Burnt plastic smell

[Badco]

Hey folks. I picked my GT up about a month ago from a stealership. Previous single owner car with about 7200 on the odometer. When I drove it home, I could smell (heavily) a burnt plastic smell. I didn't think too much about it then as I thought I caught some plastic debris on the way home
Fast forward to today, and I still smell it everytime after I have been out driving.
I have checked and double checked but I don't see a freaking thing stuck to any of the exhaust work (which is completely stock, btw).
I see no burn marks, residue or anything of the sort that would indicate something was/is burning.

Any ideas? It's not critical (I hope) but it really is kind of annoying to smell it in the garage everytime I get home.

[shaff]

I just took delivery of mine and noticed something similar...it seems to be strongest at the front part of the engine bay right around where the air box is...I also could find nothing that looks like it would be the cause. It almost smells like an electric heating element that is heating up - weird. Also when car has been running and is then restarted while still warm, there's an initial whiff of the same smell in the first air that comes out of the dash vents.

[Panzer Leader]

You cannot let Cheach and Chong detail your car. Take it to the dealership let them check it out. But be advised the technicians usually are hard of hearing, sinus problems affecting smell and visually impaired as not to see the problems.

[Badco]

You cannot let Cheach and Chong detail your car. Take it to the dealership let them check it out. But be advised the technicians usually are hard of hearing, sinus problems affecting smell and visually impaired as not to see the problems.

Yes, I have heard their condition is rampant throughout the automotive repair world.
They have already tried to dick me over on the thrumming, vibration issue. Gotta go back and have the service dept. manager take a ride with me so I can sit there and show them I can recreate the issue. At the same time, I'll ask them to check out the "smell".

[owensmat]

I get the same kinda smell. Not sure what it is either. I had a local speed shop check it out when I first picked the car up and they found the A/C belt all mangled up. They took it off and I thought that was the cause and would have resolved it, but I still get the smell occasionally, so it wasn't that. Cant find anything else going on? There also seems to be no rhyme or reason to the smell, in terms of patterns when I do and do not smell it. Not sure?

[Panzer Leader]

Toyota parts in the AC?

[mitch_G8GT]

I had this at first way back when I first bought the G8, but it did go away within about 1000 miles. Not sure why it's sticking around for you.

[Night Train]

I get the same smell when I drive in a more spirited fashion.

[shaff]

I had a similar smell upon delivery of mine (14K miles on the car) but it seems to have gone away following a run through the car wash.

[Back in black]

I smelled it twice today. It was very stong . I was going to pull ove and look under the hood but it went away fast. This is not the first time I smelled it. It smells like burning wire. Im waiting for some type of an electrical problem. So far i have 20K without any such problems.

[shaff]

You might check to see if the plastic label tape that is on the wiring bundle below and behind the air box is brushing against the exhaust manifold. I found that mine was touching and melted on the end. May be getting pushed against something hot when there is airflow in the engine compartment...or not...hard to say ;o)

[Badco]

I finally got mine up on stands and got a good look. There was some sort of reisdue (plactic I assume) coating one side of a cat. That is the source of the smells. It was hard to spot till I was able to get underneath and have a real good look. It's near impossible to scrape off too. It's going to have to burn off.

[mackerman22]

My G8 just started smelling like burning plastic when I drive it. It is comeing from the front of the car, but I cannot figure out where. Last night it was so strong I could smell it from five house down. There is never any smoke.