Hi my car has started to emit an electronic burning odour from the passenger side. Im convinced it’s coming through the heater vents, All signs are that everything is behaving normal and running fine, so what is this smell?
Thanks Chris
Faulty Seat Heater?
Plastic bag caught up on the exhaust system.? Kippers tied onto the rear silencer???
Have you checked for water leaks via the windscreen scuttle panel.
Some leaks in the NC can lead to electrical problems if not spotted early enough.
Just a thought.
Could be that the heater fan motor’s burning out? I think that’s on the passenger side behind the dash & would also explain the smell coming through the vents.
If it is the heater motor - DO NOT USE - FIRE RISK!
Hi, thought something was fishy! Lol
Seriously though, yes I’m sure , it’s coming through the vent via the heating system. Are there any replaceable parts in motor housing that may be at fault?
You might be able to get the motor assembly separately - or there’s a chance that it could be the resistor pack in the heater housing (possibly also available separately) which varies the current according to the fan switch setting, thereby running the motor at different speeds. This resistor pack’s the cause of the publicised “Vauxhall Zafira B recall” where some resistor packs were faulty & set fire to the car (Vauxhall suspected that the faulty items were cheap replacements, not to manufacturer’s spec).
My advice would be to contact a decent garage & let them have a look - any burning smell is bad news, if it is the blower motor or its resistor pack then there’s a risk that it could catch fire & destroy the car - as happened with the Zafiras - &, 30 years ago, a neighbour’s 2 year old VW Polo!
Good advice.
One of the reasons they were burning out on the Meriva etc was that the Pollen Filters were not being replaced at the service (garage short cut) and were clogged solid, so not enough air was passing over the resistor pack to cool it or the labouring fan motor.
I had words with my main dealer because they were not replacing that filter on either my Astra or Vectra and yet were still trying to charge me for it because it was on the service plan. They then changed the service plan to exclude it. So I used to replace it myself - a five minute job done on the forecourt in full sight of the service manager and other customers! The Astra had a non-replaceable thermal fuse on the resistor pack, and after it failed I crimped in a standard industrial electronic component from Farnell and then made sure the filter was changed at each service.
Being cynical and aware of the possibility of cowboy servicing I sometimes put a small paint mark on each of the four old filters (air. pollen, fuel, oil), and then checked the new ones before leaving the premises. I was doing a high mileage with long hours at work and did not have the time to service the cars myself.
Thanks for the advice. Does anyone know what the part number is for the resistor pack and where to find one?
Do you use your car daily or is it like mine which can be parked up for weeks?
Mine can be laid up for weeks or even months at a time and will smell when it’s ‘used’ at full temperature.
It’s the dust that settles on the exhaust manifold burning off.
I have the same smell with my gas fire if it’s not used, it can sit unused for 12 months or more and i have to remember to take the top off and wipe the dust off the heat reflector plate before firing it up.
If yours is a daily driver you won’t have that ptoblem.
Yes its my daily drive to and from work. But! This smell occurred around about the time I got the accelerater stuck under the floor mat a full throttle while I had a mad overtaking moment. The engine was thrashing like a gooden . So I wonder
A mechanic friend has mentioned that mazda cars do have a common fault with the heater blower resistor. He says though, the fan speed will be effected if it’s the resistor. So far my cars fan speed is normal.
Ok hear is the update. The burning smell was the heater blower resistor.
£45 from a breakers or £93 new from mazda. I chose new, and replaced it myself. But boy!! This thing is installed in the heater motor housing right above the motor and at the back of it. Anybody who wants to have a go themselves needs to be aware that access is very limited, so small hands will have a better chance. The bolt size is 8 mm spanner on the left and 8 mm socket GLUED ON on the right!, Lastly smile and emagine what your Mazda bill would be haha java scrip:insertsmiley(’[8-|] ‘,’/forum/Images/Emoticons/msp_rolleyes.gif’)