Strong Burning Smell - Help & Advice Please

[steven57]

Hi. I have a 2008 Avensis TR D-4D estate. On Friday, I parked the car on a steeply upward-sloping street. When I returned an hour or so later, there was a queue of cars slowly inching up the street to the junction 200 yards away. I joined the queue and slowly crept up the hill, holding the car at the clutch bite point every time the queue came to a halt. It must have taken 5 mins to reach the top, but by the time I got there, there was a strong burning smell. At first I didn’t know if the source was outside, as I saw someone walking past holding their nose. It quickly clicked it must be my car as the clutch pedal would not fully release when I removed my foot. However, I drove the car normally for a mile or two and clutch pedal eventually returned to its fully out position. The smell is still present, but has got gradually weaker over the last couple of days.

Can anyone say what cause the smell was likely to be and should I seek a mechanic’s advice?

Thanks

[dervdave]

Hi. I have a 2008 Avensis TR D-4D estate. On Friday, I parked the car on a steeply upward-sloping street. When I returned an hour or so later, there was a queue of cars slowly inching up the street to the junction 200 yards away. I joined the queue and slowly crept up the hill, holding the car at the clutch bite point every time the queue came to a halt. It must have taken 5 mins to reach the top, but by the time I got there, there was a strong burning smell. At first I didn’t know if the source was outside, as I saw someone walking past holding their nose. It quickly clicked it must be my car as the clutch pedal would not fully release when I removed my foot. However, I drove the car normally for a mile or two and clutch pedal eventually returned to its fully out position. The smell is still present, but has got gradually weaker over the last couple of days. Can anyone say what cause the smell was likely to be and should I seek a mechanic’s advice? Thanks

The clutch

[Brimstone]

A course in correct driving would not go a miss. The smell is your clutch crying out for help. Unless you have a bottomless pocket

I suggest you use the hand brake to hold the car on a hill and the clutch to pullaway.

[Mistermena]

Yep its a clutch burn because of the way you were driving! As said you should use the H/B mate, thats what its there for...

[Springy]

I thought you were on a wind-up at first! Don't hold the car stationary on the bite-point for long periods, you are slipping the clutch, which means that the two clutch plates are spinning against each other, heating up and producing the smell. It is far, far better to apply the handbrake, gear in neutral, foot off clutch, and wait until the traffic has moved forward at least two car lengths before doing the old hill start routine and catching up. Also, when you are at lights etc, do not sit there with the car in gear with your foot on the clutdh for a long time, this also causes damage over time. My son had this bad habit and the clutch broke, causinig £400 of repair - luckily, Peugeot fixed it under warranty!

[Druid Boy]

You might want to get a portion of fried rice to go with your fried clutch. This doesn't necessarily mean your clutch has gone but you have certainly abused it and taken a chunk of its life away. The smell should disappear in time through normal use but holding the car on the clutch is bad for the car and leads to expensive repairs. If the clutch had gone consider a reputable independent garage rather than a toyota dealer.