DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum car question

It smells like burning rubber inside while I'm idling. Also sometimes I get smoke out of my radiator... I'm pretty sure that is not normal.
I am thinking serpentine belt?? It looks a little britle, just hoping it is not something more costly... she's already 12y/o.
Thanks.

You usually replace a serpentine belt after 90,000 miles or so. I'd think you'd be there if the car is 12 years old.

I took my car to the mechanic folks, and he said that my two front tires needed to be replaced. The belts on them or something were ruined.

This probably happened when I had such trouble getting my car out of my driveway after the soon-after XMas snowstorm that clobbered the Eastern Coast (the one that got the NYC snow removal people in so much trouble)

So yeah, two new tires, 220$, I'm good

Thanks for all your help, and recommending me bringing it to my mechanic. I saved money by not paying for an alignment i didn't need

Sound's like a belt to me and maybe a pulley is not spinning ie the belt is just rubbing on it.

Sounds lide a belt, does it ever make a high pitched screaming noise when you are turning the wheel?

Well, it had 75k when I bought it 8 years ago. I've more than doubled that. Unless the previous owner replaced it, it's never been done.
I don't hear a screaming noise, just the smell sometimes.
Looks like all the wheels are moving. I'm gonna have to take it in before something goes deathly wrong! Just wondering if I could find out what to expect. Thanks so much!
I thought about stealing the minivan from the hubs, then he can deal with my problems! I think he has more issues than me tho. I love being middle class.

Smoke out of the radiator is never normal.

Is it out of the top, side, ir front/back of the radiator? Is it when it is dry outside, or rainy/snowy?

The serpentine belt can cause some squeeling issues, and I suppose that if a piece got hung up in something that it could cause a bit of a burning smell, but that wouldn't be the first place I would look. If you have a burning smell and smoke from the radiator, that's where I would start.

If there isn't a problem with the radiator, but you smell burning rubber while idling, you could have a bad tensioner for the serpentine. It the "wheel" is frozen or partially frozen, it can cause the belt to slide over the tensioner instead of rolling causing a burned rubber smell. Sometimes you can free them up with a careful application of WD-40.

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It smells like burning rubber inside while I'm idling.

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"idling"? Is that what the kids are calling it these days.

We use PB Blaster. Same thing? I'll try that.
The smoke came out of the front of the car where the little grates are. I noticed it once the other day... It was very cold and snowy. I use that red coolant if that makes a difference, and the level is fine. It hasn't needed a top off in 2-3 years since we switched it over.
DC- OMG I dont think burning rubber would be good in that situation either. Lmao!! I missed you so much.

OK, maybe some ice melted onto the hot lines in the radiator core and created some steam.

Yeah. Just be careful with the PB Blaster. You cant to just get the center without spraying it all over the belt too.