[SewingBob]

Cheers

New G61 and first time BMW owner here. 520d touring, it's the family car.

Car is new (obviously), right now about 1300 km driven so I know stuff needs to settle in. However I realised an occasional smell of a burning clutch after longer drives. It can happen but is not happening always. For now my working theory is driving 45+ minutes, not related to any mode I am in or D or S mode.
Given that I don't stomp on the brakes like an idiot I'd say it is clutch and not breaks. Car does not give any other indication that something is not right, temp is fine, no engine warning lights or something like that.

Is that normal or should I visit the dealer? Is there a coating on the clutch that needs to wear off?

Thanks

[AiredaleDad]

Originally Posted by SewingBob

Cheers

New G61 and first time BMW owner here. 520d touring, it's the family car.

Car is new (obviously), right now about 1300 km driven so I know stuff needs to settle in. However I realised an occasional smell of a burning clutch after longer drives. It can happen but is not happening always. For now my working theory is driving 45+ minutes, not related to any mode I am in or D or S mode.
Given that I don't stomp on the brakes like an idiot I'd say it is clutch and not breaks. Car does not give any other indication that something is not right, temp is fine, no engine warning lights or something like that.

Is that normal or should I visit the dealer? Is there a coating on the clutch that needs to wear off?

Thanks

Hi SewingBob. Welcome to the Forum. Sorry, but I have to ask. Do you have a tendency of Riding the clutch?(Keeping your foot resting on the clutch while driving as if it was a foot rest.) Some people don't realize how high the clutch can be set in different cars. I always make sure I take my foot all the way off the clutch and rest it on the floor unless I am in heavy traffic. My Mercedes has a very high clutch and it disengages pretty quickly. Other cars I have owned you have to depress the clutch almost half way before it starts to disengage.

[SewingBob]

It's an automatic (is it even available as manual?). That's why I don't understand it.

[Tommie75]

In my G20 320d, I noticed the same thing after driving on the highway. It does smell like the clutch/gearbox but I’m wondering if it could be the brakes instead. But I’ve never had an issue with it (170k km’s).
And no, the 520d isn’t available with a manual transmission.

[SewingBob]

Thanks Tommie.
Brakes was also my first thought but I ruled it out brakes are easy to control. Smelled it last time in the heavy downpour the last days and during this I definitely did not break very hard

I think I will observe it, if it does not get better in the next 2k km I'll get in touch with the dealer (just to be on the save side for warranty issues).

[AiredaleDad]

I was under the impression Automatics did not have a clutch. Don't they use a torque converter instead? Or is this some kind of new "Automated Manual" that uses a clutch with an auto shifter?

[SewingBob]

Update after 2k km: smell is gone. Either broken or stuff that was on the disks went away. Either way OK with me 😊