# Burning Plastic Smell, No Smoke or anything

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mustang, ford\
**Created:** [March 6, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832 "2017-03-06T03:27:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lepi505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@lepi505](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lepi505)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832/1 "2017-03-06T03:27:58Z")

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Hi,  
So just this morning my car has a burning plastic smell. It’s a 2002 Ford Mustang GT. I do have an oil leak but it has never had that burning plastic smell before. There is no smoke, the oil isn’t low, no lights are on, I just have no idea where it could be coming from. I’ll be taking it in this week.  
Thanks in advance for any help !

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**Author:** ![once\_upon\_a\_tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d07c76/32.png) [@once\_upon\_a\_tim](https://community.cartalk.com/u/once_upon_a_tim)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832/2 "2017-03-06T15:07:12Z")

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I mean these might seem obvious, but did you check your serpentine belt for fraying, and the fan on your rad, may have wore and begun rubbing on the shroud. May not be related to the oil leak at all, merely coincidental.

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832/3 "2017-03-06T15:32:02Z")

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Overheating electric wiring can give a burning plastic smell.

Also, I suppose some material in the cabin heater fan’s resistor coils could, too.  
_ **CSA** _

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**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832/4 "2017-03-06T16:32:04Z")

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Soooooo many plastic shopping bags blowing around. . maybe one got sucked up on the exhaust ?

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**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/burning-plastic-smell-no-smoke-or-anything/100832/5 "2017-03-06T16:49:34Z")

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After a drive, feel all your wheels for a hot one. Maybe a brake is starting to seize.