One Time "burning" Smell Around Battery... ? Help!

[90LS400Lexus]

Hi guys. Well, if its not one problem, then its another. After work tonight I had to run some errands - I drove out to the mall, over to a supermarket and started back home. About 1/4 way back, my mom called me and asked if I would stop at a pharmacy and get her some medicine. I had passed one up about .5 of a mile when she called, so I made a turn and went back. I pulled in and got out and went by the front of the car (gen 1 LS400) and I got a whiff of something that smelled like "hot electrical components" (not wires), but it was as strange smell and hard to describe, kinda like "raw burning" kerosene or diesel. I thought it was the car next to mine, but I went back to kill the curiosity and it was coming from under MY hood! I raised it up and tracked the smell down to the battery area. If I smelled between the battery and where the washer fluid goes it, it was the strongest there. It was pretty strong too, but there was no smoke. I went on in to get the medicine and came back out. I called my dad and told him what the car was doing and that I did not trust it coming home. He came (9 miles) and looked at it, but by then, the smell had went away. I drove it on home and never smelled it again (I stopped a couple of times on the way to check it). I got home and smelled it again right when I raised the hood, but it went away. Its windy and it hard to track the smell down. I noticed there was some oil on the driverside valve cover gasket that was smoking, but it had a different smell from the smell around the battery. I took off the underhood fuse box cover, thinking the smell may be from there, but its not and all fuses are fine. I do not think a hot/boiling battery would smell like this. I know there are alot of wires in that area, so do not know what to think now. Everything looks OK though. I do have that leaking power steering fluid leaking possibly into the alternator issue, but the smell was not coming from the alternator area, but may be a problem stemming from that, or? I am clueless and discouraged.

I am hesitant to drive the car now, because I do not know what caused that, or if it will do it again. I am even thinking of maybe disconnecting the battery tonight incase something is shorting out, it will not catch our garage/othe cars on fire. <_< I have been back for about 90 minutes and went out and sniffed and its gone.

I never imagined I would have an electrical problem such as this on a "Toyota" vehicle, because of all of the cars I have owned, Toyotas (and Hondas and believe it or not, Mercedes) have had the best electrical systems.

Thanks for any advice.

[eatingupblacktop]

Sounds like it could be a relay with a hot spot on one of the connectors. Open up the j/b and inspect the relays for any signs of fusing or shorting and smell them. Another possiblity is the wiring in that area might have worn insulation and shorting at the exposed portion. Take the batt out and check the wiring.

[eatingupblacktop]

BTW, just curious, but what's with the microtype?

[90LS400Lexus]

Sounds like it could be a relay with a hot spot on one of the connectors. Open up the j/b and inspect the relays for any signs of fusing or shorting and smell them. Another possiblity is the wiring in that area might have worn insulation and shorting at the exposed portion. Take the batt out and check the wiring.

Thanks. Well, I took that fuse box cover off and the smell was definitely not coming from in there. I smelled close to it and in the cover as soon as I took it off. The smell seemed to be coming from further down. I also inspected the wiring and I did not see anything out of the ordinary. All wiring still has the original protective coverings on them. I did not see anything exposed.

BTW, just curious, but what's with the microtype?

Oh, thats arial narrow fonts size 2. My eyes are giving me a fit tonight and I did that so I could go back to see what I had typed better. The "default" fonts are so small on here, you need a microscope to see them. ;) I hate the standard fonts on here. I guess I am also nervous about this whole thing.

I ought to just drive it and whatever happens will happen. I am about at my wits end with this car. I have about decided I am going to give my mom my Mercedes instead of this Lexus - sell the Lexus and just buy me another car.

This is probably one of those nearly impossible issues to track down and one of those "its only ever going to happen to me" issue. :(

Thanks for the reply/advice.

[eatingupblacktop]

If p/s fluid is leaking onto the alt, check the output. Could be be it's overcharging the batt - check volt while car is running. Any chance it smelled like burning rubber? A siezing pulley might be glazing your s belt. Mix that with oil from the valve cover and a possible draft blowing it towards the batt and you have some investigating to do.

[CUMan]

Do you have a coolant leak around the coolant level sensor in the coolant reservoir? This is a very common problem with early LS models. It is also very close to the battery.

