Car smells like burning rubber and randomly gets loud when driving?

[Anonymous]

I have a 2009 Ford Focus. Here lately when I've been coming home from work, it will randomly get really loud. It will be loud and kind of run rough for about 5 minutes then it just goes away like nothing happened.

What could be the cause of this? I am having my mechanic check it out tomorrow, but I was just curious what I might be running into. Hoping it's NOT insanely expensive or major!

Note - my front brakes are recently replaced completely as are my tires. So I don't believe it is a brake or tire issue. It literally just randomly happens as I'm driving. It'll get really loud for like 5 minutes then calm down. Could this be related to my MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor? I just don't want to have to replace my engine or something. I doubt that, but what can I say - car repairs make me nervous lol

Then later on tonight, my car started to stink. I parked and I noticed a smell that was really similar to burning rubber coming from the front end area. I am not over-heating or anything and it drives fine. This is the first time I've ever had the smell. Any other day it's just been that random loud sound that has happened for about a week. But this smell is new and kind of scary to me. I don't want to have to replace my engine or my transmission or something insane like that. Could it just be a belt or something? I am super on edge now that I am going to have a God-awful bill.

Thanks for any/all input!

Updates

11 mo

I should also note that I don't have any lights on. No check engine light or anything is on. There are no lights on my dash at all.

[Spongebobssocks]

I know nothing about cars but I would have that checked if I were you.

[Asker]

I am. I am having it checked tomorrow. I just wanted an opinion on wtf this may be

[Spongebobssocks]

Oh okay lol well goodluck with that

[Asker]

Thanks. I hope it isn't ridiculous lol

[Spongebobssocks]

Haha me neither. Hope it goes well!

[Asker]

Thanks I'm so paranoid now lmao

[Spongebobssocks]

Oh no.. well I would check it out but try to not stress yourself

[Spongebobssocks]

Thank you AI😄🤗

[Redstang88]

Hard to diagnose noises over the internet, though it’s definitely not the MAF. If you’re lucky it might be a pulley seizing up causing the belt to slip, but I’m not sure that would cause the rough running before that

[shades777]

Sounds like you have either a bad gasket or a bad timing belt, both are critical if you have lost in power its probably a failing gasket especially if you see oil or smell gasoline

[Asker]

I don't smell gasoline and I'm not leaking anything that I can see. Thank you for your potential causes.

[shades777]

go to autozone and ask if they can use their scanner and print out the codes maybe your car computer has some codes

[shades777]

your description isn't as descriptive as it needs to be, what kind of sound? there's only a few things that smell like burnt rubber, are you sure thats what you smell?
there's all types of leaking smells
transmission
engine oil
annti freeze
coolant

[Sparkie460]

@shades 777 if her check engine light isn't on an obd scan will not find anything since its not pulling any codes

[shades777]

While sometimes true, good scanners will still show things that can be used to fix or help figure out whats wrong, a cheap scanner will show next to nothing

[Sparkie460]

Auto zone only scans codes. She needs an actual engine diagnostic computer.

[shades777]

Agreed, In my opinion it can either be a leak or the timing belt, or it could be misaligned tires. what do you think?

[Sparkie460]

I think it could be a bad spark plug, coil, slipping belt or head gasket. Misaligned tires won't make the engine loud.

[Sparkie460]

I'm guessing she has well over 100 k miles on the car so the timing belt should have been changed already. I asked her how many miles she had on it but she hasn't responded to me yet

[shades777]

I mentioned tires because she just got her brakes and tires installed but didn't mention an alignment, burning rubber, if its spark plug related then it could be the inline valve cover gasket thats cracked, that would make the car jolt and produce a smell

[Sparkie460]

Without actually being there and looking at the car we will never know unless she comes back and tells us in an update

[Asker]

I asked about an alignment not too long ago and the mechanic said I did not need one. Yes, my car has over 150,000 miles on it. It overall runs good and normal. I just noticed the smell a couple times tonight. It reminded me of a burning rubber type of smell but that could be wrong. It's just what it smelled like to me. The noise when it happens is hard to explain. It just all of a sudden sounds loud. Usually when I'm driving, it's quiet and normal. Then all of a sudden it just gets a lot louder sounding as I'm driving. No knocking, clicking, thumping or anything. Just a lot louder of a sound. It lasts about 5 minutes then calms and goes right back to normal. I have not overheated or anything. My gage doesn't go too close to hot at all. It sits right about in the middle. I have already replaced the power steering pump and the serpentine belt as well.

[Sparkie460]

How many miles do you have on your car?

[Sparkie460]

I think it's either a valve cover gasket or head gasket leaking on a spark plug and it's fouling a plug

[Asker]

I'm hoping it's just the valve cover gasket because that's cheaper than a head gasket! I guess I will find out tomorrow.

[Sparkie460]

I hope it is just the valve cover too. Be sure to update us when you find out.

[Asker]

Well this is bizarre. After having my car almost 6 freaking hours, the mechanic told me that it was mechanically fine. I am baffled to say the least. He said to just keep an eye on it and if the sound returns/gets worse or more frequent or if other issues arise to bring it back for another check. I don't know what to think. I had him replace the MAF sensor (something I needed awhile ago) and then had him investigate the mystery sound as well. I guess I'm glad it is currently mechanically sound... but I am really confused as to why it got loud like that. I can't really describe the sound other than it just got loud sounding. No thump. No ticks or clicks. No screech. Just went from quiet to... well, not quiet.

[Sparkie460]

They had it 6 hours and they found nothing? They checked the valve covers and heads for leaks? Did they pull the spark plugs?

[Asker]

I don't know. I couldn't believe they had it so long. I was fearing bad news and was really shocked when they said the engine and stuff looked fine and nothing really stuck out to them.

[Sparkie460]

The next time it happens, if it happens again, take your phone out and record the sounds and your dashboard gauges. Then the mechanic has something to go on.

[Asker]

It is hard to determine because it is so short-lived and happens when I'm driving. I unfortunately can't record with my phone when I am driving down the road. I'm glad they said my car is mechanically sound, but that's just odd for that to happen and nothing be going on.

[Sparkie460]

Ok I thought it happened while you were at a light or something. I wouldn't want you to have an accident. I'm glad they said it's fine. I hope it doesn't happen again

[Asker]

Yes same here. It was very odd. I definitely wanted to have them check since they were replacing the sensor anyhow. Today coming home was fine. No smell, no weird noise at all. Just quiet, smooth sailing. Thank you for your input on the matter!

[Sparkie460]

Your welcome.

[exitseven]

Maybe you have a slipping fan belt.