Driving along the M4. I begin to smell this weird smell... like burning plastic or something (very light smell) in my drivers cabin. thinking it was the trucks exhaust in front of me, i accelerate to overtake it. problem begins: about 500metres later, my battery light turns on. about another 100metres later, my "lights" and "anti-lock" lights come on. Exiting the M4, i turn off my engine at a traffic light as i begin hearing weird sounds. (crunching? like something grinding) rolls over to the side and me my friend are dumbfounded please note that: i've recently done the 100k service, (bought the kit from caz got it all installed at MRC) also; i've recently had my car serviced (fluids etc) so, on the side of the road i start my car again after 10 minutes of 'resting'. i get this sound of belt whining followed by smoke created from some sort of friction. (must explain the smell) my friend, also says that before i turned off the engine, the engine fan. (in between the radiator and engine itself) stopped moving. got it towed home. very confused... ANY IDEAS anyone ? (my car's used as a DD so i need to fix this asap )
Are all the belts still there? Loosen the alternator belt (if it's still there) and see if you can turn the alternator, it sounds like it may have spat the dummy.
Similar thing (squeally, smokey belt) happened to Baroo when his a/c compressor seized. So check operation of all three . . . alternator, a/c compressor and p/s pump.