Running Hot??

[Madmax]

Mine is the same mate, temp gauge sits just below half way. My thermo fans have kicked in once (that I have noticed) in over 12 months of owning it (mine's a 2001) and I was stuck in traffic on a bloody hot day .. temp gauge went just over half.
Cheers .. Dale

+1 Busauser. They are all pretty well the same mate. They sit just below the red mark at halfway under usual conditions until you do something different - like sitting in traffic on a hot day, The thermo-fan will activate until the tempoerature drops back to under halfway and then cut out.

Not sure about the smell you're getting though unless you've got some new paint or replacement engine part/s.

Hope this helps.


Max