So, I've been noticing an unusual smell from my car the last few days. It almost smells like fresh bread, kinda sweet, almost like warm plastic, but not burning or acrid like electrical and not an engine coolant smell either.
It seems to be coming mostly from the passenger side of the engine bay and is mainly noticeable when the car is at operating temperature, stationary, and the heater on. I've never smelled anything like this from the car before and the only real variables are that I've moved from Arizona to the Cincinnati area, with snow and road salt. The right side inner fender cover is out due to it having been damaged from road debris, so road salts are able to get into some of the engine components, i.e. alternator, that wouldn't normally be able to.
What I'm wondering is, would those road salts produce the smell and if not, what could it possibly be?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

I don’t think road salt is your issue. I live in Cincinnati and have for 41 years, been driving since 16 and never have had an issue our salt/beet juice/whatever else they use around here. I just picked my 09 Clubman S on 11/30. What part of the Nati are you in? I’m an east sider over in Anderson.

 

What is the state of your cabin filter located below the passenger glove box?

 

First you need to get that damaged inner fender cover replaced and back in the fender pronto!

I doubt road salts are the source of the odor. Kupona asks a smart question regarding the cabin air filter. The cabin air can develop an odor over time and should be replaced regularly.

With the missing inner fender liner air circulation around the front of the car, inside the engine compartment, and underneath the front of the car is almost certainly disrupted. It is possible some piece of trash got blown against a hot exhaust. The trash will stick and can emit an odor for some time as it over time chars away. Occasionally even with cars that have intact inner fender liners this happens but in my experience the odor is not that of bread but of burning plastic.

 

I'm in Covington.

 

The smell is in the engine bay of the car, outside of the cabin, as well as through the vent. I was investigating and think it may be a leaky compressor. The area around the mount bolts for the compressor is damp and everything else is dry. It also matches the description of r-132 smell.

 

That's a possibility. I would find it hard to believe anything that could blow up against a hot exhaust could smell like bread other than a piece of bread...