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Old 02-16-2018, 10:43 AM   #1
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Burned Rubber Odor Eminating From 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee After Towing

This is more of an FYI, but still interested in knowing if anyone else has experienced this:

Since the very first time we towed our 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit behind the motorhome, we have noticed an odor of burned rubber emanating from the Jeep after disconnecting it from the motorhome and driving it for a bit. It is generally most noticeable after braking but also during normal driving.

It was worse when the Jeep was brand new, but much less yet still noticeable now, after having put 3500 miles on it.

I’ve had our Jeep dealer take a look at it - nothing unusual found. We also had the installers of the Blue Ox/Invisibrake sytem go over everything - again nothing found.

We’ve since discovered other models of Jeep and other makes of cars also experience this.

Consensus is that road debris and microscopic rubber particles get kicked up and settle on the Jeep during towing... including disc brakes and exhaust system components. When the Jeep is disconnected from the MH and driven, exhaust parts heat up, as do the brakes when applied, resulting in the odor of burning rubber. The odor greatly diminishes after the car has been driven awhile, and almost completely disappears if the car has not been towed for a period of time.

Just wondering who else may have experienced this, what your thoughts are, and what actions, if any, were taken.

Thanks in advance. Bill
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:50 AM   #2
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Very interesting theory about the road particles causing this. If that's the case, then one would expect the same phenomenon to happen, to some degree, to all toads. Curious to hear from others if they experience this as well. I don't have enough experience with a toad to contribute.
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:53 AM   #3
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It has always happened with both MHs and two different toads. This a really good reason to select Re-Circulation setting on your climate control before towing.
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:54 AM   #4
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It has always happened with both MHs and two different toads. This a really good reason to select Re-Circulation setting on your climate control before towing.


Oh yah... learned that early on!
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:54 AM   #5
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Bill,

We experience the same thing. I've added another step to my checklist for hooking up the Jeep. I press the air recirculation button on the dash prior to shutting the engine off. This closes the outside vents.

If this actually does anything to inhibit the smell, I don't really know. One thing for sure is I don't get the burnt rubber/oil smell when I disconnect and start the Jeep up. It usually takes me a few miles to remember to turn the recirculation button back off and in all probability these few minutes are when all the bad stuff burns off

Hope that helps, Brian
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:59 AM   #6
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Great idea, I'll try that this weekend.
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Old 02-16-2018, 11:02 AM   #7
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I was just wondering if those who pull a toad on a dolly ever experience that smell?
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Old 02-16-2018, 11:22 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LostDutchman View Post
This is more of an FYI, but still interested in knowing if anyone else has experienced this:

Since the very first time we towed our 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit behind the motorhome, we have noticed an odor of burned rubber emanating from the Jeep after disconnecting it from the motorhome and driving it for a bit. It is generally most noticeable after braking but also during normal driving.

It was worse when the Jeep was brand new, but much less yet still noticeable now, after having put 3500 miles on it.

I’ve had our Jeep dealer take a look at it - nothing unusual found. We also had the installers of the Blue Ox/Invisibrake sytem go over everything - again nothing found.

We’ve since discovered other models of Jeep and other makes of cars also experience this.

Consensus is that road debris and microscopic rubber particles get kicked up and settle on the Jeep during towing... including disc brakes and exhaust system components. When the Jeep is disconnected from the MH and driven, exhaust parts heat up, as do the brakes when applied, resulting in the odor of burning rubber. The odor greatly diminishes after the car has been driven awhile, and almost completely disappears if the car has not been towed for a period of time.

Just wondering who else may have experienced this, what your thoughts are, and what actions, if any, were taken.

Thanks in advance. Bill
Bill,
First off, we've been towing toads now for, almost 40 years. Mostly Jeeps but, there's others too, a CRV, a Toyota truck and, our GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4. And with each and every one of them, YES, you will get that sort of "burnt rubber" type smell right after you start up your recently towed vehicle. Yes, it's debris/dust/rubber particles/potentially mud (if rain travel was involved) and and more. When you drive a vehicle, it's harder for this stuff to be deposited on anything, much less the exhaust system.

