electrical smell
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: lincoln ri
electrical smell
Lately, after operating for a few miles, I get an odor of, for lack of a better description, an 'electric' smell. No smoke, and it is proving difficult to pinpoint. I checked the a/c compressor, nothing. I checked the alternator, which is about 3 years old (remanufactured), nothing obvious. I am getting some static and turn signal noise from the speakers for awhile now. Checked all the grounds, they were okay. If I disconnect the alternator, no static. Just wondering if the electrical smell is the alternator's way of telling me it's failing. My first thought was that it was a caliper issue. The smell is similar to the "new pad" smell for the first several miles. 
Last edited by vetteboy88; Oct 5, 2015 at 12:35 PM. Reason: addition
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16,837
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From: Database Error Indiana
+1 Check the end by the starter. I had a problem there a few years ago.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 791
Likes: 1
From: lincoln ri
Lately, after operating for a few miles, I get an odor of, for lack of a better description, an 'electric' smell. No smoke, and it is proving difficult to pinpoint. I checked the a/c compressor, nothing. I checked the alternator, which is about 3 years old (remanufactured), nothing obvious. I am getting some static and turn signal noise from the speakers for awhile now. Checked all the grounds, they were okay. If I disconnect the alternator, no static. Just wondering if the electrical smell is the alternator's way of telling me it's failing. My first thought was that it was a caliper issue. The smell is similar to the "new pad" smell for the first several miles.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 9,933
Likes: 103
From: Peoria Arizona.. Resident Gold Cylon
Has the car been parked for a while and not used? Mice like to get in there and create nests and chew up the wiring and such. I dont think its the alternator as you would see gauge indication if anything is wrong internally with the alternator electronics. Are you using the blower motor for heat or AC when you smell the issue ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,451
Likes: 336
From: Greater Cincinnati Area.
Well, took all suggestions, still had the smell. Because it happened only after operating for a few miles, I revisited the possibility of a caliper hanging up. Found out that the right front was dragging and heating up just enough to send out little 'wisps' of smoke, and isolated that as the source of smell. Now to try to find out why it's hanging. Will be checking/cleaning caliper, and replacing brake hose. The fluid in the reservoir also seems a little dark to me, probably boiling in the caliper!
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Has the car been parked for a while and not used? Mice like to get in there and create nests and chew up the wiring and such. I dont think its the alternator as you would see gauge indication if anything is wrong internally with the alternator electronics. Are you using the blower motor for heat or AC when you smell the issue ?
Mice are vicious
Be careful, wires lit up very very fast.