Burning Smell: I'm Scared

kpcoupe · 03-06-2007, 08:48 PM

After driving my 328 pretty hard i found that the car had a terrible burning smell. I'm not sure if its the engine, the tires, or the brakes because i did brake pretty hard. I'm kinda afraid tho is it normal?

Sry if this is a repost. help.

Greeney · 03-06-2007, 08:51 PM

When did you pick up your car?

kpcoupe · 03-06-2007, 08:53 PM

in oct/nov

FirstClass · 03-06-2007, 08:57 PM

1) Explain the "burning" smell in more detail.
2) My car smells like burning rubber/a little hot brake smell all the time if I've been driving hard. (Think taking it to 60 on traffic free residential streets by my house then stomping on the brakes at stop signs then getting the back out around the 90 degree corners then repeating)

kpcoupe · 03-06-2007, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstClass

1) Explain the "burning" smell in more detail.
2) My car smells like burning rubber/a little hot brake smell all the time if I've been driving hard. (Think taking it to 60 on traffic free residential streets by my house then stomping on the brakes at stop signs then getting the back out around the 90 degree corners then repeating)

It just smelled like something was burning. Well i mean it wasn't anything sulfury, just smelled like burning,lol thats the best i can do. BTW is it really bad that it happens..like for the tires/ brakes/engine? Bcuz if it is, i will stop driving it hard.

picus · 03-06-2007, 09:02 PM

How many miles on it? It's probably Cosmoline. Most cars shipped over seas will have a faint burning smell for the first 1000-2000 miles; it'll get worse if the car gets hotter (Cosmoline burning off).

kpcoupe · 03-06-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by picus

How many miles on it? It's probably Cosmoline. Most cars shipped over seas will have a faint burning smell for the first 1000-2000 miles; it'll get worse if the car gets hotter (Cosmoline burning off).

it has about 1700 miles on it. what is cosmoline? is it bad to get rid of it. the car was pretty hot..i was driving it hard for fun, but now i am regretting it.

s4iscool · 03-06-2007, 09:16 PM

its just a waxy substance like vasoline that protects the car while in transit. You probably didnt hurt anything, but dont go around stompin on your brakes for no good reason if you are gona be hypersensitive to some smells. As long as its not a rotten egg fart smell, you should be fine.

s4iscool · 03-06-2007, 09:18 PM

Also is it a manual? After you went crazy on the brakes did you sit there with your foot on the brake pedal? or have the parking brake on?

canucklion · 03-06-2007, 09:18 PM

+1, I think it's probably due to hard driving

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstClass

My car smells like burning rubber/a little hot brake smell all the time if I've been driving hard. (Think taking it to 60 on traffic free residential streets by my house then stomping on the brakes at stop signs then getting the back out around the 90 degree corners then repeating)

kpcoupe · 03-06-2007, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s4iscool

its just a waxy substance like vasoline that protects the car while in transit. You probably didnt hurt anything, but dont go around stompin on your brakes for no good reason if you are gona be hypersensitive to some smells. As long as its not a rotten egg fart smell, you should be fine.

lol....i'm fine..i just didn't want my brand new car to be broken. and no it was that kind of smell, but i'm still a bit anxious. and no its not a manual. i pressed the brakes really hard a couple times to slow down and turned it off.

shadowcoder · 03-06-2007, 09:21 PM

Same question as above - is your car manual and if so are you stressing your
clutch/disc? When that happens you do get a burning smell which is quite
intense.

picus · 03-06-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpcoupe

it has about 1700 miles on it. what is cosmoline? is it bad to get rid of it. the car was pretty hot..i was driving it hard for fun, but now i am regretting it.

Cosmoline is an anti-corrosion chemical BMW sprays the cars with prior to shipping. It is supposed to burn off normally within the first few thousand miles but it smells like ass as it does. 9 times out of 10 when an owner with less than a couple thousand miles complains about burning it's cosmoline.

Grumpy514 · 03-07-2007, 12:19 AM

+1 with what picus said

Burning off those seals also!

Barry626 · 03-07-2007, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpcoupe

After driving my 328 pretty hard i found that the car had a terrible burning smell. I'm not sure if its the engine, the tires, or the brakes because i did brake pretty hard. I'm kinda afraid tho is it normal?

Sry if this is a repost. help.

I know what u mean same here other night.
I turned of the "DTC" & peeled out spinning back tires.
I have 4300 miles & is a manual.
When I pulled into my garage I could smell burning smell.
My guess is nothing to be concern about? next day my car was fine!

purplewidow · 03-07-2007, 01:07 AM

cosmoline gets taken off at the dealer upon delivery...they give it a "special bath" i was told along with a full detail...so that is strange...and i am here in chicago where abouts in illinois?
________
FREE SEX

mischapt · 03-07-2007, 01:21 AM

My wife's Mercedes B class 170 did the same the first km. Well, it was not about driving it hard...

but some coating was burning off. It eventually stopped...until i drive on occasion!

My Suzuki Burgman 650 smelled crap as well for the first km. Actually,every vehicle i bought the last years did the same. Don't worry, and if you're in doubt, keep the gas pedal floored!

BMW F22 · 03-07-2007, 01:48 AM

Like others have mentioned, it's normal. You just drove it too hard. Even at a few thousand miles you will get that faint burning smell. Whenever you do a spirited drive, you will always get that little smell. Nothing to worry about.

jbake · 03-07-2007, 01:51 AM

the essence of performance!

