ericg

I have a 2005 RX330 with 10k miles. The car is garage kept. After I use the car, I will go back in the garage after a few minutes and I smell what seems like something burning near the vehicle. The smell is slight. I have attempted to determine where the smell is coming from but the best I can do is get it down to the engine compartment. Has anyone had a similiar situation?

rheiy

When my wife took delivery of her 08 rx350, it had 4 miles on the odo. When I drove it home, I could detect a slight burning smell from the engine compartment. However, after putting on a couple hundred miles, the smell is gone. Had no idea as to what it was If your still under warranty, have the dealer check it out.

salimshah

Have it checked out. It can be a simple thing as accumulated dust burning off (just like the smell from the heater, the first time it turns on in winter).

Salim.

AlexusAnja

Only two things, take a look yourself, or bring it to a shop. Smell can be anything, from dust, oil, or even a plastic bag that happened to get caught on the catalytic converter and is burning off. The last example, the plastic bag, I had once and took like forever to get the thing to burn off eventually.

Anyway, good luck and hopefully it's not something major.

Grumpa72

Since your vehicle isn't new, I think you can discard the idea that these things do indeed smell as everything "settles in". Imo, you either have a current draw, due to a short, that will eventually manifest itself as one item in the vehicle not working. Or, you will get a small burn through on the offending wire bundle and a very small, localized, electrical fire.

I would take it too your Lexus dealer and ask them to do an electrical draw check to see if you have an excessive draw, or current, indating a short somewhere. Your vehicle should be under warranty so let Lexus look at it. The other thing I will add is that, in your small enclosed garage, it might be easy to notice a smell. In the large repair bay, that smell may be impossible to notice.

Gary

Lex2000TL

It is possible that the catalytic convertor shield is not in right place, or damaged, or pushed slightly. In that case your car underbody will heat-up emitting odor that is undetectable while driving, but you can smell it in garage. That the easiest way to smell it is with the hood open, so it looks like that the smell comes from engine compartment.
For example, if you ever plowed through deep packed snow, you could damage the shield. One way to detect if this is the case is to leave your car parked and running for sometime. The smell should intensify and perhaps car floor can get hot right above catalytic convertor.

rxpx40

iTrader: (1)

The first thing you must do is determine the type of odor. If the car has had any mechanical work done under the bonnet (Flagrant use of a Bristish term) The odds are high that a mechanic touched something with a greasy hand. You do not mention any work done on the car.
Oil burning has a heavy odor. Not a good description, but hang with me. Electrical components have a very distinct odor (sickly sweet). The catalytic converter will produce hydrogen sulfides (rotten egg odor) if you have been driving in a 'spirited manner' Burning rubber, clutch, flesh, burning plastic, leaves, wood...you will want to identify the odor first. Ask a neighbor to come over and sniff. This will narrow down your search.

Chris

mandyfig

Is it a sulfur smell perhaps? Sulfur smell is part of a TSB. When you say burning smell, like burnt oil?