Burning rubber smell...

...on my wife's new (but used) VW EOS, It's a 2 litre diesel, and the other day whilst my wife was driving home from a short trip, it started to smell really strongly of burnt rubber, and power seemed to be down. Once at home, the smell seemed to be around the front and n/s/f of the car. Sniffing the tyres closely confirmed as similar smell, but no evidence of any tyres rubbing or any damage. Opening the bonnet resulted in a stronger smell, but not really in the o/s area where the cam/aux belts are. Can only see one aux belt and it looks OK, tension looks OK, engine runs OK with no odd sounds, but dash now shows tyre pressure warning, so maybe the n/s/f tyre is low, it looks OK but didn't check pressure yet. It supposedly has "self sealing" tyres, but the fronts were replaced with part worn tyres just before we bought it, maybe the TPMS sensor was not reset? Have read somewhere that it might be the DPF, running hot and making exhaust rubbers start to smell...

Any ideas?

Burning rubber smell ?

I’ve no idea! but that’s one of the reasons I can’t abide using condoms

Hope you found the problem. I couldn't think of anything that you hadn't already checked.

I didn't find the source/reason, but the smell eventually went away, tyre pressures all seem OK (similar pressures to a Coupe in fact 37 psi front, 32 rear, not sure if they are the correct pressures for the 18" wheels ) Hopefully it was just the DPF regen...

I had a similar issue with my Coupe when I was crossing the Alps last year. I was convinced it was a rubber smell but checks revealed no rubbing and it didn't really explain the loss of power. Once back on flatter ground it disappeared as quickly as it arrived and my best guess is it was oil temperature due to the extreme inclines, backed up by an increase showing on the oil temp guage

Did the engine fan stay on for a while after she stopped the car? It was probably the DPF regen process. We have a Skoda Superb with the 2.0 diesel and it does the same thing occasionally.

Some more info that may help

No, I don't recall the engine fan staying on. That's a useful link and puts my mind at rest a little, but reminds me of why I was hoping to get a petrol instead. Wifey does a lot of short journeys, I hope the DPF regen doesn't play up...

My 2.0 TD Audi A3 does this. It was quite disconcerting the first time it happened!