Clutch Smell On A Cts

[Fmrl]

Hi, I'm after a second opinion on this please...

I've had my 04 Corolla T-Sport for a couple of weeks now and I really like it. There's just one little thing I'm not sure about - my driveway is quite steep and awkward so it takes a bit of revving and clutch control to turn in, line up, and park the CTS in the garage.

I've noticed that most of the time after switching off the engine there's a burnt clutch smell. I've not had this problem with any other car I've owned so I don't think it's anything I'm doing wrong.

I did notice when I took the car out on a test drive before I bought it that the clutch bite is quite high but it's something I've got used to.

I've had the car back to the dealer, they've given it a good lookover but they don't think there's a problem. Will the smell eventually go away? Is it anything to worry about?

[Nick-Johnson]

Unfortunately this is the Corollas major downfall, great engine but a naff gearbox and clutch. You will find the smell wont disappear you do have to be very careful not to ride the clutch but this a known fault and is nothing to do with your driving style.

I had to have my clutch replaced under warranty after 20,000 miles only for the replacement clutch to fail a further 500 miles later. Really wish Toyota would get round to sort out this problem out it not fair on there owners. Not that it worries me to much anymore!

Nick

[Fmrl]

I had to have my clutch replaced under warranty after 20,000 miles only for the replacement clutch to fail a further 500 miles later. Really wish Toyota would get round to sort out this problem out it not fair on there owners. Not that it worries me to much anymore!

So if the clutch fails it will be fixed under warranty? That's not so bad then - I guess the trick is to sell the car before the warrnty runs out ;)

[Twincam.GTi]

...clutches wearing out at this young an age!

I've always known Japanese vehicles to do the 100,000+ on their first clutch (and that includes the light commercials/'Mini Trucks'; Mazda 1800 Pickup, Datsun Cabstar etc.).

[CTS03]

Fmrl

Your clutch is damaged every time it smells and this is not normal. I also had the same problem, as well as many others:

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.p...6&hl=mechanical

It was very difficult to convince Toyota that this was not my fault and it should be covered by guarantee. Don't wait to accumulate miles.

I think there is a problem in the adjustment of the clutch pedal. I got a new clucth with proper adjustment (disk engaged at a lower pedal position) and have no burn smells for 4 months.

I have though some difficulties in gear shifting, obviously related to the pedal adjustment. The more abrupt disk's engagement is also not convenient to start on slippery roads and change gears at low speeds (jerking).

It seems too difficult to have a properly adjusted clutch in CTS. We would need many visits to dealerships.

[Rolla nutter]

My 03 reg CTS still on its original clutch and the current mileage is just over 95,400 miles... yes... nothing MAJOR has ever gone wrong at all.... about the clutch and the smell.. well I've to agree with you guys that it's a common problem, same apply to my colleague CTS but no replacement yet... i

My car actually runs really well and can't believe it's nearly 100K miles...

[exon16m]

yes i agree its part of the car .... like the plastic l bits that fall of the runners from the seats

[pb5]

I can smell the clutch burning in mine if I slip it just a little too much, I accept it as fairly normal. Best thing is just avoid holding the car on the clutch at traffic light & so for.

But my boss has a Corolla Verso 1.8 mk1 & he say's he can smell the clutch burning in that as well (but he doesn't like 5th gear. So may be it's him, not the car ).

pb

[exon16m]

(but he doesn't like 5th gear. So may be it's him, not the car  ).

pb

←

Thats the oddest dislike i have ever heard ( i am asuming it has only 5 gears )

[CTS03]

My 03 reg CTS still on its original clutch and the current mileage is just over 95,400 miles... yes... nothing MAJOR has ever gone wrong at all.... about the  clutch and the smell.. well I've to agree with you guys that it's a common problem, same apply to my colleague CTS but no replacement yet... i

My car actually runs really well and can't believe it's nearly 100K miles...

←

100K miles in 2 years (highway) could mean that the clutch has been used much less for start-stop actions compared to a car driven 10K miles in 1 year (mostly in cities). The disk's wear each time you go up backwards a steep driveway is much higher compared to several thousands miles of continous trip.

