Got off the freeway after driving for about 20 minutes and caught the unmistakable whiff of burnt clutches. Was driving very calmly and actually got close to 28mpg. My 2024 base model AWD has just over 8miles. Ended up driving another 65 miles and the smell went away Around the end of the trip but smelled it at 2 more lights. Super weird. Anyone else experience this?
I think what you’re experiencing is normal for new cars, had it in the beginning for my brothers 22 Camry and also my 24 Santa Fe, it goes away after a few 100 miles. I’d count my 18 F150 in too but since it was a diesel it smelled like that once every week.
@Sam
Never had that with any of my 5 other new cars. So odd …
There are other posts here about brake smell. I had it for about 5 days and noticeable in my garage only and it went away.
I think it’s some of the coatings on the rotor burning off. Some had it last less and others longer.
This is normal.
You sure it wasn’t the brakes?
Based on the comments I am going with brakes. Lol. Thanks team!
Same here, had it for a few days and then it went away.
Weird that it took this long for this to happen. Also, they have already resurfaced the rotors due to warp. No bueno.
Just brought home a 2025 with 12 miles on it yesterday and am having a burning smell. Texted the dealership and was told it’s perfectly normal for new cars. “All the welds on the exhaust make that smell since it’s new. Give it a few thousand miles and it will go away.” Glad to read on here it goes away quicker than that.
Yikes, burning clutch smell on an almost brand-new car is definitely weird! If you were driving calmly, it’s not like you were riding the clutch or anything, so it could be something else—like a new car breaking in, or maybe some residue burning off from the factory or exhaust system. Still, smelling it at lights is kinda sus. If it keeps happening, might be worth taking it in to get checked—better safe than sorry, especially on a car that fresh!