Burning Smell from Driver Side Wheel Well

[The Insomnimaniac]

Hey yall, I need your mechanically inclined thoughts. I noticed this morning a burning smell coming from my front driver side wheel well, after a 35 minute drive. At first I smelled it when I rolled down the window to badge into the parking garage, and I thought either me or somebody else is burning oil bad. But I kept smelling after driving away from that area. I got out and sniffed around my car and isolated it to the driver side front wheel well. I popped the hood and quickly sniffed around, but I didn’t smell it under the hood at all. Didn’t check my oil dipstick because I had to clock in for work. Any ideas what this could be?

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[v guy]

Sticking Caliper, is at the top of possible problems.

 

[ORRadtech]

Depends on what the burning smell smells like.
Oil, rubber, brakes, plastic, coolant, paper, etc all smell different and should point you where to look.

 

[The Insomnimaniac]

Depends on what the burning smell smells like.
Oil, rubber, brakes, plastic, coolant, paper, etc all smell different and should point you where to look.

To my untrained nose, it smelled like oil. But, it doesn’t really make sense for the smell to be oil if it’s only coming from a wheel well, right?

 

[thompsje]

Agreed that it could be a hung brake caliper. If it happens again, feel the wheels or caliper on each side to see if one is unreasonably hot. Obviously, use a little caution and don't burn yourself.

If it's not a caliper but on the driver's side, make sure the dipstick is fully seated. Didn't have that problem on my Mustang, but have had a loose dipstick cause weird smells.

 

[The Insomnimaniac]

Agreed that it could be a hung brake caliper. If it happens again, feel the wheels or caliper on each side to see if one is unreasonably hot. Obviously, use a little caution and don't burn yourself.

If it's not a caliper but on the driver's side, make sure the dipstick is fully seated. Didn't have that problem on my Mustang, but have had a loose dipstick cause weird smells.

I wouldn’t put it past myself to have not clicked the dipstick in to place when I hurriedly checked the oil a few days ago, so I’ll definitely check that before I leave work.

 

[CrazyHippie]

Sticking Caliper, is at the top of possible problems.

This is the most likely culprit. Overheated brakes have a distinct and unforgettable burning smell.

 

[The Insomnimaniac]

This is the most likely culprit. Overheated brakes have a distinct and unforgettable burning smell.

Yea I’m leaning heavily towards that being the issue. I didn’t notice the smell on the drive home. Checked the dipstick and the oil looked and smelled normal at the appropriate level. Does only the caliper have to be replaced or is there more (or less) involved?

 

[CrazyHippie]

Yea I’m leaning heavily towards that being the issue. I didn’t notice the smell on the drive home. Checked the dipstick and the oil looked and smelled normal at the appropriate level. Does only the caliper have to be replaced or is there more (or less) involved?

A frozen caliper often causes abnormal wear on the pads and rotor, and it's best to do both sides at the same time. I'd be prepared for a full front brake job, but hope for less. Hopefully your mechanic will give you good advice, if the problem is actually brakes. It's also possible to heat up the brakes to the point of smelling hot without any real damage if you were pushing the car, but it would take quite a bit of hard driving. I'd get it into the shop for evaluation, especially if you feel vibration/ hear noise when you use the brakes or notice any grooves worn into the rotors. YMMV, of course - maybe you noticed the problem early enough to avoid a huge repair bill.

 

[JCF204]

I just had to replace my driver side valve cover, could be that as well. Leaking gasket onto the exhaust

 

[CrackedHorn]

Happened to me a couple years ago. The valve cover gasket was leaking very slowly and dripping some drops of oil onto the exhaust manifold .

I replaced the valve cover and gasket.

 

[ORRadtech]

A sticky or frozen caliper would likely cause the car to pull to one side. Maybe just slightly, but still it should be noticeable if you pay attention.

Also, has the smell repeated itself? Or was it a one off thing?
I wouldn't be too concerned unless it starts repeating itself.

 

[RUBY2K16GT]

I had this same thing happening. I was also having ac problems at the time and thought it was due to that. I got the ac evaporator replaced and the smell continued. It would mostly happen as I pulled into my driveway and the car would be jolted as I hit the lip of the driveway. Sometimes when I pulled into the garage the whole garage would smell like burning oil.

One day I pulled into the driveway and as I hit a big puff of white smoke blew out from underneath. I took it in and it was determined to be the valve cover gaskets leaking down the side of the engine. Not sure where the oil was pooling at but the bump when pulling into the driveway was enough to splash the oil onto the exhaust where it would burn off.

I got lucky the day I brought the car in and the hvac system had sucked the oil smell in and filled the interior of the car so the technician was able to smell it. I asked if this was a common issue and they said no, that they usually see it on low mileage cars which aren't being driven long enough to get the oil circulated everywhere. Makes sense as my daily commute to work is a whole 3 miles.

 

[SheepDog]

To my untrained nose, it smelled like oil. But, it doesn’t really make sense for the smell to be oil if it’s only coming from a wheel well, right?

Could be the valve cover leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold

 

[KingKona]

If you have a sticking brake caliper, the car won't roll forward or backwards on a small incline or decline. It's really obvious.

Either the OP was riding the brake pedal, or the valve cover is leaking.

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