Burning scent

[sally2]

I have a 2000 Toyota Yaris, about 32000 miles and I have had problems with rats chewing the wires in the engine. The dealers suggested I put rat food on the engine. About two weeks ago it got wet and shortly thereafter there has been a burning plastic or electric smell in the car, I don't know if they are related. I took it in to the dealer and they said it was the rat food. I cleaned the rat food off the engine, but I still smell the odor, it is not as bad as it was, but it is still there. Sometimes it smells as if wires are burning, however, after I park the car I don't smell it in the engine or under the car. Could the rat food have gotten somewhere else and is still burning, or is there something else I should be looking at. This is causing me alot of distress.

[KimMG]

Have you tried looking for the source of the burning smell while the car is still running? It could either be some leftover residue from the rat poison or a rodent has possibly chewed on some wires.

[sally2]

I am usually in the middle of trafic when I smell it. I have checked the engine and under the car for the smell when I turn the car off, but I haven't been able to track it down.

[drunken monkey]

does this happen when you have the air re-circulating or drawn from exterior or both?
pongy smells could also be from a dirty air filter in the aircon.
30,000 miles sounds about right for this as well.

[sally2]

Actually I get a burning scent, but slightly different scent from re-circulating and drawn from exterior. I let another mechanic look at it, he says its the converter, but I will hold my breath. I have had people tell me different things before and it wasn't.