16.5 CX-5 GT AWD - Burning smell when driving uphill, with A/C on, etc...

joh

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Mazda CX-5 Granda Touring
The burning smell comes from the front of the car. I notice it after stopping, usually only after it's been driven under load (up a mountain, with A/C on, and/or after lots of heavy acceleration on the freeway).

I got the rear differential fluid and front transfer case fluid changed at a local oil change shop about a month ago (I provided the Mazda Hypoid gear oil, which I got from the dealer). Apparently the smell has been present sporadically since this service (my wife, who drives this car daily, just informed me of this!).

I suspect the smell may be coming from the front transfer case fluid. Would this make sense? Gonna try to make it back to the shop that performed this work but thought I'd ask here in the meantime.

Thanks!
 
When I drove mine out of the dealership, there was 0.4 km on the meter. After a few minutes of driving, I noticed a strong smell of heated plastic/rubber. I said to myself: well the car never drove; so it must be the brakes or some coating that never heated. But even after a couple of days, I could smell it when stopped at a red light. I called the dealer and he BS'd me it's the product they use to shine the wheels. I'm not that dumb to believe that. So I returned to the dealership and they did a complete inspection but couldn't find anything wrong. The smell was coming from the front left of the car. I would say, around the radiator. No need to lift the hood as it was strong. It lasted for a couple of weeks. And gradually, after about a 500 km, the smell faded but I can still smell it a bit (when I put my nose down there) after a long drive or when soliciting the engine.
 
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yeah, same thing with me.......... went back to dealer because of the smell, it was very strong
oily smell once the cx5 heated up..... posted here on forum and everyone said , they all smell like
that when new...... mazda sprays a protectorate on the engine when they ship them over ocean.....

took about 3 weeks or so to burn off..........,
 
OK, the spray on the engine makes sense. It's strange that my dealership didn't know about that. The sales manager told me he had several reports of stinky engines on new cars but had no idea what it was.
 
The burning smell comes from the front of the car. I notice it after stopping, usually only after it's been driven under load (up a mountain, with A/C on, and/or after lots of heavy acceleration on the freeway).

I got the rear differential fluid and front transfer case fluid changed at a local oil change shop about a month ago (I provided the Mazda Hypoid gear oil, which I got from the dealer). Apparently the smell has been present sporadically since this service (my wife, who drives this car daily, just informed me of this!).

I suspect the smell may be coming from the front transfer case fluid. Would this make sense? Gonna try to make it back to the shop that performed this work but thought I'd ask here in the meantime.

Thanks!

Based on the timing, it seems like the mechanic goofed something up. Hopefully your car isn't damaged.
 
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