So to cut the quick, my '21 was producing an exterior odor I associate with a burned soup pot (like from my restaurant days, when the double boiler ran dry of water). BMW changed the 12 volt battery and so far the problem is gone.
Of course, the details:
I noticed this odor after the car climatized for departure on chilly days. Once while charging, twice while not. When I turned off climatization during my final charging session before taking it in, there was no odor.
I initially noticed the odor but didn't think it was coming from the car. It could have easily been an environmental odor such as from roofers or asphalt paving, in that sort of "hot tar" realm. But I eventually linked it to running the heater, and turning off the heater eliminated the odor.
I parked the car, turned scheduled climatization off, and made my service appointment. But on the day before my appointment, my 12 volt battery went dead about mid day (based on last update to my MyBMW app). There were zero indications of 12 volt issues prior to this, so it was a complete surprise.
I jumped the car and had it towed in to BMW. The technician saw nothing other than codes associated with a failed 12 volt battery, replaced the battery, and all seems well. Even sniffing under the hood and any trace of the odor has completely vanished.
It's not particularly cool today. I've got the car climatizing and it's producing no odor. All I can do is sit on this and monitor. I just can't believe this odor was the result of a failing 12 volt battery. I'm much more inclined to think that whatever caused the odor somehow caused the battery to fail.
BTW, this 12 volt battery was reportedly changed by BMW in August '21, 18 months ago, shortly after I bought the car.
Of course, the details:
I noticed this odor after the car climatized for departure on chilly days. Once while charging, twice while not. When I turned off climatization during my final charging session before taking it in, there was no odor.
I initially noticed the odor but didn't think it was coming from the car. It could have easily been an environmental odor such as from roofers or asphalt paving, in that sort of "hot tar" realm. But I eventually linked it to running the heater, and turning off the heater eliminated the odor.
I parked the car, turned scheduled climatization off, and made my service appointment. But on the day before my appointment, my 12 volt battery went dead about mid day (based on last update to my MyBMW app). There were zero indications of 12 volt issues prior to this, so it was a complete surprise.
I jumped the car and had it towed in to BMW. The technician saw nothing other than codes associated with a failed 12 volt battery, replaced the battery, and all seems well. Even sniffing under the hood and any trace of the odor has completely vanished.
It's not particularly cool today. I've got the car climatizing and it's producing no odor. All I can do is sit on this and monitor. I just can't believe this odor was the result of a failing 12 volt battery. I'm much more inclined to think that whatever caused the odor somehow caused the battery to fail.
BTW, this 12 volt battery was reportedly changed by BMW in August '21, 18 months ago, shortly after I bought the car.