[90LS400Lexus]

If p/s fluid is leaking onto the alt, check the output. Could be be it's overcharging the batt - check volt while car is running. Any chance it smelled like burning rubber? A siezing pulley might be glazing your s belt. Mix that with oil from the valve cover and a possible draft blowing it towards the batt and you have some investigating to do.

Thanks. Well my dad also said it could be the battery, but I have never smelled that odor before. Its hard to describe. It didnt smell like wires, but more like very, very hot metal or something. The battery is a couple of years old. I was also thinking it could be the belt, but I smelled all around the alternator, water pump/fan area, no smell and felt of the belt and it was cool. It seems to clearly be coming from the left front corner of the engine bay, between the battery and fender. If its electrical, I cannot figure out why it did not blow a fuse. It may have, which is why the smell went away, but everything is still working as far as I can tell and all underhood fuses looked fine.

Like you said, I guess when it stops raining and warms up outside I will have to look into it, or get that Toyota mechanic I know to check it. I was just not expecting to have to add this into the many things I already need to do. <_< What I really should do is to get him to fix the PS pump leak, then check out the alternator and see if thats the problem. My "brake" light is still occasionally illuminating (someone said that signaled a failing alternator). It has been off for three days, but it came back on today, dimly though like itd been. I never did go out and disconnect the battery. I guess its OK. Knowing my luck when I hooked it back up the airbag would deploy or something. I may just drive it on Sunday (my day off) and see what happens. I just do not want to risk driving it to work and it stop running on me. It only leaks PS fluid when its cool/cold out and its been warm, but it turned cold a couple of days ago and its leaked like crazy. Then I spilled some when I was trying to put some in the reservior in the dark. . Still no other warning lights (battery, etc) have came on though.

Do you have a coolant leak around the coolant level sensor in the coolant reservoir? This is a very common problem with early LS models. It is also very close to the battery.

No, no coolant leak around that level sensor. Its all dry and clean. Thanks.

[eatingupblacktop]

It may have, which is why the smell went away, but everything is still working as far as I can tell and all underhood fuses looked fine.

Have you actually pulled any relays to examine the connectors or smelled them?

[TA in KC]

Tony,

Does your car leak any oil from the valve cover area?

[90LS400Lexus]

It may have, which is why the smell went away, but everything is still working as far as I can tell and all underhood fuses looked fine.

Have you actually pulled any relays to examine the connectors or smelled them?

Nope, not yet. I worked from 8am-7pm today and when I got home it was thunderstorming and its still storming out, so I guess it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Tony,

Does your car leak any oil from the valve cover area?

Yep- sure does, from both sides. :( I did not realize it was leaking from the driverside until I got home and started inspecting with a flashlight. I noticed a couple of splotches on the manifold shield and it was smoking. I placed my face over that area, but it was a different smell from what I smelled when I was at the pharmacy parking lot that alarmed me.

[eatingupblacktop]

It may have, which is why the smell went away, but everything is still working as far as I can tell and all underhood fuses looked fine.

Have you actually pulled any relays to examine the connectors or smelled them?

Nope, not yet. I worked from 8am-7pm today and when I got home it was thunderstorming and its still storming out, so I guess it will have to wait until tomorrow.

Tony,

Does your car leak any oil from the valve cover area?

Yep- sure does, from both sides. :( I did not realize it was leaking from the driverside until I got home and started inspecting with a flashlight. I noticed a couple of splotches on the manifold shield and it was smoking. I placed my face over that area, but it was a different smell from what I smelled when I was at the pharmacy parking lot that alarmed me.

I think you're going to have to roll up your sleeves and get a few things done before they do you. ;)

[90LS400Lexus]

I think you're going to have to roll up your sleeves and get a few things done before they do you. ;)

I know it. I know it. I will probably leave it up to the Toyota mechanic I know. Motor/transmission mounts were the first on my list, but I am going to have to change my priority to the power steering pump / alternator first. ;)

Well, to update, I drove the car 63 miles today, with no issues or smells like I smelled the other evening. Just the oil smell from the valve covers. I have about came to the conclusion that what I smelled the other evening was where a "blob" of dried/gelled oil came off of the valve cover and got on the manifold, which was giving it more of a strange odor, reminiscent of kerosene/diesel smell. Reason why is when I got home, there was a blob of something on the valve cover that looked like oil that was smoking.

