What Causes the Smell of Burning While Driving?
1 Answers
During vehicle operation, oil stains may accumulate on various channels and pipelines of the engine and transmission due to various reasons. When exposed to high temperatures while driving, these stains can emit a burning smell, which is harmless to the vehicle and will dissipate on its own after a short time. Plastic Bag Stuck to the Exhaust Pipe: If the burning smell is coming from your own vehicle, it might be caused by a plastic bag stuck to the exhaust pipe. Thin plastic bags on the road can be lifted by the wind as the car passes and adhere to the hot exhaust pipe, where they melt and produce a burning plastic odor. Although the smell originates from the underside of the vehicle, once the plastic melts, the odor spreads around the car and can enter the cabin through the air intake, making it noticeable inside. In such cases, simply stop the car, inspect, and remove the plastic bag. Forgetting to Release the Handbrake: If you forget to release the handbrake before driving, continuing to drive can also produce a burning smell. With the handbrake engaged, the brake pads remain in constant friction during driving, generating significant heat that can burn the pads and create a burning odor. This situation is more common in automatic transmission vehicles and typically occurs with novice drivers, though the probability of it happening is relatively low.