But, when you tow a toad, it's easier for deposit because, the coach is kicking up potential debris and all that and, now your toad, which is cold and not running, gets at least some of that dust/debris deposited on the exhaust system, especially since the exhaust system is predominantly the lowest part of most vehicles. When you start that recently towed toad up, and drive it for a short while, all that deposited stuff now burns off. Happens to us EVERY TIME we tow any of our toads.
Scott

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Originally Posted by brianw8602 View Post
Bill,

We experience the same thing. I've added another step to my checklist for hooking up the Jeep. I press the air recirculation button on the dash prior to shutting the engine off. This closes the outside vents.

If this actually does anything to inhibit the smell, I don't really know. One thing for sure is I don't get the burnt rubber/oil smell when I disconnect and start the Jeep up. It usually takes me a few miles to remember to turn the recirculation button back off and in all probability these few minutes are when all the bad stuff burns off

Hope that helps, Brian
Brian,
Don't know about your towed vehicle but ours, a '15 Jeep JKUR, no matter what the settings are when the vehicle/engine is shut down, after a designated amount of time, the A/C - Heat system has "auto-actions" that move blend doors and other A/C system components around for pre-determined settings. Our '11 Honda CRV did the same exact thing. If we were real quiet, sitting in the Honda or our present Jeep, and shut the engine down, then sat there for oh, about 15-30 seconds or so, you could hear those components moving around.

Some folks in the Jeep forums thought there were gremlins crawling around and one or two, took their Jeeps to the dealer to have them checked out. Olly to be told and shown, that there's auto actions being done after that predetermined amount of time.
Scott

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I was just wondering if those who pull a toad on a dolly ever experience that smell?
nctox,

The dolly towers should have the same reactions. Dirt/dust/debris/tire-rubber particles can and will be deposited on the exhaust of even a dolly towed car/truck. Whether they notice the smell or not after startup, is maybe not always noticed, depending on some variables.
Scott
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Old 02-16-2018, 02:55 PM   #9
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I tow on a dolly and the burnt rubber smell after towing is always there. Goes away after a few hours of driving. First time it happened I wasn’t aware and spent a bit of time under the hood looking for issues with the car.
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Old 02-16-2018, 03:30 PM   #10
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Thank you everyone. That pretty much confirms it for me... The good news is that in all the cases I was familiar with where that odor has been present, nobody has ever reported any ill after effects or any defects or problems with their vehicles...
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Old 02-16-2018, 10:13 PM   #11
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Thank you everyone. That pretty much confirms it for me... The good news is that in all the cases I was familiar with where that odor has been present, nobody has ever reported any ill after effects or any defects or problems with their vehicles...
The design of the exhaust system and how well it's protected, plays a pretty good role in just how much accumulation of any of the aforementioned "stuff" gets deposited on any particular toads exhaust system. Some will notice the smell more pungent than others. In just about all cases, depending on just how hard and long the toad is ran or driven, right after being towed, determines how long the smell will last. If you fire up the toad after unhooking from the coach and, immediately enter a freeway and drive at 65 mph for anything longer than about 5 minutes, the smell will be totally gone.

But, if you fire it up after unhooking and cruise at say, 10-20 mph looking for a restaurant to eat at, it will last a bit longer 'cause the exhaust system is not pushed to heat up as much as it would in the freeway driving scenario.
Scott
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Old 02-17-2018, 11:55 AM   #12
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Had this occur with our Wrangler, and now to a lesser extent with our Grand Cherokee. Smell burns off after a few minutes. No problem, but concerning first time it happens.
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Old 02-17-2018, 07:28 PM   #13
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My old Tracker smells like a tire fire when I drive it after towing.
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Old 02-17-2018, 07:43 PM   #14
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Well that apparently solves that problem! LOL!! I had the same thing happen when I pulled the '11 GC, took it to the dealer, nothing! Everytime I pulled it it happened, checked and re-checked, nothing. Changed Coaches, and Cherokee's still there so guess it is what it is!! LOL!!
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