My FL2 is 2 months old and only 1500 miles.

Twice recently I've reversed up a drive, and each time there was a light smell of burning in the car. Not strong, and not lasting, but there nonetheless.

The drive is quite steep, but short.

I put this down to newness etc, but now I'm not so sure. Has anyone else experienced this? Would others have it back at the dealer immediately?

2 months old?i would not hesitate in contacting dealer for investigation into said smell.

The reverse gear is a bit high on the Freelander 2, especially for intricate manoeuvres uphill, even more so if you are towing, after having a Manual one when it came to change I went for the Auto. Even so you need to get it back to the dealer  p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Depends how much youre revving and slipping the clutch whilst reversing up your slope.

Normal reversing without excessive slipping of the clutch I wouldnt have thought youd smell anything especially if the cars only 1500 miles

Why not go in forwards and roll back out?

you can get a smell like a burning clutch when the dpf is re generating when the smell happens again check to see if you can feel a lot of heat coming from underneath the car at the back of the front wheels if so it could be the dpf in re gen mode  rainy-city
xs

It seems we have two members now with MY13 Clutch slipping, one with 3000 miles and one with 1500 miles, have LR changed something and not for the better? p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Despite rumours to the contrary, still basically the same crap design/parts Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

Thanks all.

I thought about the DPF, but then thought it would be too much of a coincidence that it chose the same place to regenerate, but of course it depends on how the regeneration is triggered?

My instinct is clutch. The way the drive/road meet means there is a bit of clutch bite/slip on the way up the drive (it's not one smooth run).

Anyway, thanks for the input. I'll let you all know the outcome.

I would say that it was your clutch as I had a similar experience when my car was new as well.

we were parked at the side of the road facing the sea and I reversed back out up the steep slope and the smell was evident. First time I've had this in over 40 years of driving !!

happened again last year when my wife was driving out of a pub car park onto the main road and it was a very steep exit.

on both occasions it was due to excessive slipping of the clutch due to the terrain and traffic situations.

if you were to do this constantly then I would imagine it would have a detrimental effect on the clutch, but now and then should do no harm.

I am aware that this is what happens and have adjusted my driving style accordingly when faced with similar situations, and the smell has never came back.

so I don't think it's anything to worry about, just be aware that it will happen, and adjust your driving style.


Iain

My guess is the clutch. Mine started smelling right on the day of purchase, when trying to come over ice bumps. Clutch needed changing at 35 Tkm. Good luck

Last edited by Atrix on 21st May 2013 3:45 pm. Edited 1 time in total

I was on holiday in Wales earlier this year. My car had done 30000 miles. I reversed up a steep hill and I could smell the clutch burning. The next day I went up the same hill forwards and the car was like a rocket! No slipping and plenty of power. I thought it might just be a quirk of reversing in a FL2 up a hill? Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
Gone MY2010 Freelander 2 Manual TD4.e S, Alaska White.

I would have gone for DPF regen... it caught me out once. ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

Almost really as if the clutch isnt big enough for the job and heats up too quickly?

The greater the diameter, the more area to act as a heatsink, too small a diameter heats up quickly as theres not enough area to dissipate the heat quickly enough?
Appears they are designed to just about do the job and no more in reserve?

DPF filter cooking has a very different smell to clutch linings.

Its happened to me and the smell has gone away fine with no issues. Reading the original post, I'm getting the impression that during reversing, the poster is riding the clutch, holding it so there is enough of a bite point to reverse up the hill under a controlled speed. In doing so , the clutch is being forced to slip, and so is heating up quickly creating the smell. (essentially a driver created problem)

This being different from the having the clutch fully out and trying to reverse up the hill, and then the clutch slipping of its own accord. ( a mechanical problem )

I got the smell when trying to reverse the horse trailer up onto the driveway and the wheel brakes kicked in, and I was trying to push against the stopped trailer, and was riding the clutch to control speed. It only took a couple of seconds for the clutch to heat up and smell.

To me, I think the friction material in the clutch is particularly grippy compared to older bigger land rovers, and its not really designed to slip as well as older styles, and when it does it heats and smells on short time.

My clutch starts to smell in any situation when a bit of slip is required - climbing a kerb, reversing up a hill, etc. I panicked the first time but there don't seem to be any ill-effects (and that's over three years).