I just got an 07 LS 4WD about a week ago, I recently realised that after about 20 minutes of driving I can smell something that resembles burnt rubber, allthough not as strong,The smell seems to make its way into the interior only when I'm at a stop light. I've smelled inside the engine bay, and sure enough thats were it seems to be coming from. It is more notisable on the side were the belts are located, could this be simply normal new car smells, I've only owned another new car (04 Ralliart) and this never happened to it. Any one else notice an odd smell on their new 07? again I note: it is not verry strong and may be easilly over looked but I'am verry ****-retentive when it comes to my cars and it was notisable for me.

 

Yes, I noticed it when I test drove the XLS, and notice it slightly in the LS that I bought. Both were 4WD. It seemed to be strongest when outside of the car and near the hood on the passenger side. I don't know what it is, but chalked it up to the "new engine" burn in. Perhaps I should be more concerned...

 

It's probably just the assembly oils burning off. Every new car I've owned smells for a little bit. It'll go away soon.

 

Mine went away after about a week. My Wife's Toyota Highlander had that smell for about 2 weeks....

 

I had the same smell on my '06 Outlander... went away after a few hundred miles.

 

I noticed the same on ours the day we drove it home from the dealership. I never smelled anything inside the cab, but after popping the hoodit was anoverwhelming smell. It has yet to come back. Sure it was just residual from assembly.

 

Yup, as stated in previous posts, it's normal. It kind of goes with the "new car smell", come to think of it, it's a part of that, lol.
Now, if your car was old and you smelled it, it may not be a good thing, lol.

Moral of the story, you're fine.

 

Thank you all for the replies, I was just worried because my previous new car did not do this.Its been a week now and I still smell it, although I think it is not as strong now, so it may be going away. I will post again in about another week to let you all know if it went away completely.