Question about the heat smell

[BraveNewWord]

hey, guys, is it just me or have anyone experienced the same? When it is hot and engine is idle or conversely after an aggressive acceleration, SOMETIMES I sense a smell of something not quite burning, but like sort of heating up. Hard to describe - the smell inside of the car changes as if something very hot is on, like a stove, but doe snot quite amount to plain burning smell. I am having a flashback to my 1994 Audi 90s which would do the same and ultimately get to the point of burning smell (turned out transmission fluid was leaking, some seals were rotten, what not), so I am panicky the story will repeat with this one. The car only has 33,5K miles, 2011 was bought CPO - a month ago. am I over-thinking it? Thanks. BNW

p.s, I have AC set on auto, so sometimes it picks up a stale smell - like bottom of the barrel - when idle, is that normal? Is it connected to the above?

[MuNkY6913]

I get that stale smell when the ac kicks on sometimes. Goes away after it starts blowing cold air. Changing the filter helped a little but didn't completely get rid of it. No semi burning smell though.

[A_Squared]

I used to get that kind if of a smell but not really from the inside. I would smell it more like from the hood outside after driving the car. It drove me crazy for awhile until I realized my OFH gasket was leaking. After I changed that and washed the engine it went away. But I get what you mean when you say not a burning smell, but more of a heating up smell

[Andrewcoja]

In my 3er, I had a burning smell sometimes. Turned out to be the AC blower motor wires burning up.

[rking117]

if you have a manual shift transmission it could be the clutch wearing out. ( not ot scare you or anything ) One way to test is if you have to let out the clutch almost to the top before it engages. But likely it is nothing to worry about.

[BraveNewWord]

thanks guys, wrote to the dealer, not a DIY kind of guy (facepalm). Hopefully my imagination - just put 300 miles on the car after bought CPO

[TwinTurboed]

I get this smell as well, its on and off.

[Tuxedo]

I have the exact same issue and while in for service last week they looked high and low, found nothing. It smells like I have hot oil leak or tran/eng mount and only goes off tilt once every 14-21days. It doesnt seem to be correlated with distance, speed, drive time or outside temp.

128i auto 31k curious symptom occasional burning oil smell. Happy and healthy otherwise.

[BraveNewWord]

hmm, mystery deepens? what say you BMW experts? anyone else had the same issue with a 1er or others?