Burning smell in 2010 Corolla

Asked by Linda Feb 10, 2015 at 09:32 AM about the 2010 Toyota Corolla LE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I have a 2010 Corolla SE with 67k miles on it. A couple mornings ago, I tried starting
the car. It took a good 10 minutes to get it started. This has never happened before.
Then I smelled something burning. It smelled like burning rubber or oil. It was not a
pleasant smell and it smelt up the entire garage, despite the garage door being open. I
drove the car around the block, but then got scared of the idea of driving it in rush hour
traffic. The car is not due for another oil change for another 1500 miles and I had the
transmission fluid flushed at 65k miles.
Also, the car, since I purchased it three years ago at 29k miles, has always made this
loud noise when I brake. It started about 1k miles after I drove it. I have brought it in to
Toyota, other mechanics even, that there is nothing wrong with the car. But after the
car not wanting to start and the smell, I'm starting to question if there was something
wrong and nobody wanted to touch it.
Any ideas?

3 Answers
17,575

crumbob answered 9 years ago

are you mechanically in clined the brake pads might be worn and the rotors need to be turned or replaced. and have you looked under the hood to look at the belt

Mark helpful
25,265

Mark answered 9 years ago

You may have got the cables hot that go to the starter. Continually trying to start the vehicle over a short period of time with no breaks in between can overheat the copper conductors. The conductors will get hot causing the insulation to heat up and if they get hot enough, it could potentially break down and melt/burn the insulation on the wire. This could explain the odor. I would recommend having the cables inspected for damage, especially on the ends of the cable where the connections are, as soon as you can. Have them replaced if the insulation, conductors, or connections have been compromised. This could be a potential hazard to the electrical system possibly causing shorting and resulting in larger problems.

2 people found this helpful.
Mark helpful

FordNut answered 9 years ago

Mark is right on. You should not crank it over for more than about 8 to 10 seconds at a time, and while starting do not touch the gas pedal. Wait at least 2 minutes before trying again, and do what Mark suggests.

2 people found this helpful.
Mark helpful

Your Answer:

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