Just bought a used 08 ISF loving it so far just had a smell pop up like burning electrical but everything works fine battery is at normal operating levels and it comes and goes while driving but does not affect driving or anything at all just the smell. just wondering if anyone else ran into something like this been asking around and kept getting alternator or something any help would be appreciated just lmk!

 

I had this happen long ago inside the cabin and it turned out to be a bad/cheap LED light installed in the frontmost dome light. I was smelling the smell in the interior and found it while troubleshooting with the driver's side door open. Congrats on the car!

 

Appreciate it man it's been my dream car for a while clean title 2 owner vehicle is up there in miles above 100k but it just feels unreal once I start the car up every time. Thanks for the response okay so how did you go by diagnosing it? I was just going to start it up let it run for a few and see if the smell shows itself again but I only bought up alternator because I notice it comes through the vents. Planning on doing a full refresh this weekend though. Cabin air filters and all just to check all boxes.

 

Remember to use the HVAC controls to open the cover for the filter - if you use your hands you will break it $$$$

 

Yeah. AMHIK.

 

You got it. My issue was causing a downstream effect across the electrical system, so I was inside the car with the door open doing some troubleshooting. After a solid 20 minutes or so (and despairingly hanging my head at what I thought was ahead of me), I smelled and isolated the problem. The door being open really cooked that bulb and gave me a very lucky break - no pun, and I was also lucky it didn't cook anything else.

Another thing to think of is the smell produced by the CAT if your manifold flanges are broken. You'll notice the latter if you hear an unrhythmic clanking about 20 seconds after a cold start and the former smell itself is more of a rotten egg smell. Certain gas makes it worse I've noticed, mainly Mobil. Doesn't sound like this is your issue though. Sounds like something coming into contact with something hot or an actual electrical issue.

 

I'm hoping it's not nothing to big that it'll fry the ECU or something but want the smell fixed and gone but like I said previously nothing is effected driving wise battery wise headlights not being to bright or anything just a smell but I will do a full diagnosis myself before taking it to the shop if it persist just hoping that the filter change and everything else will help it out some. I smell the cats and know that smell especially during pulls so was also going to look into that also but I at least know that smell electrical I will have to search😂🤦🏾‍♂️pay to play

 

Appreciate the insight!