Strange burning smell when rear demister is on

[adams172]

Driving home tonight I put on the demister and after a while noticed a smell of burning electrics! Turned demister off and carried on anyway, smell eventually seemed to get weaker.

Assumed it may have been the alternator, so got back home and opened the engine bay, and turned demister on - strangely there's no smell in the bay at all - it only seems to be inside the car. No lights on dash, everything else seeming to work fine, plus demister does clear the back window.

What's likely to be causing this? Is the car safe to drive or am I likely to be writing on here from hospital covered in burns if I continue to use it?

Cheers

 

[adams172]

Anyone have any ideas?!

 

[Hoofy]

Well, it's certainly not gonna be the alternator! If it's a burning smell inside the car and it comes from when you turn the rear demister on, it'll be a part of that electric circuit. My guess would be the terminals where it meets the rear screen. Pull off the boot trim, turn it on, then go for a sniff whilst armed with a spray bottle full of water. If you think you can find it, don't touch it (it'll burn), spray some water on the area and if it makes a singe-like noise and a bit of steam comes off, you've found it.

 

[lemonnobby]

connector in circuit somewhere

 

[adams172]

Ah thanks guys, will check that out. How comes the demister still works - I didn't know a terminal could go bad like that?

 

[Hoofy]

Just 'cause the wire involved might be touching another material, doesn't mean that it won't still conduct.

 

[twingors]

Had this issue today. Was like a plastic smell!! stinking!!

My girlfriend has 2 weeks until she's due. Falling out with this 182 already!! Lol

 

[MicKPM]

Theres a really good chance it was the alternators voltage regulator at fault.