Was having some fun in a parking lot in the snow we just had. I was using the handbrake & sliding the car a bit. Now I have an awful smell coming from the car. It could be the clutch or the rear brakes. It smells like a truck that was riding its brakes hard down a hill. I thought it would air out, but it still smells awful even after a about 50 miles. This kind of leads me to more of it being the clutch, but it drives fine so far.

Anyone have any insight?

Thanks

 

How long have you been holding the e-brake?

and if you got out of the car, did you smell more in the front or the back?

 

held the ebrake for a while....

It smells everywhere. Inside the car as well. I am leaning towards the clutch, as brake smell should go away. I cant pinpoint exactly where the smell is coming from. I didnt ride the clutch, so initally I didnt think it was the clutch. I was just spinning & hold the ebrake as i put the car into spins. I only played around for around 30 secs or so.....but apparently it was enough...

 

Explain what you were doing when holding the e-brake. I.E. What pedals were depressed and such?

 

when holding the ebrake I was only on/off the gas......No clutch.

 

I have a large doubt it's your clutch, when you let it sit to cool down, and come back later to motor, did it smell when driving? You're leaving out a lot of details that needs to be mentioned.

 

Yes it still smells. I drove the car today & it still smells.(I played last nite) If you get close enough to the car you smell it. I opened the hood, but it wasnt a concentrated smell there. You can really smell it inside the car. When I was warming the car up today I had the defrost running & it was god-awful. I had to open up all the doors & sunroof.

 

Ok, now it sounds like neither your brakes OR your clutch. more like a rodent that has found it's way into your HVAC/Heating system.

 

LOL....i wish it was that!!

Nah its definetly the burnt friction smell..

 

Could you try and describe what the smell is, or what it is similar to? My first guess would be brakes.

 

I did the same thing yesterday... I have the same "problem" but when you have fun a car.... I kinda expect it... give it a week or so... if it doesnt go away... then be concerned.

-Josh

 

i think you smoked your clutch..big time.

 

me too, if it is still there, i dont think it is the brakes! Clutch smells tend to be very pungent and last awhile! Hopefully everything turns out ok!

 

Get to a resonable speed, but not fast, in third gear and floor it as you watch the tack. Does the tack jump up without you gaining speed or do you gain speed as the tack slowly climbs up?

If you tack got to 6,500/7,000 and your not mooving any faster you've got a problem. If you gain speed as the tack goes up slowly your OK.

Earl

 

Dont worry Im pretty sure the smell is not the clutch!!! I had the exact same situation last winter except in my g/f's new VW 1.8T Beetle...it snowed and I went to an empty parking lot to suprise her and show her my sweet driving skills . Anyway I did about 10 minutes of non-stop slides, ebrake turns, etc. then I decided to go home before anyone called the police on me. About 10 minutes later on the way home we began smelling a really strong burning smell. The next day when she drove her car the smell came back after a few minutes of driving. I was praying it wasn't the brand new clutch! Anyway to make a long story short, the next day I ended up bringing her car to a friend at a local garage. I told him what happened and he immediately said that one of the rear brake drums was jammed on. He told me to yank the ebrake up and down a few times while driving slow; I did it and the smell was gone within a few minutes. Give it a try and if that doesnt work, good luck finding a good deal on a new clutch.

 

The hand brake mechanism has a "ratchet" built in to keep the cable tight. On some MINI's there has been a problem with it overtightening and the back brakes burn out as a result.

The other possibility is that you got a plastic bag on your exhaust system. They really stink, and it takes a LONG time to melt off. Mine (on another car) stunk for a month, even after I pulled the remnants of the bag off the pipe.

Run the car with out moving it. If it begins to stink, it is probably the bag (or the rodent) on the exhaust.

If it doesn't stink. Drive the car a mile or so, then CAREFULLY check the temperature of your rear brake rotors and see if one or both are hot.

To cook the clutch, it would have to be held part way engaged and allowed to slip. Some MINI's have a deffective slave cylinder that can cause that to happen.

John

 

It does sound like maybe a jammed rear brake pad. My old Ford Probe had this problem... e-brake cable would get "stuck" even when you disengaged the brake handle... after a few miles driving the rear rotor would get extremely hot...even a bit red/glowing, because it was driving with the brake engaged. And it stunk, too.

good luck,

-boognish

 

I see no way to burn your clutch by doing on/off gas manuevers in snow. It does sound like your e-brake is stuck, however. I had a friend whose passat (older one) would smell in the winter because the e-brake would actually freeze (if water was present) to the rotor.

Not saying that happened to you, though, it sounds more like the abuse you were putting it through made something in the brakes malfunction.

mb

 

Yep, sounds like a pad is stuck. Drive until you smell the smell. Then stop and get close to both back wheels, see which one stinks. You can also jack up the rear end, and with the parking brake off, spin the rear wheels by hand, is one harder to spin, or can you hear rubbing?

Steve

 

Thanks guys.......I will measure the temp of the rear rotors & see if one is hotter than the other.

 

Ok its not the brakes. But what is going on is, everytime I start the car is screeches for a second, but only when it starts. I drove the car a lot yesterday shopping, with a lot shuting down & starting the car. From that the smell comes back. I opened the hood and had someone start the car, the screeching noise comes from the belt area. Has anyone had an issue with a screeching noise only during startup?

Thanks...