What Causes Smoke and a Burning Smell in a Car?

[McVivienne]

Car smoke and a burning smell can be caused by the following reasons: Clogged air conditioning intake: This prevents hot air from being blown out, leading to heat buildup that can melt plastic components. The solution is to first check if the intake is clear, then test the airflow from the vents by hand, and listen for any unusual noises from the air conditioning unit. Short circuit causes: Poor-quality or missing separators allow active material from the plates to pass through, causing virtual or direct contact between the positive and negative plates; conductive objects falling into the battery can connect the positive and negative plates; expansion and shedding of active material from the plates, with excessive accumulation of shed material, can cause the lower or side edges of the plates to come into contact with the deposits, resulting in a connection between the positive and negative plates.