smell of burnt rubber in light easy driving-help
03-11-2016, 02:52 PM
#16
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Northern Chicago Suburbs IL USA
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
me too
I've noticed this too. Mine is an '03 C4S. I've noticed it with both Sumitomo's and Blizzaks. I've had my car around 9k miles. I've wondered about it but haven't checked anything.
03-11-2016, 03:52 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
It's not just your tires; it's everyone's along with all the road film that's deposited on your exhaust. You can collect a sample with a shop towel from the closest areas beneath you car in that area to confirm that. Case closed.
03-11-2016, 11:37 PM
#19
Racer
Normal for my C4S. The engine is back there, right along with the exhaust that catches all the rubber from the wheels. Love it. Now if you smell antifreeze or oil you've got a problem. Enjoy.
03-11-2016, 11:57 PM
#20
Track Day
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: So Cal
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you - burnt rubber smell
I just got back from the Porsche specialist. He looked the car over and could not find any leaks. of any kind. He said the back tires are wore out on the inside and need to be replaced, the alignment is off some and tires were underinflated. The tires are rubbing against the pavement instead of rolling properly.
03-12-2016, 12:41 AM
#21
Burning Brakes
I am looking at buying my first Porsche, a 2003 911. I test drove the car and when I parked it and got out I smelled a burnt rubber odder. I did not peel out or even get on the car hard. I drove the car around town for 30 minutes. I found no leaks under the car.
03-12-2016, 12:42 AM
#22
Burning Brakes
The tires are rubbing against the pavement instead of rolling properly.
The C4S tires wear incredibly fast. Don't know whether other 996 models enjoy the same 'feature'.
03-12-2016, 09:19 AM
#23
1st Gear
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Chicago suburbs
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check tires/alignment. I had something similar. I hit a large pot hole late one night while changing lanes (rear tire drivers side). When I got home I noticed a burnt rubber smell but could not identify the source except it was in rear wheelwell. I went out for a drive a few days later and the smell was back after about 10-15 minutes of drive time. Took car over to the shop and they noticed the sidewall of the tire was damaged. Ended up putting on two new rear tires and had a 4 wheel alignment. Problem solved. Good luck
03-12-2016, 08:40 PM
#24
Race Director
The 996's rear tires do not wear evenly, even with the stock alignment. Those of us who have dialed in additional neg camber don't even bother checking the tread depth on the outside shoulder...
OP, if in fact your alignment was off, hopefully this will correct any issues. While I don't think the 996 smells particularly "rubbery," it does smell when it runs, and it smells more when it runs hard. If you keep the engine and exhaust spotlessly clean, that would help...although the hot engine smell (and the burning brake smell) is really just your car's way of reminding you that you're having an awesome day.
OP, if in fact your alignment was off, hopefully this will correct any issues. While I don't think the 996 smells particularly "rubbery," it does smell when it runs, and it smells more when it runs hard. If you keep the engine and exhaust spotlessly clean, that would help...although the hot engine smell (and the burning brake smell) is really just your car's way of reminding you that you're having an awesome day.
07-21-2016, 09:20 PM
#25
AutoX
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Gaylordsville CT
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This whole thread has greatly relieved my concerns. I just purchased a 2000 996 cabriolet with 35K miles. The rear tires (Pirelli P Zero – correct size per manual) had been replaced a year before and have only 1K miles on them. After an hour of highway driving, when I got out of the car I detected an odor of burning rubber which seemed to be coming from the left rear. That tire also seemed hotter to the touch. Some time later, after a spirited run on back country roads with lots of tight turns, the same smell occurred, but this time from the right rear, which seemed hotter than the left. I checked tire pressures (cold) and all were correct. I also checked the wheels for warp but they ran true. There was absolutely no sign of any chassis or collision damage.
After reading these posts, it appears that during my highway run the road crown was on my left side, while on the back roads I was mostly on the crown, with lots of weight shifts - probably accounting for the shift in smell and heat.
After reading these posts, it appears that during my highway run the road crown was on my left side, while on the back roads I was mostly on the crown, with lots of weight shifts - probably accounting for the shift in smell and heat.
07-21-2016, 09:33 PM
#26
Banned
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Chicagoland Area
Posts: 26,141
Likes: 0
Received 5,404 Likes
on
2,513 Posts
This whole thread has greatly relieved my concerns. I just purchased a 2000 996 cabriolet with 35K miles. The rear tires (Pirelli P Zero – correct size per manual) had been replaced a year before and have only 1K miles on them. After an hour of highway driving, when I got out of the car I detected an odor of burning rubber which seemed to be coming from the left rear. That tire also seemed hotter to the touch. Some time later, after a spirited run on back country roads with lots of tight turns, the same smell occurred, but this time from the right rear, which seemed hotter than the left. I checked tire pressures (cold) and all were correct. I also checked the wheels for warp but they ran true. There was absolutely no sign of any chassis or collision damage. After reading these posts, it appears that during my highway run the road crown was on my left side, while on the back roads I was mostly on the crown, with lots of weight shifts - probably accounting for the shift in smell and heat.
07-21-2016, 10:11 PM
#27
Rennlist Member
This smell scared me too when I first got the car. My brain is wired to get cautious when I smell anything other than exhaust. Once you smell burning rubber I'm like WTF! But you have to look at the car and take all these factors into account. All the weigh on the rear wheels and the exhaust literally inches from the rear wheel with no wheel wells. That combination makes the burnt rubber smell.