Burning rubber smell in my tow vehicle

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by Kampers

I have towed our Chevy Colorado 4 times now, every time so far I smell the burned rubber, I have checked the brakes several times during trips and as soon as we arrive to our location just to see if they are hot, maybe the Patriot brake system causing it, nope. Today I am driving the Colorado, it still has the burned rubber smell inside the cab, we been home from vacation for 6 days now.

Does you motorhome have a full width mud flap on the back?

[ShelbyTom1]

I do not think it’s rubber.
It’s your transmission.
I tow a 2013 Explorer and the manual say no faster than 65 mph and every 200-250 miles to run the vehicle for 5 minutes.
I have the same smell after long towing days if I do not stop.
When I stop for breaks I usually start it for a few minutes and it definitely helps.

[F4Gary]

It's road surface debris.

[Wacdmc]

Originally Posted by ShelbyTom1

I do not think it’s rubber.
It’s your transmission.
I tow a 2013 Explorer and the manual say no faster than 65 mph and every 200-250 miles to run the vehicle for 5 minutes.
I have the same smell after long towing days if I do not stop.
When I stop for breaks I usually start it for a few minutes and it definitely helps.

Respectfully disagree - it’s not the transmission; it’s road debris and grime. I towed an Equinox on a dolly for years and it happened every time.

[Jon_C]

Originally Posted by ShelbyTom1

I do not think it’s rubber.
It’s your transmission.
I tow a 2013 Explorer and the manual say no faster than 65 mph and every 200-250 miles to run the vehicle for 5 minutes.
I have the same smell after long towing days if I do not stop.
When I stop for breaks I usually start it for a few minutes and it definitely helps.

I also respectfully disagree. My Jeep has a transfer case in neutral, towing is no different for the transmission than sitting still.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by Mickeylight

….,..

…One thing I do, is make sure the Air Conditioning Controls on the Towed Vehicle are set on recirculate where as you are not bringing air into the car from the outside while it is being towed. If all of the possibilities of what’s causing the odor were accurate you would think I with 15 different vehicles would have noticed something. Coaches were all diesel pushers, 2 single axles and 2 with dual rear axles. All had their mudflats attached.

THIS^^^^^

I have only had the smells y’all are talking about inside the toad one time after towing and it’s because I forgot to set the toad’s climate control to recirculate before shutting it off when preparing to tow.

I have a Diesel pusher with full length mud flap, and have flat towed both a Ford Focus and Ford Excursion 4wd.

[Kampers]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Does you motorhome have a full width mud flap on the back?

Yes it does

[ShelbyTom1]

Originally Posted by Wacdmc

Respectfully disagree - it’s not the transmission; it’s road debris and grime. I towed an Equinox on a dolly for years and it happened every time.

You may be correct.
I was always under the impression that after 200-250 miles since the the trans fluid is not being circulated that it starts to get dry.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by ShelbyTom1

You may be correct.
I was always under the impression that after 200-250 miles since the the trans fluid is not being circulated that it starts to get dry.

If after towing you can smell burned fluid or seals from your own transmission you probably did extensive damage to the transmission from lack of lubrication.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by Kampers

Yes it does

Well, I took mine off and the burning rubber smell was greatly reduced if not completely gone.

[Kampers]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Well, I took mine off and the burning rubber smell was greatly reduced if not completely gone.

Good to know, thank you

[2cyber71]

I’ve been towing 4 down since 2003.
Very often I get that funny smell on both vehicles I towed.
What it is I don’t know, but after driving the vehicle for the first day it’s gone.
I think it’s something from the diesel exhaust that sits on the hood of the tow vehicle because it’s strongest there.
Never had a problem related to it.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by 2cyber71

I’ve been towing 4 down since 2003.
Very often I get that funny smell on both vehicles I towed.
What it is I don’t know, but after driving the vehicle for the first day it’s gone.
I think it’s something from the diesel exhaust that sits on the hood of the tow vehicle because it’s strongest there.
Never had a problem related to it.

It's not that. It is the rubber debris collected on the cold exhaust system burning off once it gets hot.


Plenty of gas coach folks get the same smell. Me included until I removed that full width flap.

[Big-Foot]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

It's not that. It is the rubber debris collected on the cold exhaust system burning off once it gets hot.


Plenty of gas coach folks get the same smell. Me included until I removed that full width flap.

Ya know, it’s great to be sure of yourself, but it’s even better if you can show proof of what you are continually saying so we can be sure too….
Until then, your opinion is not necessarily shared.
Try cracking the windows on your toad and I’m confident that most of that exhaust buildup in the toad will be gone.
Now, of course I have no way of proving the existence or lack thereof, of an invisible gas. Rubber bits - should not be invisible and should also be on top of the engine in the toad…