I picked up a 2015 Lexus RX 350, after watching a lot of Scotty's videos for about a month.
The car seems to run great. I had it inspected, and everything came back fine. Some times, there is a slightly musty smell when the AC is set to draw outside air, but it's not that bad. I will spray some Lysol through the intakes at some point.
What I have noticed is that if I step on the gas, and get up around 80 to 90 mph, a slight "burning" smell builds up in the cabin. There is no indication of trouble in the way of redlining or engine overheating. If I slow down to normal highway speed, the smell goes away quickly.
Any ideas?
I have been using the A/C. It's been gross around here!
I have not changed the cabin air filter, but that is on the menu for my next service!
The burning smell disappeared after changing the cabin air filter.
Why wait until your next service? You can get a nice filter for probably $10 and change it in about two minutes yourself, plenty of youtube videos to help. Or pay a stealership probably $50.
That way at least you could eliminate that as a possible cause of the smell. I can tell when mine needs changing because it get stale smelling, maybe moldy, if I forget to change it.
Check for -
1. Sticking brakes
2. Engine oil leaks
3. Electrical shorts
Is the heater on or off while you notice the smell?
Your heating up something. All of what wingman suggested along with wheel hubs. Could be catalytic converter or something near the exhaust that's smokes when heated like suspension bushings. The fact you smell it in the cars cabin suggests it's under the hood since the AC air intake is just below the windshield wipers. Any thing behind that should not get sucked into the car.
Is there a necessity to drive that fast on a regular basis? Your stopping distance is estimated to be over 400 feet or 29 car lengths. Wear and tear at highway speeds up to 75mph is 1 tenth that of city driving but then the scale reverses at speeds above 80mph. The car can hold up to bursts that high as in passing but a steady 90 is probably pushing the power plant. The smell you talk about is a good indicator that some thing is being taxed at it's limit.
Responsible spokesmen with opposing viewpoints may now chime in.
It does not totally fit the issue, but have you changed your cabin air filter lately?
I remember having a burning smell while driving a company vehicle. Turned out to be the transmission fluid. Why my employer didn't require ATF fluid drain and refill must have been a cost saving measure. In the 30 years I worked for them they never told me to go get that done on any vehicle - only engine oil changes. So many things can cause a burning smell though.
Older cars will typically emit a burning smell when their valve covers start seeping oil out and trickling down onto the hot hot exhaust manifold pipe. A little light degreasing of these areas after repairing the leak will help. A good oil additive stop leak like at 205 reseal or blue devil rear main seal stop leak is a good low cost starting point for this. Also, on the tops of the valve covers, sometimes there are wires that run along the top that are encased in black plastic accordian looking wire wrap called "wire loom conduit". Over time it becomes brittle and flakes apart and falls down onto the top of the engine and sometimes down the sides of the engine onto the hot hot exhaust manifold pipe. And this will emmit stinky burning odors that will seep into the cabin. Check these all out and please never drive over 65 on the highway. Anything over 70mph and you have a tire failure and you can say hello to Jesus for me. Also this runs your rpms too high and causes engine strain and leakage up out of the top of the engine out of the valve covers and other oil consumption activities such as burning the oil away. It is racing the engine and drains the gas. I try to never cruise over 2000rpms at 65 mph, usually I do 58mph at 1600 rpms.
the speed limit on some of our highways is 75. My tires are rated for 112.
Do you think you're that much safer at 65? that's still lethal speed. Just don't hit anything.
2000rpm is nothing for a strong engine.
Yeah, I miss the old horse and buggy days. I just really don't trust any engine as a "strong engine" I have yet to meet that "special someone". Oh yeah back on topic. Check any sources of exhaust-the whole system including any stovepipes coming off the cat/smog pump/ ect... You can have a tiny wire, spark plug wire, ect... coming into contact with hot exhaust components making that burning smell. If you got a sideways v6 or v8 and want to check the exhaust manifold that is close to the firewall, you may have to put the car on a lift and have a mechanic check it.
he already posted the solution. The one with the green checkmark beside it.
I read somewhere years ago that a blowout at 70 runs risk of the car flipping or tumbling. I never had one at 80 or 90 mph and it seems pretty dangerous. I have had them at 60 mph and were controllable.
Older cars will typically emit a burning smell when their valve covers start seeping oil out and trickling down onto the hot hot exhaust manifold pipe. A little light degreasing of these areas after repairing the leak will help. A good oil additive stop leak like at 205 reseal or blue devil rear main seal stop leak is a good low cost starting point for this. Also, on the tops of the valve covers, sometimes there are wires that run along the top that are encased in black plastic accordian looking wire wrap called "wire loom conduit". Over time it becomes brittle and flakes apart and falls down onto the top of the engine and sometimes down the sides of the engine onto the hot hot exhaust manifold pipe. And this will emmit stinky burning odors that will seep into the cabin. Check these all out and please never drive over 65 on the highway. Anything over 70mph and you have a tire failure and you can say hello to Jesus for me. Also this runs your rpms too high and causes engine strain and leakage up out of the top of the engine out of the valve covers and other oil consumption activities such as burning the oil away. It is racing the engine and drains the gas. I try to never cruise over 2000rpms at 65 mph, usually I do 58mph at 1600 rpms.
been eating a lot of burrito's?
{pear}:surprised:
It was the cabin air filter.