I've got a 2013 Outback PZEV with 7000 miles on it. Initially, I had the 'new car burn smell' but that went away pretty fast. Sometime around 3000 miles or so, I started to notice a burning rubber smell after I drove at least a half hour on the highway. I regularly drive 250 miles each way to the river, and last week when I pulled off to get gas after 2 hours, the smell came in the vents. It's burning/hot rubber, not oil or gear oil, I know those smells all too well. It smells like you just did a big old burnout, but we all know this car couldn't do that if it's life depended on it! It's getting worse, not better. It is NOT the new car undercoat, even the dealer agreed to that. There are no oil leaks, and it is not hot/burning oil smell. I see in past threads that as far back as 2010 people have complained about this, but none of the threads have any conclusion. I HATE this smell, and it concerns me that something is going to fail and leave me stranded in the middle of the desert. Does not matter if it's cold or hot outside. I don't drive it using the 'shift paddles', just regular D to get best MPG I can. Anyone know what this is? The dealer is totally clueless and says they've never heard of this before. I question that, after seeing the other posts on this forum. Would not be the first time a dealer has 'played dumb' with me, happens all the time. If something rubber is hot enough to smell like that every time I drive it, it will eventually fail.