Knowledgable car people.... Reversing trailer + smoke!

Michen

Michen

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So my Tiguan is brand new, it's done less than a hundred miles. I hitched up the trailer and had to reverse it a long way as there's no where to turn it round thanks to all the mud (it has 4WD but mud seriously seriously deep). Probably reversed it about 500 metres (going forward every now and again to change line) round a bendy track.

Genuinely I am not a horrendous driver (promise!) and I am certainly not heavy on the clutch, but the car was quite literally billowing smoke out of the bonnet. It had that horrible burning smell but also sort of "new" smell at the same time? Of course I know the clutch smells a bit if you are hard on it Etc but I cannot fathom the ridiculous amount of smoke and burning from this fairly simple (albiet fiddly and time consuming) reversing. Knowledgeable friend was also stumped!

Wondering whether to get trailer brakes checked, it didn't feel like they were locking or anything but I just can't see how this could happen when the car was reversing less than half of its towing capacity?

If I thought I was being super heavy on the clutch I wouldn't be worried as it would be an obvious explanation.. But I was particularly careful!
 
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Did it smell like clutch? It has a very distinctive smell if you have smelled it before. How high were you revs? Does your trailer have auto reverse brakes? Some old ones need to be manually shifted to reverse.
 
Are you sure it was smoke and not just steam from frost burning off? I once had this with my car, it literally looked as though it was going to burst into flames any minute.
 
The clutch in a new vehicle will burn off a bit when new and that isn't connected to bad driving as my automatic had a clutchy smell initially and it doesn't have one I can touch lol

Some trailers have a reversing button doodah you need to engage to stop the brakes coming on.

Were the wheels turning and did it go back easily or did you leave big drag marks. That would tell you if the brakes were binding on.
 
Definitely smoke not steam. It smelt like both clutch and brakes (I know both smells) but also slightly plastic is the only way I can describe it. Seemed to be coming from the passenger side of the bonnet. I did have to go through a little mud where it had to work hard (but not that hard) but the rest was a flat hardcore surface, just lots of fiddly movements as it was seriously tricky even with three of us in the pitch black. Will check the trailer tyre marks tomorrow that's a good idea!

Didn't notice revs being particularly high but was paying more attention to the reversing and the smoke was noticeable after I'd stopped. Engine temperature was totally fine though. It was just a bit shocking?!
 
FfionWinnie said:
The clutch in a new vehicle will burn off a bit when new and that isn't connected to bad driving as my automatic had a clutchy smell initially and it doesn't have one I can touch lol

Some trailers have a reversing button doodah you need to engage to stop the brakes coming on.

Were the wheels turning and did it go back easily or did you leave big drag marks. That would tell you if the brakes were binding on.
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It went back easily. Will check for drag marks. Hmm it's an ifor 505 2003 is it likely to have a reversing thingy?!
 
alainax said:
Did it smell like clutch? It has a very distinctive smell if you have smelled it before. How high were you revs? Does your trailer have auto reverse brakes? Some old ones need to be manually shifted to reverse.
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Clutch and brake!!

No idea re auto reverse brakes... So some trailers you have to put it in reverse?! What- then get back in to shift it back? How would I know? It's an ifor 2003... Nightmare lol! I swear even I smell of clutch!!
 
cobgoblin said:
Are you sure it was smoke and not just steam from frost burning off? I once had this with my car, it literally looked as though it was going to burst into flames any minute.
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Defo smoke. Car had been driving for an hour and then parked for half an hour before it was then put to work... No frost on it
 
Can't help re the new car (hope all is well with it) but a reminder to pull your trailer forward a bit after reversing it to park. Otherwise the brakes can jam on.

ETA A 2003 Ifor will be autoreverse, but Ifors are beggars for getting jammed brakes after reversing, as I know from experience.
 
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Michen said:
Clutch and brake!!

No idea re auto reverse brakes... So some trailers you have to put it in reverse?! What- then get back in to shift it back? How would I know? It's an ifor 2003... Nightmare lol! I swear even I smell of clutch!!
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I think the car being so new could be why you made it almost catch fire. Maybe take it for some nice easy work before you show it the life it's destined to lead :o

Has the trailer been serviced since you bought it?

My stock box has a reverse button. You have to engage it to reverse but when you pull forwards it pops back out. It's highly annoying and I only use it when reversing a load up a hill when the brakes come on.

