With the onset of winter and the need to use the interior heating system, there is a strong smell of electrical burning in my Octavia 1U (2004). I turn the heating off and the smell goes.

Prior to this problem, i.e. all summer, was a whining noise coming from the fan. As if its bearings are dry. Oddly enough, when the service man topped up the cooling liquid, the whining stopped for a while.

But now the whine is back, and with it the smell of something burning. Any of you out there who has a pearl of wisdom to share? I am freeeeeeeeeezing without my heater!

Could be well worth checking the blower motor?

The blower motor seems ok. Had it checked out. Any other suggestions, please? I don't like the idea of my car bursting into flames somewhere on a busy highway in the middle of a winter's night!

does it make any difference if you turn on re-circ, or adjust the temp up/down?

A whining noise and burning smell sounds like the blower motor is about to pack in...

Thanks, Mbames and Liverpool lad, for your empathy. The whining noise is intermittent and doesn't appear to depend on any other factors. The acrid smell of burnt rubber/electrical insulation plastic is intermittent too. I wish I knew what it was as I have no peace of mine when toddling along the motorway. Need my heater but don't want t fire!

Edited 10 December, 201213 yr by Pascale

I would as mentioned change the blower motor first...or remove it and inspect it.

Edited 10 December, 201213 yr by Liverpool-Lad

Is it possible that the burning small comes from an overheating drive belt? I could smell burning rubber when opening the bonnet. And the main drive belt feels tacky. The reason why I can smell it when the fan is blowing is because it draws in air from under the bonnet, does it not?

Air is drawn in from at the bottom of the windscreen, as that is where the pollen filter is, so you might get a bit of an engine bay whiff. Was it the the drive belt (normally under a cover) or the aux belt you felt?

Sounds as if you are diagnosing your own fault...and giving us little snippits on your way!

Edited 16 December, 201213 yr by Liverpool-Lad

I keep getting this, but with no noise. Personally I thought it might be dust in the pollen filter getting burnt.

Check it's not stuffed with leaves that have made it through a degraded pollen filter.

Blower motor would be my first thought.

How much is a new blower out of interest?

Thanks guys, for helping me generate a lot of dust (hehehe, pun intended). I finally got to the bottom of it! So here is some news for those who don't normally think outside the square box....

The problem was related to the main drive belt, yes. It was overheating. How? Put your thinking caps on fellas! ......

Ready for it? The cause of the problem was a seized alternator bearing!

Seized/stiff alternator bearing causing friction of the main drive belt, which overheats, sending up acrid smoke which gets sucked into the heating system when the fan is turned on. There you have it - classic case of a problem that needs thinking outside the square box.

Anyway, thanks heaps for your suggestions.