Burning smell when TOD engages

[VehiGAZ]

Hi all,

Now that I finally got the VX on some snow (I had to go up to Vermont to find it!), I noticed a little problem...

As I arrived at the ski house, I got out of the VX and noticed the faint but distinct smell of burning clutch. The roads were completely dry until I got to the road the house is on - the road and the driveway were snow covered, so the TOD was doing its thing for about 150 yards.

This happened a couple of times up there over a couple of weekends - each time the TOD was engaging very briefly, but I noticed the smell when I got out of the truck (never while inside).

I don't know enough about automatic transmissions to be sure (and probably never will), but my limited understanding is that the AT has a torque converter, not a clutch, and so the smell wouldn't be coming from the transmission (although I'm not sure about how the lockup torque converter works). On the other hand, I know that the TOD has a multi-plate clutch pack, so that's my prime suspect.

Has this happened to anyone else? How was it fixed? Any thoughts on what I should have my dealer check? Thanks!!

[MSHardeman]

VehiGAZ,

I've noticed that smell too, but only in winter, and I'm wondering if it is the smell of the mag-chloride (or other stuff in the snow that gets kicked up) that they use to de-ice the roads out here in my little corner of Colorado as it burns off of the exhaust. I've done some off-roading before with the TOD engaging and disengaging, but I never noticed that smell. Only on snow.

My TOD might be frying itself too, but that's my two cents.

[Kenny]

I notice a burnt smell too, just thought it was hard braking... hmmm, but I can't say if it's just a winter thing...

[VehiGAZ]

MSH - a friend suggested the same thing, but I still think I smelled clutch.

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, I've been noticing a smell lately also when I get out of the VX. Its usually after some good hills up and down and hard braking, and wet/snowy roads seem to add to the fumes also. IMO, the smell seems to be coming from the rear end or underneath rather that under the hood. Could it just be moisture burning off the brakes or something like that??

I've been paying attention to it, but I am not sure what to make of it at the moment.

Bart

[Techy-D]

I noticed a "hot" smell, when I got out of my rig. I also thought burning breaks or something, but it didn't come back after that 1 time. It was on one of the more icy days that I drove slower than normal and was on the breaks more often, so I thought it was related, but may be related to the TOD as it was busy that day also. I wonder if the magnets that pull in the TOD get some oil on them and when they are used get hot (If they haven't been used for a while it would burn off, creating the smell). I guess I don't even know where they are located, or exactly how they work, so this might not be possible?

[WILLY]

I have the same smell and figured it was the muffler,Its been on now for 12,000 miles and is an oem muffler,I kinda thought that maybe that new muffler smell was just taking a long time to burn out.I notice the smell mainly after like 20 mile trips not short trips,hhmmmm I dunno.

[samendalk]

Im getting this problem from the driver side rear end.

Anyone figure this out yet?

[VXR]

Im getting this problem from the driver side rear end.

Anyone figure this out yet?

X2 like the previous posts I thought brakes first then maybe muffler

[JAMAS]

When you grease your u-joints, sometimes that excess grease spins out and gets hot enough to smell. I have had that before.


But I guess that would be all the time, not just when the TOD engages.