Burning smell

[attrapereves]

My white hatch sometimes has a burning smell inside coming out of the vents. It smells like oil or rubber. It usually happens when I turn on the heat after the car has warmed up and occurs randomly. I've thought about turning on the AC to see if it happens then.

It lasts for 30 seconds up to two minutes and then goes away. Sometimes I smell it on the highway, and sometimes only going about 25mph.

I originally thought it could be the clutch, but I doubt I would smell that on the highway without having recently shifted.

My black auto hatch does not have the smell.

Any idea what this could be? Does anyone else get a burning smell sometimes?

 

[dgilboto]

I noticed a smell also after I replaced the floor mats with the rubber winter ones,especially when the heater is blowing on the feet.It is not as strong now,that they have been in for awhile.

 

[davecerv]

My Sonic releases a burning smell but only when I have heat coming out of the windshield vent...ughh but it happens after having it on for about four minutes. The burn smell decreases if I turn it less hot. That vent always throws out weird smells in general at any temp. Recirculate is always on btw.

 

[SuperFudd]

Somewhere in this forum I read that a sealer or lubricant or (?) used in the heater system can smell "burnt" when hot.