Help identifying source of melting plastic smell

[yenraca]

I have a 1993 Club Wagon w/ 86,000 miles. Here recently I have noticed a smell of melting plastic coming from the rear driver's side of the van. It is particularly strong in and around the wheel arch. The smell is only noticeable from outside the van and only on the driver's side. I've crawled around under the van and don't see any evidence of melting plastic.

I've only owned this thing for a few months, and to be honest, I'm stumped. Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas?

 

[blacksnapon]

I have a 1993 Club Wagon w/ 86,000 miles. Here recently I have noticed a smell of melting plastic coming from the rear driver's side of the van. It is particularly strong in and around the wheel arch. The smell is only noticeable from outside the van and only on the driver's side. I've crawled around under the van and don't see any evidence of melting plastic.

I've only owned this thing for a few months, and to be honest, I'm stumped. Any thoughts/suggestions/ideas?

Are you sure its not brakes? You might pull them apart and see if everything is ok in there.

 

[yenraca]

I had considered the driver's side rear brake, but half-dismissed the thought simply because it doesn't smell like hot brakes. Definitely more of a plastic smell. I'll pull the wheel off after work today and check things out, however.

 

[m78]

See if a plastic grocery bag got up on top of your exhaust system