a discounted price but I wasn't able to find it on the Nissan OEM site, nissan4parts.com

Also, the starter is 206.24. I feel like I should just go with the Autozone starter with the lifetime warranty, and get it replaced when I need to rather than paying a lot up front since the car only has about 5 or so years left before bad problems.

On the fan motor do a thorough search online. I found mine for about $70. You don't need to do the entire fan, just the motor. It is quite easy to replace, about 30 to 45 minutes.

On the starter I would go with the autozone lifetime warranty. It may not be as good as OEM, but it is a lifetime warranty.

I'll definitely do a search for the fan.


I was thinking about doing the autozone too because of the lifetime warranty. Cleaned out my MAF today and installed a second headlight (to match the replacement) and they look gorgeous.

Max is coming along nicely.

maybe your car is on fire.

























:shiner:

:nutkick:

:sprint2:



:laugh:

^^ :laugh::laugh::laugh:

You guys crack me up! :)

:nutkick:

Had to try that!

I actually had written a story with smilies, it went something like this: I was at a party. I was feeling funny. I went to bed. I woke up. My car was on fire. I ran around on fire after failing to put it out. I cried.

and some other stuff, but the "maximum" of five smilies ruined it :(
So I just gave up did what I did.

Also, the radiator fan noise has disappeared for a few days, even when it's like -300 degrees outside. I cleaned my MAF so maybe it refreshed the motor when the battery was unplugged? I'm hoping that's the case. Also the CD ejects when the battery is disconnected...I kept getting into my car and thinking WTF!

:rofl:

No, it deserves this >>> :greenboun and this :rollsmile