Why is my blender smoking?

Do not use it again as you risk a fire. If it is older than 2011 it has a three year warranty. If newer, it carries a seven years warranty. Call customer service at (801-222-0888), have your serial number ready.

Mine has just done the same thing. There is a rubber gasket at the base of the blender that will rot and go bad if liquid is left in there. The best way to avoid this for as long as possible is to rinse/clean the blender immediately after it's used and then turn it upside down to dry. Mine has been fine for a long time, but my kids use it and sometimes forget. I'm just going to have Blendtec replace the gasket, it will be as good as new!

So I never had smoke ever coming from a blender but my knowledge in general seeing $@$* happen to blenders can answer your question. Those black flakes are the flakes from the bottom or the attachment for the blade. Through years those gears are always rubbing against each other and eventually fall apart creating the flakes. If I am right the smoke is from the gears rubbing at high speeds as the motor continues to spin as the blender blades and gears are stuck in one position. This friction is enough to burn, melt, and to create smoke. If the gears on the blades used to latch onto the motor looked all gibled and weird looking. That might be your problem and you just need to buy new attachments. If not then your blender is not good and needs to replaced.

A clue to the low quality of these blenders is the very generous warranty they offer. Obviously they know they messed up with a poor quality product. The splined connection on the bottom of the wildside jar is made of aluminum. The splines strip and the motor keeps spinning while the blades stay still inside the jar during blending, stripping them further and making it useless. I hope somebody got fired over that design. Being that Im not a sloth, obviously the jar was cleaned after every use and so the blades were never seized with any dried up food matter. After about 20 uses I am not happy. Nuts to any warranty, looks like I will be going for that ninja afterall.