However, the ease to realize the burn smell may be also related to the heating air vent system of Corolla which seems to brings easily smells from the hot mechanical parts under the right side of the bonnet. The fan's air flow might have also been reduced in my car!

[Twincam.GTi]

It's reading things like this that frighten me off from spending so much money on buying a CTS.

A salesman at my local dealership (when ever I pop in for service items) keeps trying to sell me a CTS , I think I might print off some of these postings and show him. Perhaps these faults will then get back to Toyota and in the future things might get sorted for prespective future owners :) .

I think it is very destressing when someone spends their hard earned money and has scrimped and saved to buy a new/recent car and to have even the slightest fault. The reason people buy a new car is for total reliability and at the horiffic prices they are today a new car should be perfect.

I hope all of the above people have their faults sorted quickly and properly.

Happy Motoring

[Fmrl]

It was very difficult to convince Toyota that this was not my fault and it should be covered by guarantee. Don't wait to accumulate miles.

Strange thing is... I parked my car in the garage as normal last night and there was no smell at all - I don't think I did anything different.

Maybe I've just got used to the clutch now, I guess it was just a bit tricky going from an IS200 to a CTS!

I think there is a problem in the adjustment of the clutch pedal. I got a new clucth with proper adjustment (disk engaged at a lower pedal position) and have no burn smells for 4 months.

The high clutch is something I noticed straight away - I tried another CTS (with an 01 registration) while I was at my local dealer last time and that had a normal clutch so I don't think this problem affects all models. Toyota are insisting that the clutch can't be adjusted so maybe it's a manufacturing problem.

I have though some difficulties in gear shifting, obviously related to the pedal adjustment. The more abrupt disk's engagement is also not convenient to start on slippery roads and change gears at low speeds (jerking).

It sounds like you've got the reverse of my problem now - clutch too low (come to think of it though that 01 CTS I tried seemed to be like this too - the clutch would bite almost straight away). Are you thinking of taking it back and having it looked at again?

It seems too difficult to have a properly adjusted clutch in CTS. We would need many visits to dealerships.

I wonder if it's because the clutch is actually designed for a low spec engine and it can't properly handle the output of the 1.8?

[CTS03]

Fmrl, I have been also told that the clutch is not adjustable, but perhaps they do not mean the clutch pedal.

Has Toyota told you that the clutch pedal is not adjustable?

In Australia there is some kind of quiet recall for this:

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...?showtopic=1541

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...?showtopic=1483

Gear shifting is really annoying in my car only with cold engine and temperatures below 10C but this is not usual in Crete's island during working hours (today it was 17-18C at noon). So I am waiting for a cold winter day when both myself and the garage would be free. Rather difficult combination!

Concerning the specs of the clutch, there have been some posts that it could handle the engine power.

I do not know what could be wrong with clutch disks or clutch pedals but apparently there are many reports for both the two opposite extreme situations: either too much slipping (burn smell) or too much difficulty to change gears.

[pb5]

Exon16m

It only has 5 forward gears, 1.8 1ZZFE engine I think . It's a company car, he could have had any car upto £21,000 but he chose a Verso because his wife said the Verso was practical (she can't drive by the way :o ).

I think he should get a automatic next time .

pb

No offence to intended to those who might have a Verso :D .

[Fmrl]

No clutch smell last night either - maybe I've got used to the car now (or maybe it's got used to me!!).

The high clutch isn't that big a deal really, I guess it just means I have to use the handbrake a little bit more (as it's not so easy to jump from the brake to the accelerator quickly on hill starts). I think I'd prefer that to having a low clutch and then suffer from crunchy/notchy gear selection problems.

Next time I'll buy an auto

[CTS03]

It seems that some problems in gear shifting may not be related to any clutch adjustment but to bad lubrication at the connections of the moving parts for gear selection next to the gearbox under the bonnet. A lot of dirt may be accumulated in winter.

My mechanic sprayed some kind of grease (silicone? wax?) and resulted to a tremendous improvement !

So, I would insist that high clutch and easy burn smell is not the right situation. Perhaps the position of the clutch indicates an already worn disk?