I have just been camping and went up some pretty steep hills and when i got to the campsite I put the car in reverse and got the caravan in place and the cutch stunk of burning and the car was stuck in reverse but then coming home the car was fine has anyone else had this do i need to buy a new clutch my car is a vauxhall zafira 1.8 2003 model
Hard to say really, if the car was just used locally then perhaps just wait until it fails, but if you're off on yer hols soon towing the 'van, being stuck beside the road don't 'arf spoil things.
Sitting in car engine running, press clutch pedal fully, can you then hear a grinding/rattling noise? sign of a worn release bearing. if not see how it goes, but try to avoid slipping the clutch while towing, try to have pedal fully up or fully down, not in between.
My Vectra 1.9CDTI 150 estate does the same thing, push the clutch too far and it "STINKS" but after cooling down, no problems. This is my second vectra and the first did the same!
there is nothing wrong with your clutch , the smell and burning is due to health & safety they are not allowed to put asbestos in clutch & brake linings any more , i had all this years ago on my Mondeo TDCI estate and now i am on 60000 miles on the same clutch from new
Agree with above, we had the same problem reversing onto the pitch with a Mondeo. The smoke was bellowing from the clutch, stunk like hell and wouldn't reverse!. The smell was still terrible 4 or 5 days later. However handled the 360 mile drive home no problem, and never gave us a problem again.
------------- Mar 09 - Delamere
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A lot of people think that the burning smell from the car is due to the journey and all the hard work that the car has done to get there. I firmly believe that the burning smell is due only to the manouvering process of pitching the van. This is especially bad when parking a moderately sized van with a light-weight car. You will notice next time that when you arrive at the site reception, you should get nothing more then a slight hot oil odour. It's only after parking up that the burning smell is present. If your lucky, you may even get some smoke. This is normal but not ideal. The best cure is an auto box and/or at least a beefier car. In any case, more tow car weight is safer and easier.
A daft thing to do is holding the clutch in on a steep slope ie when you are stopped at the lights for ages, and you'll get it ........ even without a caravan on the back !
just a quick note you clutch has a hydrolic releace bearing(slave cylinder), and these can stick under alot of heat, you could bleed you clutch fluid through just encase you have alittle water in the line.