Glue smell while on long drive

2005 Ford Taurus
90,000 miles
Owned by the state up till 4 months ago all inspections up to date
-10 degrees F out
45 mile drive
Sorry if this is the wrong area to post this, new here
So my bf and I were driving with the heater on full blast and the windows up. Suddenly about 30 miles into the drive he reported his eyes itching/watering there was a terrible glue smell too. Rolling the windows down helped until we stopped then it would leak back in. Turning off the heater helped with the windows rolled up. We've made this drive a lot before with no problems. We get home and saw smoke or just hot air leaking out from beneath the hood. We were freezing and tired so we went inside without investigating. I would like to know possible causes and what to look for to determine if that is What's causing it. Thank you in advance.

Also, we let the car heat up 15-20 minutes before driving out.

After you look under the hood, post back.

Sounds like what you were probably smelling was coolant (more commonly, incorrectly, referred to as "anti-freeze"). Normally I'd say it is probably a leaking heater core, but since you noticed steam from under the hood your leak may be much less expensive and easier to repair. You probably have a leak in a hose, and if you're really lucky, one of the clamps may just need tightening. However, since typically no one replaces hoses as a maintenance item any more, they are probably due to be replaced anyway if you plan to keep the car awhile.

If you can gain access to a cooling system pressure tester, that could greatly speed up the process of finding the leak.

-Rod

That's what my grandpa thinks rod. My serpentine belt has a fluid on it and there is a leak. I'm hoping the repair isn't super expensive. Since I'm a girl and know 0 things about cars I tend to get ripped off. Know how much it'll cost to fix about? This years goals to become more knowledgeable with my car!

Until you determine where the leak is coming from, there's really no way to estimate cost. If it's a loose clamp, the cost could be free. If the leak is due to a failing water pump, the fix could run a few hundred dollars.

-Rod

Ask friends, relatives, co-workers if they have a mechanic they recommend. Simple pressure test should show where the leak is coming from.

im having the same problem. but no smoke thank goodness. ONLY when i turn on the heater i get a kinda toxic smell (coolant)...i was told it is the heater core....user teambilly posted this http://www.airsept.com/Articles/Recy...cs_SR03.03.pdf
. if its the heater core,maybe you can find a mechanic who can change it using this technique, which should save you time and money....