Hi guys, some of you may recognize me as the girl who just spent a whopping £900 (and that is a bargain let me tell you) on getting a replacement gearbox fit into my 51reg automatic punto (speed gear).. the part was not new, nor reconditioned but on my strapped finances my only option (bought from a parts dealer online, fitted by a back alley group of thieves for a shocking £350!).. after MUCH trials and turbulations (initially the thieves forgot to 'wipe the computer clean and reset with the new gearbox' so the car was running APPALLINGLY for a day - I thought id have to junk it to be honest.. managed to sort it..

Since the day i picked it up however, its had a burning smell that I notice when i finish driving anywhere, even short distances, but mainly after long distances. it smells like burning rubber..

1) everyone is telling me its oil burning off since the repair (the car was repaired appx 3-4 weeks ago now and still smells stronger than ever)

2) my engine light came on last week - I took it to a more reliable mechanic who hooked it up to a machine and told me it looked like a fault in the pedal? .. however, he did say that fiats are complicated, and if the thieves knocked anything, it could have set this off. He reset the light to turn it off and said if it comes back on, and performance is not affected, to just continue driving ('many fiats are driving around with lights on')

Do you think either of these can explain the smell? Or do I fear something else has gone wrong. The car is only worth £1400 I think.. I've spent more than that in the last year fixing it - gearbox & headgasket within 6 months! I know its time for part x but given the money ive poured into it recently i wouldnt mind a few more months usage..! thanks in advance!

Difficult to advise on this type of issue.

Burning smells are always worrying. Oil or rubber smell? Rubber will almost always be the stronger smell. Somebody you trust who knows how to lift a bonnet and knows their general way around an engine bay really needs to take a look for you.

What they will be smelling and looking for is the smell and any possible associated whisps of vapour or smoke. Also a good look around the engine bay often reveals other bodge jobs, things not secured correctly, belts rubbing where they shouldn't, wiring looms and other flexible items touching hot parts, e.g. exhaust.

If you are local to me (Southampton) then I'd be willing to take a look.