Remote Start Burning Smell

[VTRanger]

Hi All, I have a 2021 Ranger XLT with 2000 miles on it, I've had it about 5 months so all the factory burning smells are long gone. Been using remote start off and on since I got it and have never had any issues with it until now.

Last Friday I drove home from work in some real slop, slush, snow, ice, and parked it. Used remote start on Saturday morning, let it warm up like 10 mins, walked out to the truck and got hit in the face with a burning plastic smell from outside the vehicle. It was below freezing the night before and I assumed it was just gunk underneath burning off.

The smell never happened again over the weekend, drove around all day. I did not remote start though.

Today, I do the same routine (remote start) to go to work, 15 degrees out, wait 10 mins and I smell it burning again. Like burning plastic.

I went outside at lunch, started it up, opened the hood, looked underneath, everything is nice and clean in the engine, no plastic bag on the exhaust or anything like that.

I read some other threads that describe something similar but no solution. I even noticed on the Bronco forum very similar issues.

Could it be because the heater is on full blast or something cause it's so cold. I don't have heated seats, I do have rear defrost. I am baffled.

Thanks!

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[halligan1201]

Hi All, I have a 2021 Ranger XLT with 2000 miles on it, I've had it about 5 months so all the factory burning smells are long gone. Been using remote start off and on since I got it and have never had any issues with it until now.

Last Friday I drove home from work in some real slop, slush, snow, ice, and parked it. Used remote start on Saturday morning, let it warm up like 10 mins, walked out to the truck and got hit in the face with a burning plastic smell from outside the vehicle. It was below freezing the night before and I assumed it was just gunk underneath burning off.

The smell never happened again over the weekend, drove around all day. I did not remote start though.

Today, I do the same routine (remote start) to go to work, 15 degrees out, wait 10 mins and I smell it burning again. Like burning plastic.

I went outside at lunch, started it up, opened the hood, looked underneath, everything is nice and clean in the engine, no plastic bag on the exhaust or anything like that.

I read some other threads that describe something similar but no solution. I even noticed on the Bronco forum very similar issues.

Could it be because the heater is on full blast or something cause it's so cold. I don't have heated seats, I do have rear defrost. I am baffled.

Thanks!

Exact same thing happened to me yesterday. Parked in garage after being out in an ice storm and 10-20 degree weather. The next day I remote start for ten minutes, walked out about 8 minutes into it, garage reeked like burnt rubber or plastic. Couldn't find anything under hood that looked melted or felt softened. Truck drove fine. This morning it was parked in driveway when I started it but I could still smell it.

 

[svgrdr]

Hi All, I have a 2021 Ranger XLT with 2000 miles on it, I've had it about 5 months so all the factory burning smells are long gone. Been using remote start off and on since I got it and have never had any issues with it until now.

Last Friday I drove home from work in some real slop, slush, snow, ice, and parked it. Used remote start on Saturday morning, let it warm up like 10 mins, walked out to the truck and got hit in the face with a burning plastic smell from outside the vehicle. It was below freezing the night before and I assumed it was just gunk underneath burning off.

The smell never happened again over the weekend, drove around all day. I did not remote start though.

Today, I do the same routine (remote start) to go to work, 15 degrees out, wait 10 mins and I smell it burning again. Like burning plastic.

I went outside at lunch, started it up, opened the hood, looked underneath, everything is nice and clean in the engine, no plastic bag on the exhaust or anything like that.

I read some other threads that describe something similar but no solution. I even noticed on the Bronco forum very similar issues.

Could it be because the heater is on full blast or something cause it's so cold. I don't have heated seats, I do have rear defrost. I am baffled.

Thanks!

I have the same issue with mine, but I have narrowed it down to overspray from when I got my undercoat applied at the dealer. I inspected everything near the exhaust, and there are several areas where a decent amount of the black goop landed a little close to high temperature areas. It smells like burning rubber when the exhaust pipe heats up.

 

[VTRanger]

I have the same issue with mine, but I have narrowed it down to overspray from when I got my undercoat applied at the dealer. I inspected everything near the exhaust, and there are several areas where a decent amount of the black goop landed a little close to high temperature areas. It smells like burning rubber when the exhaust pipe heats up.

Thanks... I didn't get the undercoating from the factory. I fluidfilmed it myself before the winter, it definitely stunk when it first burned off.

The day before this started was the first real time I used 4Hi, other than driving around the block one day in deep snow.

But still, why only when I use remote start is the baffling part.

 

[halligan1201]

Thanks... I didn't get the undercoating from the factory. I fluidfilmed it myself before the winter, it definitely stunk when it first burned off.

The day before this started was the first real time I used 4Hi, other than driving around the block one day in deep snow.

But still, why only when I use remote start is the baffling part.

Same here; had it in 4H (for all of maybe 10 minutes) to get home during the ice storm. Before that, only had it in 4H to test it here and there.

 

[Deathrider]

Hey, i traded in my Ranger for a 21 Explorer with the 2.3 l 10 spd, i get the same issue once in a while
i have 3000 miles on mine and some other Explorer owners say they have the same smell.
Everything looks good though.

 

[halligan1201]

Are your heated seats activated?
10 minutes on high those could sizzle bacon

Mine are but have been since I brought it home in October, and there was no smell in the cab. The garage smelled so much like a burnt up belt that I spent a good five extra minutes searching for a missing one laying somewhere in engine bay or garage floor.

Seeing that we both used our 4WD for "real" for the first time, I'm leaning towards that being the culprit somehow. Maybe oil or lubricant getting flung around and landing on things that cook it off when they get hot?

I don't see anything on the floor or that looks like fluids were sprayed around like they were leaking though, and the smell was distinctly burning rubber so I'm at a loss.

 

[halligan1201]

Update - same routine this morning but smell is completely gone.

 

[JDowns]

Could be loose tape that fell on something hot. While I was wrapping (pun intended) up my wiring the other day I also finished giving the truck a once over and removing all the loose tape from the factory and replacing with either new tape or zip ties. There were many spots around the vehicle where there was tape like black duct tape used to secure ends or wire loom or secure looms together. I could see one of those getting on something hot and burning away.

Could also be the rear heat shield between bed and body that is not mechanically fastened like the others but sticky back glued to the body. Mine was dangling within inches of the exhaust pipe. I removed it, cleaned the body area off and re-applied with 3M spray glue. It's stuck on there now.

 

[Steven D Tipton]

Thanks... I didn't get the undercoating from the factory. I fluidfilmed it myself before the winter, it definitely stunk when it first burned off.

The day before this started was the first real time I used 4Hi, other than driving around the block one day in deep snow.

But still, why only when I use remote start is the baffling part.

Go with Lps 3 instead of Fluid film. You will thank yourself. Way better product and only comes off with degreaser. Both our 19's ranger have it on and I apply it in my repair shop.

 

[Shoran12]

Could be loose tape that fell on something hot. While I was wrapping (pun intended) up my wiring the other day I also finished giving the truck a once over and removing all the loose tape from the factory and replacing with either new tape or zip ties. There were many spots around the vehicle where there was tape like black duct tape used to secure ends or wire loom or secure looms together. I could see one of those getting on something hot and burning away.

Could also be the rear heat shield between bed and body that is not mechanically fastened like the others but sticky back glued to the body. Mine was dangling within inches of the exhaust pipe. I removed it, cleaned the body area off and re-applied with 3M spray glue. It's stuck on there now.

Just noticed the same thing with my heat shield today. Only attached in a small spot in the center and just kind of hanging. Which 3m product did you use to reattach it? Still holding up?

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