Burnt rubber smell coming from under hood

Specs · 02-18-2012, 05:20 PM

I have a 2012 135 with a little under 10k on it. No service visits as of yet.

While driving around today I began to notice a burnt rubber smell in the cabin. Once I got home I could notice very faint smoke coming from the side near the coolant reservoir. No I indicator lights are present, and no fluids have pooled under the car.

The only other thing I can think of is the when I was driving home last night there was a lot of water on the road and I ran through quite a few puddles at speed. Perhaps some collected somewhere and is burning off as the engine heats up?

Any advice? I can't get the car in until Monday, and I can't decide if I should stop driving it.

Vigilante375 · 02-26-2012, 08:27 AM

Heated up water wouldn't smell like burning rubber. Did you check you coolant level? Or is kind of build up is under the car after it sits over night? Well, if you car is dry that is and the ground isn't wet.

The water would evaporate as soon as it would hit the engine, even if it's held up somewhere around the engine bay it would just evaporate slowly and with little to no smoke.

Dackelone · 02-26-2012, 08:34 AM

Could be the polly ribbed belt that powers/spins the AC compressor(pass side) and Alternator (drivers side). Perhaps either the belt is loose or one of the pulleys is defective. I would have it looked at.

A while back some members posted that they broke their accs belt. Turned out it broke bc they were launching teh car so hard in 1st and 2nd gears the engine's crankshaft pulley (which the belt is powered off of) was making contact with the front radiator cross member. Those cars needed new accs belts AND a new crank pulley. Not a cheap repair but the warranty covered it.

Or... could be that one of the vacuum hoses popped off of the wastegate(s). That is also a common problem.

Specs · 02-27-2012, 06:36 PM

Thanks for the replies, turns out it was a factory defect (seated improperly) on the valve cover gasket. Hopefully that will be the end of it.

02-18-2012, 05:20 PM	#1
Specs Registered 2 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2012 135i Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	Burnt rubber smell coming from under hood I have a 2012 135 with a little under 10k on it. No service visits as of yet. While driving around today I began to notice a burnt rubber smell in the cabin. Once I got home I could notice very faint smoke coming from the side near the coolant reservoir. No I indicator lights are present, and no fluids have pooled under the car. The only other thing I can think of is the when I was driving home last night there was a lot of water on the road and I ran through quite a few puddles at speed. Perhaps some collected somewhere and is burning off as the engine heats up? Any advice? I can't get the car in until Monday, and I can't decide if I should stop driving it.
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02-26-2012, 08:27 AM	#2
Vigilante375 Major 116 Rep 1,158 Posts Drives: 2012 AW 6M 135i Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: WA iTrader: (0)	Heated up water wouldn't smell like burning rubber. Did you check you coolant level? Or is kind of build up is under the car after it sits over night? Well, if you car is dry that is and the ground isn't wet. The water would evaporate as soon as it would hit the engine, even if it's held up somewhere around the engine bay it would just evaporate slowly and with little to no smoke.
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02-26-2012, 08:34 AM	#3
Dackelone European Editor 10528 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	Could be the polly ribbed belt that powers/spins the AC compressor(pass side) and Alternator (drivers side). Perhaps either the belt is loose or one of the pulleys is defective. I would have it looked at. A while back some members posted that they broke their accs belt. Turned out it broke bc they were launching teh car so hard in 1st and 2nd gears the engine's crankshaft pulley (which the belt is powered off of) was making contact with the front radiator cross member. Those cars needed new accs belts AND a new crank pulley. Not a cheap repair but the warranty covered it. Or... could be that one of the vacuum hoses popped off of the wastegate(s). That is also a common problem.
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02-27-2012, 06:36 PM	#4
Specs Registered 2 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2012 135i Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the replies, turns out it was a factory defect (seated improperly) on the valve cover gasket. Hopefully that will be the end of it.
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