Hello all, I just went out for a drive in my 2008.5 Mazdaspeed 3 as the night was cool and clear. When I got home, I could smell a burning plastic odor. At first I thought I may have run over a plastic bag or something that may have hung up on the exhaust or catalytic converter. I opened the hood; could smell nothing; sniffed under the car; nothing. I started toward my house, opened my door, Nope. Checked the neighbor's house; nothing there. Could intermittently still smell the plastic. Went around the car again. Then I heard it: pinking, tinking. I reached for the left rear wheel and could feel the heat radiating off of it. The wheel itself was HOT! I checked all the other wheels. Definitely more than a hundred Fahrenheit degrees difference. All the others were reasonably and normally cool. It is too dark to see what may be the problem, and I will certainly take it to the dealership as soon as possible. What say Ye regarding the cause; and do you think the dealership will stick me with the bill since brakes are a wear item? This certainly is a defect or failure that I haven't caused. I have only about 11500 relatively easy going miles. All other brakes are working properly. Car was purchased July 2008.

If the car only has 11500 miles on it then you are still within the 12000 mile wear item warranty period. So, the dealership should not stick you with any bill. As for the cause all I can think of is that the brake locked up on you. If that is the case you should notice some fade when driving. I am no expert when it comes to brakes though.

Took the car into a dealership to have them check the brakes. There was no damage other than some obvious hot spots on the rotor in question, and the problem has not reoccurred. The brake pads are wearing at a very even rate (the pads are all of similar thickness). So, at this point it is just wait and see. I can't imagine what happened other than the caliper sticking such that the pad was dragging. The dealership apparently lubed it to prevent future problems. Hope that it either happens again soon, so that it will be a warranty issue, or that it was just a fluke, never to occur again. Thank you for your responses. WINGSPD.

Good to know things are working. Keep an eye on it.