I am thinking whatever it was that was causing that smell was not electrical. <_<

[90LS400Lexus]

Well, as my luck would have it, the smell came back today, but only ONCE. I dont think its where the valve cover is leaking. Its so strange. I normally eat lunch at a restaurant in a local plaza where I work, but today I wanted Quiznos Subs, so I went on there. Its about 4 miles from where I work. I pulled in and got out and there that smell was again coming from under the hood. I went on in and got my food. Started driving back to work, but stopped about 1/2 way back and raised the hood - smell was gone. Got onto work, again, no smell. I got off work, ran some errands, drove the car 22 miles, pulled in at home - not even a trace of that smell. I just wish I knew what it was.

Its definitely not coming from the fuse box under the hood, but from around the battery area. If I smell between where you pour in the washer fluid and battery- its the strongest. It does not smell like burning wiring, but like extremely hot metal. I know there is an array of wiring in that area, but it all looks to be all original and never tampered with. I cannot imagine that any of that is shorting out. ????

I guess I will just drive it until whatever it is completely goes bezerk.

[AzHotLS]

In your OP you said

I do not think a hot/boiling battery would smell like this.

But didn't say if the battery was hot or not. I ask because I did a google search for "burning smell under car hood" and found this:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21282258-...attery-terminal

You never know.

[90LS400Lexus]

In your OP you said

I do not think a hot/boiling battery would smell like this.

But didn't say if the battery was hot or not. I ask because I did a google search for "burning smell under car hood" and found this:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21282258-...attery-terminal

You never know.

Thanks! Next time I smell it, I will check the battery terminals.

[glenmore]

Always work carefully around your battery. When they warn about potentially explosive gases in batteries, they mean it! The PO of my car never checked his battery because he faithfully had the car serviced at Lexus and just assumed that they did it. Dealers may say they check all fluids but they rarely do. The PO had trouble starting the car and took it to the dealer. They tried starting it and BOOM! The battery caps blew off and what little water/acid left in the battery came flying out. The hood pad shows all the gory acid scars. Thank goodness no one was standing anywhere near the battery.

glenmore

1990 LS400

1991 300CE

2000 C280

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks. Well, I am again thinking its oil from the leaking valve cover. I need to fix that. I drove the car 60 miles today and no smell. I came home and raised the hood and it was basically a oil on hot exhaust smell, but I was occasionally getting a whiff of that same smell from the manifold area. I guess more of that old oil goop dropped on there and burned off, giving it a more terrible smell than fresh oil.

So lets see.... need to:

repair or replace power steering pump (leaks like crazy now)

alternator (brake light staying on, was told it was probably 1st sign of failing alternator)

valve cover gaskets

engine mounts (found someone to do the labor for $150, but parts are like $250 with the tranny mount)

transmission mount

coolant level sensor ($82)

front shocks/struts/alignment (possibly needs)

Anyone have $2500 I can borrow so I do not have to raid my bank account? LOL

[90LS400Lexus]

I swear.... I think this car has something against me. I have drove the car like 350 miles since I got it fixed. On the drive home from work today, I had to make a stop at a market. I got out and got a whiff of that "diesel burning" smell again from under the hood, coming from the left front part of the engine bay around the battery. I just shrugged it off in aggrivation and went on and had to drive about 23 more miles. When I got home, the smell was gone, just like before. Its happened four different times within a 3 month period and seems to occur when I leave work and have to make a stop at a store or something when heading home. Its usually after the car has been driven for about 5 to 10 minutes then shut it off. I know my PS is leaking again and my "brake" light is on, which is probably indicating alternator failure and wondering if its causing something to overheat around the battery. I removed the cover from the underhood fuse box and its not coming from there. Its smelled the strongest on the side of the battery next to the fender.... its especially strong if I place my nose between where you put in the washer fluid and fender. I am a little hesitant though about getting to near the battery. I know there is a host of electrical wires down there below the battery on the fender area, but its never been tampered with and I cannot imagine anything there shorting out, but on these cars, who knows... maybe something in that area is like the trunk hinge wires and something is binding?

I have no clue... I guess I will continue driving it and wait for it to burn or stall. <_< As mentioned though, it dont smell like wires, it smells very much like diesel fuel when it omits the odor.

