2020 Prime XLE / burning rubber smell

I noticed a burring rubber smell when i got my 2017 prime. I just dismissed it. Figured if something wasn't right, it would get caught in my 2 years of maintenance. If i saw smoke or it caught fire, I'd call the NHSB, a lawyer, then Toyota corporate in that order.

 

There is a new car burn-off that comes from the exhaust system initially. Engaging Charge-Mode so early, prior to completing break-in of the vehicle, would exacerbate that situation. You're best off just waiting to see if it continues, especially at times of high demand like forced charging.

 

Maybe park outside until you're sure.

 

The only time I noticed burning rubber smell is when I light up the tires at a stop light.

But the times I've used charge mode, nothing I've noticed on our 2019 with 17k miles now.

So probably new car break in stuff.

 

I wonder if its not really a burning rubber smell, but rather a burning Oil smell. One in which you smell when the Oil pan is now running dry because the Oil has been pulled up into the Engine... Therefore the Oil is burning off the hot Oil pan.

Just a thought, since that is what i'm experiencing when my ICE kicks on right now (brand new 2020).

 

I've noticed some burning rubber type smells over the first 1000 miles of use on my 2020 prius prime while using the heater and the engine (I only really used the engine for heat for the first 1000 miles, as most my local driving was EV only). I didn't get it checked out and just figured it was just the engine breaking in during the winter. at 4000 miles, I still occasionally smell a slight burning rubber smell, particularly at very high speeds on the highway, but I'm not entirely sure that they aren't outside smells.

 

I hope it's not running dry. That would be a shame, especially on a brand new car.

There's all sorts of stuff that needs to bake off some fumes on a new car. Especially in the exhaust system.

 

I should clarify... not really "running Dry" its like when you make a climb up a hill and the Oill pools in the back of the oil pan. The pan itself is hot and therefore some oil burns off.

I do now wonder if there is more to this burning off smell... Break in period....

 

I have a new (under 1k miles) 2022 Prime Limited. I'm experiencing the same the same thing and came here glad to see similar reports. That tells me it's likely incidental and not a cause of concern.

 

During the first 2,000 km of our 2022 PP, we had a burning oil smell when working the ICE hard. I attributed it to oil on the exhaust system. Now that we have over 3,000 km and working the ICE-even harder now that it is winter, there is no smell.


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Welcome Tahsin; with your low mileage; it's more than likely the new rubber and plastic off-gassing/burn-off. If your still smelling it after 5k mile and you didn't just run over a skunk - I'd be concerned. You've got a 36 month bumper to bumper warranty and a 10 year 150K EV drive-train warranty - so if your cooking a bad wiring harness - it's covered.

 

Well stated!


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For you folks breaking in your vehicles, it's a common practice to change out the engine oil after around 1,000 miles to get rid of anything leftover from the manufacturing process. (I changed mine at 1,500)

 

I do not believe the ICE in my PP even ran for its first 1,500 miles. So an oil charge at 5,000 makes more sense for my situation.




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