Anyone any idea what may be wrong with my rr4.2 sc
If i open a window whilst driving there is a distinct smell, a bit like burning rubber, no smoke or smel if I open the bonnet or put my head under the car, just smells when a window is open.
Please help, worried about it.

Have you checked your exhaust for leaks? That is quite a common reason for smells coming in the window. Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI

I havent but it doesnt sound as if its blowing, also its more of a rubber burnt smell than an exhaust smell.
Unless SC's exhausts snell of burning rubber ?.

Last edited by Glynn on 17th Jan 2014 5:58pm. Edited 1 time in total

After a run feel each of the wheels and make sure that none of them are hot.

We had it on our old TDV8 and it was one of the rear brake callipers sticking. Not exactly a burnt rubber sort of smell but very distinctive when opening a door or window.

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2007 Range Rover Supercharged in Java Black with Ivory Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

Ive felt the wheel centres and they are cold, there is a lot of spoke areas on its wheels so not a lot to touch.
I was worried it might be a trans fault as ive had it rebuilt recently , but the trans is operating perfectly and no warnings for it showing, do you think it could be a trans fault ?.
?

You could do no wrong by warming up the car and taking it to kwikfit for a tyre /brake check, as you think there is a smell, -a second opinion, with car in the air could lead you to a smell etc. perhaps ask if it can go round the block and straight onto the ramp. -their safety check is free, and you might ask if you could go under the car with the guy etc. it could leads you to the source. you are not obliged to have tyres replaced at this point etc. -and the spotty faced kid would jump at the chance of ogling your SC! ask him if any fluid weeps staining exhaust etc.

Automatic gearbox okay ?
Engine´s cooling fluid okay...think about little leaks in the rubber hoses or plastic connectors and cooling fluid burns/smells.... XJC, RRV8, Series1 86 and 107% of real pleasure

I'd go for rear caliper seized - very common on your year of car with TRW calipers. I've had it on both I've owned - both '06 MY cars.
Has your fuel consumption changed much ? - although that's perhaps tricky to spot on an SC !

 Where do you go after one of these . . . ?

if you've had your transmission rebuilt recently then i suspect there's an oil leak causing the smell...take it back to whoever done the job and ask them nicely to stick it on the ramp and have a look underneath..

Drove my SC quite 'briskly' at 3am the other morning whilst taking a sick relative to A&E

Got out and noticed a rubber smell was coming from the tires.

Also notice the same when taking the dogs to a particular woods near us - has a long sweeping bend on a steep climb up a hill with an overtaking lane, always get it after going up there, even on the old Freelander I had before the FF.

Maybe its your tires?

Hi Glynn,

This might or might not assist. Ours had a smouldering/ burning smell. After a long time of inspecting/ trying to diagnose, the following issues were detected (maybe not all the cause of the smell but as a result of the enquiries done to get to the bottom of it. Although I've got to say knowing what I do now, the main smell was coming from the radiator area of the car):

* 2 New Radiators Required (detected due to a smouldering smell & a slight leak making its way out via the engine bay under tray) – The smell emanated from the front end of the car. Smelt like a combination of hot brakes and/ or hot oil on engine components. The slightest of fluid deposits was left on the ground under the front nearside of the engine bay. After close inspection the main dealer confirmed an oil/ leak connected to radiator components resulting in the requirement for a new radiator. When stripping components down to replace the main radiator, they noticed that 'a second radiator' needed replacing as well.

**Oil Leak - Engine - visible via discharge out of under tray holes. Replaced the front offside driveshaft seal.

*** Oil Leak - Front diff - diff was weeping/ had a teardrop type leak. Replaced the full front diff and the pinion seal.

**** Gearbox Sum Pan - Oil leak. Visible/ sump and surrounding areas looked wet. Replaced the gearbox sump and the sump seal which involves draining existing oil, replacing with new oil and putting a new filter in (new oil & filter should help to prolong gearbox life).

The below links were posted by me at the time when I was trying to work out the problem.

Ps... the car still has a sort of hot engine/ almost smouldering smell more noteable when the car is garaged after use. There is nothing at all wrong with the car, it's just a big machine with a big heavy lump of an engine and the components get hot and have an associated smell so your situation might be nothing to worry about.



http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic20141....=undertray

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic18751....p;start=15

Thanks for all the replies.
Today we only did a couple of miles, so no smell as whatever it is didnt have time to heat up enough but on feeling the rear hubs/centres by putting my hand through the wheel webs. I noticed the near side one to be quite warm where as the off side was cold and since the smell is worse by opening the passenger front window is the worst smell it might well be the n/s rear brakes.

I'm definetely thinking it's a rear brake issue, it has Brembo brakes.
Anything to look out for on these or are the pretty standard things ?.

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