Earlier this week I took my car in for its first scheduled maintenance. I also had the dealership address a few small issues (i.e. temp control **** broken off that morning, barely cranks in 40 degree weather, ect.). I also reported a burning smell in the cabin that had surfaced about a week ago. The dealership called me today and went through the list of items, saying all were covered under warranty and that Mazda had service bulletins out on most issues (which I already knew).

When they came to the burning smell, they said that a plastic bag had gotten stuck on the exhaust and that was the source of the burning smell. They said they had just returned from a test drive and the smell was gone, but there was a small amount of burnt plastic on the exhaust, which they could remove for $40. I declined to have the remaining material removed as I am going to have the MS exhaust installed this spring. Has anyone ever had anything similar to this happen or is the dealer feeding me a line?

 

I've noticed a burn smell when I backup into a parking spot. It's very noticable outside of the car when in a parking deck. I never smell it or at least haven't noticed it if I park normal (forward).

 

The plastic bag on the tailpipe would do that but all of our cars had a bit of a burning smell when we first got them. Do a search on burning smell or burnt oil smell.

 

Is it your wallet?? :D

Just joking Big Green. Actually, them saying it will cost to remove it smells fishy to me! There was a post awhile back about the plastic warping, perhaps from heat or such:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...xhaust+plastic

Other than that, if it was something you ran over I'd say it will burn off.

 

Didn't something similar happen with 7's? I don't know if it was the muffler, but plastic bags and stuff sometimes got stuck someone underneath and melted. So I think it's actually a not unheard of thing to happen.

 

I am headed to pick her up, just in time for the Indy fall outing this Saturday...

 

Another burning smell is the little bit of oil the Renesis is noted for using. I've gotten a whiff many times when there is a breeze from behind while sitting at a traffic light, or when pulling into the garage. It isn't a real heavy smell, just a little whiff.

1.3L

 

Happened to my Miata a few years back... took a while for the stink to disappear.

 

You're riding the clutch when you back up.

 

yep the plastic bag has happened to 3 8 owners that i know of. i could have been the fourth but luckily a gentleman at 7stock saw it and stopped me so he could grab it before that happened! im sure i said thank you at the time but just in case- THANKS PAUL!!

 

I picked up a plastic bag on the freeway when I had my S2000. Stunk for about 2 weeks. Would also add that my new 8 had a burning smell from the first day, but a smell like burning transmission fluid rather than plastic. Sure enough, oil was dripping from the differential onto the exhaust. Dealer said it had never happened before. Turned out to be a seal which they supposedly replaced two days ago. Smell has gone away some, but I'm still looking for drips...
I posted about this a week ago.

 

sometimes I cause a burning smell when I bang my GF too many times in a row :D