I too have the same problem. I just reached 4100 miles on my 2012.

 

Yeah I had a similar smell for the first 5k miles. The mechanic told me it was the assembly lube and chemicals they use, burning off. I stopped smelling it somewhere between 5-10k.

It could be your tires or clutch though, both have distinctive smells. Whats it smell like?

 

I had the smell on my '11. But it was a sweet smell. It was definitely the tires though. Once they get heat in them they get this sweet rubbery smell. I loved it.

 

Smells almost like burning hair for me. Definitely not the clutch or tires. This is also my 3rd new car. I know of the smells when a car is new and burning off the lube and oils. This smell is not that. Plus I have never had those new car smells after a couple thousand of miles. Mine only smells when I get into boost so I assume it's the turbo. It's gross though.

 

I do not have an Evo X but I've read other Evo X guys having issues with their aftermarket exhaust header being too close to the firewall so when the header heats up it can cause the material on the firewall to smell burnt and even catch on fire...Not sure if this pertains to your setup but something to keep in mind. I don't know how many exhaust manifolds allow the stock heat shield to be put back on but this was with the stock shield off...

Just what I've read on this forum...

Take look at your firewall by the exhaust header next time you pop your hood.

 

Yeah mine smelt more like burning rubber then burning hair - and it only happened when i got hard on the car too. I had to race around for 15 minutes at the dealerships closed track just to replicate it for the mechanic.

You could have something else though, something close to your turbo/exhaust thats melting. My problem was pinpointing the smell, if I'd jump out and go under the hood no real area smelt like it more then the other - i assume you've tried this? Might give you a general location.

 

Possibly burning the plastic pieces in the wheel well? Did it to mine and now are in the outline of a tire haha

 

pull your back seat cushion and check it. mine is burnt to **** from the exhaust getting too hot. this was brought up about 5 years ago too so there is a thread somewhere.

 

You have the stock exhaust? I will check mine tomorrow. The only problem with that is I would think if it was the cushion it would have a the small regularly. Mine only occurs when in hard acceleration.

 

700 miles on my X and no such smell as you are describing. Only had a light burning smell the first time I drove it.

 

I might be getting in the way because I don't have an X, but where are you when you smell this?

I basically have to put my head in the wheel well to smell the smell I smell.

 

Definitely not the new car oils/lube burning off. Mine just like all my other new cars had that smell at first. Definitely not that

I'm just sitting in the car driving when I smell it. You don't have to put your nose anywhere because the cabin fills with the smell. The first time I really smelt it I accelerated hard to get on the highway. But I was pretty much going in a straight line. My foot wasn't on the clutch. I was in 4th gear. I floored it and then at around 5k I switched to 5th and cruised. Then the smell sat in.

I don't see what could be wrong with it and I do NOT want to take the car to the dealer unless I have to.

 

Hmm I don't experience that, but I also don't drive with the A/C on & my windows up

I guess you kind of have to in Texass?

 

Ya you do. My first and only mod has been tint. It is ridiculous here. Started to melt my handicap place card

Thats why I wonder if the smell is just from a hot turbo since it's so freakin hot here or if it's boost leak or something. I would hope everything is ok on a stock car with less then 4k miles on it

 

I thought I was the only one that got that smell. It does smell very chemical like. Almost like ether, paint thinner and acetone mixed. It gets pretty bad sometimes. Wonder what the affects of breathing the crap is.