Our Scout, with 1500kms on the clock, has on 3 occasions now had a strong burning smell at the end of relatively short journeys. Tonight, from cold, in an ambient temperature of 14C, the car was driven gently across town for about 6kms. Half-way home, we stopped for about 2-3 minutes to say goodbye to a passenger, leaving the car running and we then completed the journey home in about a further 5 minutes, total travel no more than 10-12 minutes. When we pulled into our garage and got out of the car there was a very strong burning smell. The car temperature gauge was registering normally. We switched the engine off and lifted the bonnet. Both the cooling fans continued to run for several minutes, even though the engine was switched off and the car had been driven very gently, and it was not a warm evening. There was no obvious smoke or source of the burning.smell.

With 3 similar experiences in the past few weeks, the car is definitely going to the dealers for investigation, but I wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar or has any thoughts on the possible cause, to help with fault diagnosis?

Our Scout, with 1500kms on the clock, has on 3 occasions now had a strong burning smell at the end of relatively short journeys. Tonight, from cold, in an ambient temperature of 14C, the car was driven gently across town for about 6kms. Half-way home, we stopped for about 2-3 minutes to say goodbye to a passenger, leaving the car running and we then completed the journey home in about a further 5 minutes, total travel no more than 10-12 minutes. When we pulled into our garage and got out of the car there was a very strong burning smell. The car temperature gauge was registering normally. We switched the engine off and lifted the bonnet. Both the cooling fans continued to run for several minutes, even though the engine was switched off and the car had been driven very gently, and it was not a warm evening. There was no obvious smoke or source of the burning.smell.

With 3 similar experiences in the past few weeks, the car is definitely going to the dealers for investigation, but I wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar or has any thoughts on the possible cause, to help with fault diagnosis?

Could it be the DPF running it's cycle? I've had this on my vRS as well...

Could it be the DPF running it's cycle? I've had this on my vRS as well...

That's a really good thought. Is that how the DPF cycling would exhibit itself though? Via a strong burning smell? The car has done lots of relatively short journeys so far, so I wouldn't be surprised if the DPF was cycling.

That's a really good thought. Is that how the DPF cycling would exhibit itself though? Via a strong burning smell? The car has done lots of relatively short journeys so far, so I wouldn't be surprised if the DPF was cycling.

Yep-will be DPF.

That's a really good thought. Is that how the DPF cycling would exhibit itself though? Via a strong burning smell? The car has done lots of relatively short journeys so far, so I wouldn't be surprised if the DPF was cycling.

Normally you will have an elevated idle speed with the engine fans running as well. If you switch off before it finishes, then the fans will keep running.

Basically additional fuel is being injected to increase the exhaust gas temperature to burn off the soot in the DPF, hence the fans, and maybe the burning smell (probably as yours is low mileage and will be burning off paint on the exhaust and the like).

I had this occur on my CR170 while sitting in traffic, quite alarming until it dawned on me it was the DPF regen cycle. It was also accompanied by a cloud of crap as I booted off a set of lights to beat a lorry

I would imagine the burning smell will diminish when the mileage builds up.

Indeed normal

The only bad thing is when other drivers start looking at you funny

Just wave

That's a really good thought. Is that how the DPF cycling would exhibit itself though? Via a strong burning smell? The car has done lots of relatively short journeys so far, so I wouldn't be surprised if the DPF was cycling.

I'm up to 3200 kays now Simon and I've noticed it twice on mine. Smells like burning wool but the fans didn't stay on when I turn the car off.

Last one was after 70 km drive coming back from mountain biking mostly in 6th gear. So the car wasn't over the 2000 rpm threshold it's supposed to need to regen, so stuffed if I know whether it actually would complete or not?

I hate to lob a grenade into the thread but I've recently started to get an intermittent burning smell as described by the OP on my 1 year old Octavia ............but it does not have a DPF !!!!!!!

I'm just ignoring it as it seems to go away after a while. It only started to happen after I recently put the climatic into recirc mode for the very first time due to the very cold weather.

Edited 16 December, 201015 yr by Minimoke

It does not have a DPF !!!!!!!

You might want to invest in one of these then