E91AWD · 03-07-2007, 03:38 AM

I bought my 328 xiT in December and it does the same thing. I drive hard, but I am easy on the brakes. High revs and hard corners is my thing. I always thought it was the smell of a job well done.

FirstClass · 03-07-2007, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMWE90

You just drove it too hard.

He didn't drive it too hard, he just drove it hard.

LEDZEP · 03-07-2007, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by picus

Cosmoline is an anti-corrosion chemical BMW sprays the cars with prior to shipping. It is supposed to burn off normally within the first few thousand miles but it smells like ass as it does. 9 times out of 10 when an owner with less than a couple thousand miles complains about burning it's cosmoline.

+2. This is normal for a new car for the first couple of months or couple thousand miles. Both of mine did it.

When they clean the car after shipment, they can't get everything - and you smell the residual burning off. Sort of a plasticy melting smell right?

03-06-2007, 08:48 PM	#1
kpcoupe Captain 38 Rep 778 Posts Drives: 328i Coupe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois iTrader: (0)	Burning Smell: I'm Scared After driving my 328 pretty hard i found that the car had a terrible burning smell. I'm not sure if its the engine, the tires, or the brakes because i did brake pretty hard. I'm kinda afraid tho is it normal? Sry if this is a repost. help.
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03-06-2007, 08:51 PM	#2
Greeney Brigadier General 213 Rep 3,835 Posts Drives: Jerez E90 M3 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Westchester, NY / Fort Lauderdale, FL iTrader: (4)	When did you pick up your car? __________________ 11' E90 M3 6MT \| Jerez Black \| Black Ext./Carbon \| ZCP \| ZCW \| ZPP \| ZTP \| 302 \| 403 \| 507 \| 5AC \| 655 \| 6FL \| 752 \| 15' F80 M3 6MT \| Black Saphire \| Black Full \| ZEC \| ZLP \| 2VF \| 2VZ \| 5DL \| 688 \|
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03-06-2007, 08:53 PM	#3
kpcoupe Captain 38 Rep 778 Posts Drives: 328i Coupe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Illinois iTrader: (0)	in oct/nov
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03-06-2007, 09:02 PM	#6
picus Brigadier General 125 Rep 4,172 Posts Drives: e92 SG 335i Coupe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto, ON iTrader: (0)	How many miles on it? It's probably Cosmoline. Most cars shipped over seas will have a faint burning smell for the first 1000-2000 miles; it'll get worse if the car gets hotter (Cosmoline burning off).
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03-06-2007, 09:16 PM	#8
s4iscool Major 26 Rep 1,138 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Neccos iTrader: (2)	its just a waxy substance like vasoline that protects the car while in transit. You probably didnt hurt anything, but dont go around stompin on your brakes for no good reason if you are gona be hypersensitive to some smells. As long as its not a rotten egg fart smell, you should be fine.
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03-06-2007, 09:18 PM	#9
s4iscool Major 26 Rep 1,138 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Neccos iTrader: (2)	Also is it a manual? After you went crazy on the brakes did you sit there with your foot on the brake pedal? or have the parking brake on?
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03-06-2007, 09:21 PM	#12
shadowcoder Captain 51 Rep 921 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Jose, CA / Orland Park, IL iTrader: (1)	Same question as above - is your car manual and if so are you stressing your clutch/disc? When that happens you do get a burning smell which is quite intense.
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03-07-2007, 12:19 AM	#14
Grumpy514 Major 625 Rep 1,140 Posts Drives: 2022 M3X Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: DMV iTrader: (1) Garage List 2022 BMW M3X [0.00] 2014 Toyota 4Runner [0.00]	+1 with what picus said Burning off those seals also!
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03-07-2007, 01:07 AM	#16
purplewidow Lieutenant Colonel 51 Rep 1,928 Posts Drives: e92 335 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chicago iTrader: (2)	cosmoline gets taken off at the dealer upon delivery...they give it a "special bath" i was told along with a full detail...so that is strange...and i am here in chicago where abouts in illinois? ________ FREE SEX Last edited by purplewidow; 03-29-2011 at 07:33 PM..
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03-07-2007, 01:21 AM	#17
mischapt e92 - wannabe, wanna - wanna - wanna be!!!! 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: VW PASSAT VARIANT td Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Italy iTrader: (0)	My wife's Mercedes B class 170 did the same the first km. Well, it was not about driving it hard... but some coating was burning off. It eventually stopped...until i drive on occasion! My Suzuki Burgman 650 smelled crap as well for the first km. Actually,every vehicle i bought the last years did the same. Don't worry, and if you're in doubt, keep the gas pedal floored! Last edited by mischapt; 03-07-2007 at 01:36 AM..
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03-07-2007, 01:48 AM	#18
BMW F22 Major General 3566 Rep 9,788 Posts Drives: ///M235i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (8)	Like others have mentioned, it's normal. You just drove it too hard. Even at a few thousand miles you will get that faint burning smell. Whenever you do a spirited drive, you will always get that little smell. Nothing to worry about.
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03-07-2007, 01:51 AM	#19
jbake OG 77 Rep 930 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cen Cal iTrader: (0)	the essence of performance!
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03-07-2007, 03:38 AM	#20
E91AWD Lieutenant 16 Rep 448 Posts Drives: BMW 2007 328xiT Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (1)	I bought my 328 xiT in December and it does the same thing. I drive hard, but I am easy on the brakes. High revs and hard corners is my thing. I always thought it was the smell of a job well done.
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