When we accelerate hard our 2016 RX 350 with 61k miles throws off this burn smell into the cabin. The A/C setting is on recirculate. I’ve tried changing brand of gasoline from Exxon to Shell and also octane from high grade to low from both brands. What could be causing this smell when accelerating?? Thanks in advance!
Clarification: Accelerate from a dead stop or accelerate while already in motion (for instance, as if to pass another vehicle)?
When already in motion.
Don't drive with the AC on recirculate until you get somebody to look at the bottom of the car - an exhaust leak can cause CO poisoning, a plastic bag on your exhaust system could start a fire, you could have coolant leaking on something hot, etc.
Check the valve cover gasket. Since you only smell it during hard acceleration, you may have a small leak there.
Would this cause my check engine light to activate?
It depends. What's the code you got?
No codes. No check engine light yet.
Would an exhaust leak activate it?
It can
Possibly an exhaust leak, exhaust manifold??
Would this make the Chevk Engine light turn ON?
imo, Usually it doesn’t.
But I’ve seen it cause check engine lights on VW group cars.
I rented a Fiat Abarth on my trip to Nurburgring - it was producing a bad odor when we revved it up and it was coming from the catalytic converter, check that
