Burning plastic smell
 

Ok, i've searched and searched. Over the last like week or so i've noticed the smell of burning plastic. Havn't been able to pinpoint the source. I searched the forums and noticed most if not all was contributed to a plastic bag. YES! I've had a plastic bag stuck to my muffler but No, its not that one thats smelling. That was a long long time ago. Where else should I look for the smell? I looked under the car and didn't see anything, when the police stopped the traffic on the garden state parkway today to remove some debris, i think i noticed a thin thin thin cloud of whiteish smoke coming from the hood. I pulled over and popped the hood. the smell was fairly strong, giving me a headache, BUT i didn't find the source anywhere.

Any suggestions as to where to look for the burning plastic smell?

How many miles are on your car (new car smell possibly)?

Are you losing power (Failing Cat possibly)?

Are you sure its plastic (possible oil leak or trans fluid burning)?

its an 04 with 37000ish on it. I'm almost 100% sure its burning plastic smell. I added oil last night at a rest stop after getting gas but I know i didn't spill anything.

I ran over a plastic bag one time and it sucked onto the exhaust and just...burned. I still smell it after 4 months.

pretty much yeah.

The reason I ask because when I got the original bag stuck to the exhaust but it stopped smelling awhile ago. Now theres a rather strong odor coming from the front end, thats why I was confused because when I looked I didn't see anything.

It might be just some 'leftover' bag burning still. Mine does that. It will stop smelling for a while, then out of nowhere smell.

Did you replace the cat back exhaust? It could be the bumper shrouds.

The car is completely stock save for the K&N Shortram. The smell was definatly coming from the engine bay. Wasn't able to find the source though when i've looked.

On the monfold down pipe.

Ok so i found the source of the smoke, though not the burning plastic smell, though I didnt' smell it at all today while working. So the burning smell was probably the same source as the smoke.

I did an oil change today before work and noticed the oil filter was loose as all hell. To the point oil was leaking out and my dad was able to remove the oil filter without a problem. So i'm assuming the smoke was from the leaking oil, and the smell may have been too. The oil wasn't leaking too too bad, though I did realise I was adding more oil than normal lately. Hopefully the problem is fixed.

wash the underside of ur car if the oil was leaking when u were driving the air would have thrown it through out the bottom of ur car it happened to me once it was all over my exhaust so everythime my pipes would get hot i woiuld smell the oil and see smoke, just sparay water under ur car and u'll see the oil residue coming off onto the floor

yeah definately b sure to wash everything off or it will smoke for quite sometime depending on how bad it was

OP Im having the same issue now and just threw a CEL so im rather concerned about whats going on reading CEL tomorrow hopefully wont checkout bad news... did you find the reason why the smoke?

^You know that this is a 5 year old thread, right?. And yes he found the source of the smoke. It's been stated three post before yours.

Hey now, at least he searched!!!!!!! Haha

^So he does not search either?

No, I was just poking fun at the forum. Everyone gets on people who dont search, then about thread bumps. He searched, but didnt read? Oh well. To be somewhat constructive at least dafiro03 I would look check the cat and make sure you didnt hit anything to mess with a sensor. Make sure cat is healthy, and look into ignition system componets if they havent been replaced in schecduled maintenance.

I have been searching for days and no results ignition upgraded to BHR coils smell and white fumes coming from opposite side of the coil packs cat is good didn't hit anything the CEL was a misfire. did an oil change today... no more smoke still faint smell

I saw his response, no need to be "smart" tried everything mentioned before I posted

^Just joking man...Did you by any chance spilled oil while changing your oil? This could explain the smell and the smoke...I would uninstall the ignition and make sure everything is clean.

Yeah go over every possible lead then reconnect everything. Has it happened more than once or what? Clear the codes and try again. Maybe a fluke or low octane fuel/bad batch of gas? I had a misfire onmmy car but its never happened again. So idk what it was exactly. But I triple checked it to make myself feel better.