It pains me to admit this, but my '02 RR has developed a burning smell after being driven.

Bit of quick history:

All was well until I fitted my new steering wheel on Sunday. Refitted battery negative lead, switched on ignition, fine. Then a small, loud 'pop' (or bang) and it all went dead. Negative lead fine, but readjusted it and all was well again. It was on tight and I've no idea why the 'pop' (bang), but it happened and it has worried me.

Checked everything and all fine.

Drove to work on Monday with new 'wheel heating slowly, but working OK. Burning smell in interior noticed when parking. Opened bonnet and had a good nose around, especially from battery area. Nothing but hot engine. Assumed it was 'wheel heating elements.

Nothing on Tuesday when using heated 'wheel. All good.

Burning smell appeared again whilst parking this morning. Same smell and seeming to be from the interior. Didn't use 'wheel heated function either. Smelt around bonnet and opened, sniffed etc. Seemed to disappear pretty quickly.

So now I'm worried. Embarrassing though it is, if anyone knows what could be the cause then I'd like to catch it now rather than agonise over a possible failure. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

when you rotate the steering wheel , could it be dust in between the steering wheel and the column.. ... - .- -.




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Dust?

In my RR? Never!!

OK, serious hat on. Fair point. Hope it's that simple.  Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

You need to try and pinpoint exactly where the smell is coming from

I would get the rotary coupler checked out if you changed your wheel and no burning smell ever before... The only other thing that gives a good burning smell is your exhaust cats if something gets on them... Check for oil leaks and check your front drive shaft gaters for any splits as that flicks grease on the cats and really stinks!



Craig

The smell is definitely from the drivers side.

And it's very noticeable from inside when parking, so I assume flow through the vents is masking it.

When parked, I smelt around the bonnet area and, again, more prevalent from the drivers side with the bonnet shut and engine off. Once the bonnet is open, the smell is very hard to find. So, I assume that once the engine / ignition is off, it disappears pretty quickly. Back to the interior (by this time maybe 2 minutes since switching off) and no smell.

I'll have a good look underneath as well this weekend. And the next time this happens, I'll have a good sniff around the interior starting with the 'wheel.

It smells like hot / burning plastic. Something electrical. Not oil or rubber.

Anyway, I'll start to give the whole RR a good check over. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

I wouldn't risk it if it smells electrical! Electrical and burning smells can offen have a catastrophic end so, in my opinion get it looked at now before it catches fire! Yikes...

If you think there is a chance it's something burning on the cat then it's simple, floor it for half a mile and then stop the car. You will then either smell it much worse or even fill the cabin with smoke. We find this offen, customers complaining of small wisps of smoke coming from the air vents...



Craig

Gents,

A few days have passed and I've had another bally good sniff around and noticed the following:

Drove home and had another good sniff when parked in my daughter's nursery carpark (don't think anyone noticed me acting odder than usual). Smell eminating fron drivers side by bonnet. Opened the bonnet and had a long good sniff around. Vaguest burning smell but disappeared pretty quickly. Certainly nothing from inside.

Next day or so pretty much nothing.

Oddly enough, noticed another thread about sticking brake calipers on SC models. Mine's not an SC, but it got me thinking.

Yesterday had all heated things on (it was chilly) and nothing. Not a bean or a sausage or even a burning smell. That was on the way home. Much busier traffic. Never really noticed much of a smell on the way home. Ever.

This morning. Nice and cold. 6am. Roads very light, as always. Drove in my usual restrained style using very light braking and acceleration on my 15 mile journey.

Smell in carpark very noticeable. Had a good sniff around front drivers wheel area, but smell goes quickly. Felt brake discs and they felt hot. Only braking was 60 seconds previously up to a roundabout to scrub off 15mph. And prior to that, again, very light.

On my way home, my braking is more pronounced due to the traffic.

So it's got me thinking about, maybe, a sticking caliper? It would explain why my trip home is generally OK.

Now, as usual, I could be utterly and unspeakably wrong. I'm taking the RR to Northampton this weekend from Berkshire to see some friends.

Maybe a good idea (!) to book her in to a specialist / dealer next week ? Any suggestions in Sandhurst / Woking area? Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

Binding Calliper most likely, had it many times. Smell goes as brakes cool...

other than it being the calliper sticking could it be the fbh..now that does smell from the outside but not inside unless the smell is being drawn in to the cabin area somehow.. ... - .- -.




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FBH?

Is that fuel burning heater? Do I have one? Not mentioned on my build sheet.

But worth looking into. Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.

Don't think you would have as it is the petrol version you have , FBH's were in Diesels ...

Last edited by JOKER on 3rd Feb 2012 9:39am. Edited 1 time in total

, i didnt look at your car profile....dismiss my suggestion mate..  ... - .- -.




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Get the Calipers checked

No problem.

I'm going to give Berkshire Land Rover in Maidenhead a call to sort this. I've never used them before.

Before I do, any other dealer / specialist suggestions in the Berkshire / Hampshire / Surrey border area?

Lookers did my RR's last service, but that's a fair bit of traffic to contend with from where I work in Woking.  Si. <This is my name.

I eat rat poison.

A man ain't truly been insulted until he stands buck naked in front of a woman and she didn't even notice. Or care.