Burning clutch smell, brand new car!

[Illus]

My 15 1.4 manual has about 500 miles on it now, and I keep smelling what (to me) smells like burning clutch while I'm driving around town. Is this normal for these cars? I've owned plenty of manual transmissions before, but I've never bought one brand new. It doesn't feel like it's slipping, but I'm still only 400 miles (most highway) into this car, and I'm not jumping on the throttle hard yet.


2015 Sonic LTZ Hatch Manual~1.4T
2004 Saturn Ion Redline~2.0S
2002 Silverado Z71~5.3
1960 Chevy Bel Air~454

 

[bluejay]

my car had a burning smell for the first little bit but it wasnt a clutch . did you happen to have the car undersprayed/oil sprayed rust protected ? if so u may be smelling that . my burning smell went away after about 2 months

 

[Natesriv]

probably the new car smell and oils from factory... drive it easy for the 1st 500 miles... change oil as manual says... should be good.

 

[Stew]

Hot clutch and hot brakes smell pretty much the same, do think it may be brakes? Is your gas mileage lower than you'd expect, or are one of your wheels warmer than the rest, like you may have a sticking brake?

When my car was new, a couple times I did clutch heavy maneuvers like slowly backing up a steep curving driveway I got a couple whiffs of hot clutch.

 

[Illus]

I cooked enough clutches in my racing days to know clutch smell, but none of those were from the factory, they were all aftermarket, and that was totally different circumstances. I'm just wondering if it's normal for the car, because I don't want GM telling me it's my fault if it melts out at 2k.

No underbody spray or rust protection done, it's definitely not hot brakes, I checked (that's the current problem on my IRL, LOL), and it's not under heavy clutch loads, I'm not even shifting above 3000 rpm or climbing hills.

If it's new car smell like Natesriv suggested, it's certainly different than new car smell used to be.


2015 Sonic LTZ Hatch Manual~1.4T
2004 Saturn Ion Redline~2.0S
2002 Silverado Z71~5.3
1960 Chevy Bel Air~454

 

[Illus]

BTW, I appreciate everyone's input!


2015 Sonic LTZ Hatch Manual~1.4T
2004 Saturn Ion Redline~2.0S
2002 Silverado Z71~5.3
1960 Chevy Bel Air~454

 

[Syrup]

It could be the turbo outgassing. I thought the same thing with my car at the beginning and had my brother with me who knows the clutch smell say it wasn't the clutch. The turbo was our guess. 20,000 miles later and there's no problems. I think the smell went away after 1,000 or 2,000 miles.

-Syrup

 

[spacedout]

Every new car will have that smell for the first few thousand miles... typically its plastic/sticker that comes on the exhaust pipe.

 

[mightysonic]

Just like everyone else I would chalk it up to your initial break-in from the factory.

 

[WyrTwister]

I cooked enough clutches in my racing days to know clutch smell, but none of those were from the factory, they were all aftermarket, and that was totally different circumstances. I'm just wondering if it's normal for the car, because I don't want GM telling me it's my fault if it melts out at 2k.

No underbody spray or rust protection done, it's definitely not hot brakes, I checked (that's the current problem on my IRL, LOL), and it's not under heavy clutch loads, I'm not even shifting above 3000 rpm or climbing hills.

If it's new car smell like Natesriv suggested, it's certainly different than new car smell used to be.


2015 Sonic LTZ Hatch Manual~1.4T
2004 Saturn Ion Redline~2.0S
2002 Silverado Z71~5.3
1960 Chevy Bel Air~454

Is , by chance the parking brake on , slightly ?

Is it a hydraulic clutch or straight mechanical linkage ?

I would take it back so fast it would make your eye balls rattle . And keep on the dealership until it is right . If you do not , you have no one to blame except yourself .

If you do not get results , do not hesitate to contact Chevy Customer Service hotline .

God bless
Wyr