I have a hot rubber smell by my exhaust manifold. What I'm trying to say is it smells like a new Passat rolling off the line and starting it up for the first time. I never had a problem like this and it just started not too long ago. Car runs fine, starts all the time, no oil lose, but has that smell of hot rubber or faint oil smell.
This is an 03' Passat 1.8t thanks for any answers.. just concerned about the long term condition of my car.
Does anyone have an idea of what it could be... I'll check and reply back.
Thanks

 

Did you install any new exhaust components? Is their blue smoke coming out of the exhaust? Check the exhaust to see if you might have a bag stuck to it, those stink and are difficult to get off.

-Jeff

 

No, nothing like that. I did not install any new componets. Just started smelling, maybe a loose wire touching something?? That could be. Gerrrrr!

 

You might not even be smelling your own car. I;ve noticed with VW's when the vents are open I get a lot of interesting smells that i'd prefer not to smell lol. Could be another vehicle....I highly doubt it's a wire near the exhaust unless one fell down there for some reason, even if so you'd smell it for only a little bit as the plastic would burn off quickly. It's hard to say, you're gonna have to do some poking around in the engine bay and see if there's any wires touching or anything out of the ordinary.


-Jeff

 

Could my smell be the same as this one? https://volkswagenforum.com/m_1150/tm.htm

What is this bag you are talking about? Like a plastic shopping bag or something on the car?

We might have the same issue, does your smell seem to be more noticable while your backing up?

 

It's not unheard of to have bags (shopping bags) melt to the exhaust, usually the cat. They stink...and I mean STINK.
I've had to scrape off a few back in the day working at the dealer lol....sickening smell hahaha...

 

OK I was wondering if that is what you meant, my smell is not that consistant or strong and I know oil and it smells like oil

 

Might want to do some real digging and check for any oil leaks in that case....keep an eye on your oil level as well..