You can also see, I have not reported having this issue since January... like two months, now its back again, unless its been doing it and I have not noticed.

[90LS400Lexus]

Drove the car 47 miles today - no smell. I had to make 4 stops and not one time did it smell. Not that I am complaining, but I would like to know what it is. So strange this smell from that area is so random and obviously a problem that no one else has ever experienced.

[90LS400Lexus]

Another update -

My GOSH! I think my car could have lit on fire today! I ran some errands on my lunch hour, went up to the bank and stopped on the way back at a carryout sub shop (very near work) and while pulling in, I smelled that smell again! I stopped the car and got out and smoke was billowing out from under the hood between the crack between the fender/hood! I raised the hood, expecting to see flames this time, but they werent and the smoke was all gone, but I could still track the smell down to the battery area. I quickly removed the fuse box cover and smelled in there and the smell was NOT coming from there. Its like its coming from below the battery area. I drove the car on back to work and worked for about 2 more hours. I went ahead and drove the car home with NO issues or smells.

This has me completely puzzled. All I know to do it keep driving it and when it does it again let it do it until it starts burning so I will know what it is.

Its so random.. it may not do it for another two weeks. It also seems to only do it on like a "2nd trip" out and after a few miles of driving and stopping. As you can see, I have not reported this problem since March 12. I have drove the car about 500 miles since then- no problems until today.

My dad seems to think it was coming from the alternator (where PS is leaking into it), but I told him the smell it not from that area, but he says the fan may be blowing it over there, but I dont think the smell/smoke is coming from that side of the engine. Also, again, it dont smell like electrical wires burning, but rather like "burned" diesel fuel fuel/fumes... unless its different kind of wires burning, but I cant imagine what it could be.

Perhaps the alterator is shorting something out and overheating it? I dont think its terribly bad yet, as my battery light is not even coming on. OR perhaps the wires in the trunk around the hinge are causing something screwy again and overheating something electrical under the hood? I think if it was something electrical and at the point of smoking that some damage may have occured and it would have burned more after I restarted it, but it didnt. Its like a relay is kicking off and on and overheating something... I am clueless and no one seems to have any ideas.

I am so agitated now and this car is really depressing me. Seems like its always needing repairs. Sad, sad, sad, especially considering this is a fairly low mileage LS400 and a well maintained and non-abused one at that. I will never buy another one. I would be to afraid to. I wish I had never even seen this car.

Thanks for any advice as to what this may be or how to check it. I may have to end up taking it to the dealer. <_<

I read a complaint where someone with an early LS400 had a fire under the hood. The car was just setting in the driveway and it lit on fire under the hood.

[AzHotLS]

There are some relays and other electronics under the battery. If the source is truly under the battery, I'd suggest you remove the battery and battery carrier to see what's going on under there.

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1991_LEXU...GKA_8401.2.html

[90LS400Lexus]

There are some relays and other electronics under the battery. If the source is truly under the battery, I'd suggest you remove the battery and battery carrier to see what's going on under there.

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1991_LEXU...GKA_8401.2.html

Thanks AZ. I did not know that there were relays UNDER the battery. Definitely worth looking into, as it seems the smell is coming from inside that area. I can smell it the strongest if I sniff around the area between the battery and where you put in the washer fluid.

Seems like if it was electrical and it was getting hot enough to smoke, that a fuse or relay would blow or something. Strange though, it dont smell like wires burning, so it may be a relay or something.

[AzHotLS]

I did not know that there were relays UNDER the battery.

I think I may have told you wrong. In checking on my hood struts for another thread, I looked at the battery in my 95, I don't think the relays are under the battery. Not enough room, sorry.

[90LS400Lexus]

I did not know that there were relays UNDER the battery.

I think I may have told you wrong. In checking on my hood struts for another thread, I looked at the battery in my 95, I don't think the relays are under the battery. Not enough room, sorry.

I see. Oh well. Thankfully its pouring rain and I did not go out to remove the battery this evening.

Thanks for the help though.

[AzHotLS]

Good luck. I found this for you but probably won't help: http://www.popularmechanics.com/how_to_cen...ve/2423551.html

Also, I noticed in an earlier post you mentioned the issue after stopping at a Quizno's then just the other day "a carryout sub shop (very near work)". I guess you shouldn't stop there any more.