Cupra 280 smelly clutch?

[JamieLittwin]

Picked up delivery of a pre owned cupra about 3-4 weeks ago now and it's always had a slight smell of clutch. You can normally smell it once you get out the car and some people also notice the smell inside the car.

It smells even when it's not being booted and I haven't really ever noticed any slippage, could anyone shed some light on this? The car has only done 16,500 miles

 

[golf gti dude]

Never noticed anything. Take it back to dealership and see what they say

 

[zondaff]

Man or dsg?

 

[lajohnz]

What does it smell like?

 

[JamieLittwin]

It's manual, forgot to mention. I'm already going back tomorrow to get new pads as the current ones were clunking and crumbling apart and still had 70% left... I'll get them to have a look at it tomorrow and it smells like clutch, I have no real way of explaining the smell

 

[lajohnz]

Some people confuse clutch with the smell of brakes ! Any chance it's your brakes

 

[pulpmelon_280]

Organic friction material clutch smells of cabbage when abused, if the clutch is toast you would know about it.

Could be the brake pads as already highlighted?

 

[zondaff]

Brakes only smell horrendous when they're bedding in still, he's done 16,000 miles so I'm sure their bedded in.

 

[KenTT]

Brakes only smell horrendous when they're bedding in still, he's done 16,000 miles so I'm sure their bedded in.

Not unless a calliper is binding.

 

[KenTT]

Does the car roll freely on a flat surface? Is the handbrake releasing fully?

 

[JamieLittwin]

It's difficult really as I've put it through several different tests to attempt to get slippage but it seems to just hold fine. I have no issues pulling away or anything, although I have done the 3rd gear test and it did pull always slightly before stalling but could that be down to the power of the engine?

I'm really struggling to pin down the smell, I took my friend out in it the other day and he said the smell was identical to when he used to drift his mx5

 

[zondaff]

Not unless a calliper is binding.

True say,

 

[matthab]

One brake hotter than the other?

 

[JamieLittwin]

Well I'm in the dealership now and they're replacing the crumbling pads and they said it could be the pads causing the smell. As posted above, the smell isn't that horrendous it just smells like clutch but it comes and goes. I know someone who's had a BMW from brand new and they said its smelt like clutch from the moment they got it, I'll post on here if the garage comes up with anything

 

[JamieLittwin]

Got the pads changed today and I can say the smell seemes to have dissappereared for now. I done some stop start and gave it the beans, breaking is so much better now too. I'd advise any cupra owners to check out their pads for crumbling as you may be able to get them swapped free of charge! Mine were still fairly new and only were 30% worn