A burning smell when shifting gears means something is running too hot. On a manual car, the usual suspect is the clutch. On an automatic, it can be overheated transmission fluid.
Start with the manual. A slipping clutch makes heat, and the friction material overheats. Crawling uphill in traffic can do it. A smell in normal driving points to a worn clutch.
Automatics are different. Low or old fluid overheats and stops cooling the moving parts. A leak can also drip fluid onto hot engine parts, where it burns.
Here’s what to do right then:
- Pull over: stop somewhere safe as soon as you can
- Shut it off: let the transmission cool down
- Look underneath: red or brown drips point to a fluid leak
- Wait for a check: avoid driving until a shop finds the cause
Drive a manual? Keep your foot off the clutch pedal unless you’re shifting. Resting it there stops the clutch from gripping fully.
The smell won’t fix itself. More driving can turn a small repair into a big one, so let our mechanics find the cause. For prices, read our guide to clutch replacement cost in Vancouver.
Service desk The full guide
Clutch replacement cost in Vancouver: the published prices, what a quote covers and how to compare quotes.