I don't think my year old ifor does but I admit I wouldn't bother looking until such a time as it wouldn't go back lol 😳
 
Haha I am guessing if my ifor had such a button it wouldn't have gone back easily like it did. The trailer was serviced in June this year and is my instructors trailer (or rather was) so it shouldn't really need a service though will certainly get it done in the spring.

I had read something about going easy on new cars for the first few thousand miles? Tough luck Tiggy because it's going hunting on Sunday! Oh well it's got a 300 mile round trip tomorrow of motorway driving.

My hair defo smells of clutch lol!

FfionWinnie said:
I think the car being so new could be why you made it almost catch fire. Maybe take it for some nice easy work before you show it the life it's destined to lead :o

Has the trailer been serviced since you bought it?

My stock box has a reverse button. You have to engage it to reverse but when you pull forwards it pops back out. It's highly annoying and I only use it when reversing a load up a hill when the brakes come on.

I don't think my year old ifor does but I admit I wouldn't bother looking until such a time as it wouldn't go back lol ��
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I thought you were meant to run in a new car engine for a while. Definitely in the older days anyway. Hope you've not done any damage.
 
dixie said:
I thought you were meant to run in a new car engine for a while. Definitely in the older days anyway. Hope you've not done any damage.
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Possibly... I did read something like that but dealer said it would be fine to tow with straight away. Who knows. It's a lease car under warranty so we shall see...
 
Michen said:
Oh no I will deny all knowledge! Whaaaaaat? The clutch has gone after 10,000 miles? How shoddy of you VW! ��
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I went on to street view and found a pic of you reversing your trailer Michen.

9D566A6C-8211-4631-A393-17933FCFE6C5_zpseugqjf6l.jpg
 
Michen said:
Possibly... I did read something like that but dealer said it would be fine to tow with straight away. Who knows. It's a lease car under warranty so we shall see...
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When I got a new car they advised not to tow before having around 650-1,000 miles on the clock. Sounds like it has been put under too much pressure too early. New cars need time to 'loosen' before being made to work hard.
 
Bungo said:
When I got a new car they advised not to tow before having around 650-1,000 miles on the clock. Sounds like it has been put under too much pressure too early. New cars need time to 'loosen' before being made to work hard.
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Hmmmmm. Will try and avoid any hardcore reversing for a bit then!
 
well Ive been through this also with a BRAND NEW truck... not the same make as yours, the one top gear tried to destroy ;) . I had a 2006 one for 6 years, towed up and down the country with it with no issues, loved it. Took my new one home in 2014 and had the exact same issue as you. I urge you to insist now that the dealership look into this. I stupidly allowed myself to be fobbed off. I was in and out of the dealership like a yoyo. It had to have a new clutch at 4k miles.. that still didnt make it any better. In the end I was so fed up I traded it in.

A month or so later I was at a big show and a man approached me. He called me by my name and asked how i was and said he noticed i had changed my vehicle. I couldn’t place him and he prompted me that he was the service manager from the dealership and remembered me. He told me he had since left them and worked for another company and was pleased to see I had jumped ship and gone with another vehicle, he admitted he couldnt say anything at the time but they were inundated with new models with clutches that just werent up to the job.
 
Hmmmm. It is surprising as VW are in general very hardy well made cars. As it's not even my car anyway, but a lease company car, I am not responsible if something goes wrong. Having said that I have paid nearly 700 quid to have the Towbar fitted to said car so I would rather it didn't go back! I think I'll go easy on it for the next few hundred miles and if it does it again then I'll look into it. What make was your car that went wrong?

It's only a Tiguan not a monster truck so I'm not expecting it to be "made for the job" but it shouldn't exactly be struggling to reverse a 900kg trailer! My A3 could have done that!




NeverEver said:
well Ive been through this also with a BRAND NEW truck... not the same make as yours, the one top gear tried to destroy ;) . I had a 2006 one for 6 years, towed up and down the country with it with no issues, loved it. Took my new one home in 2014 and had the exact same issue as you. I urge you to insist now that the dealership look into this. I stupidly allowed myself to be fobbed off. I was in and out of the dealership like a yoyo. It had to have a new clutch at 4k miles.. that still didnt make it any better. In the end I was so fed up I traded it in.

A month or so later I was at a big show and a man approached me. He called me by my name and asked how i was and said he noticed i had changed my vehicle. I couldn’t place him and he prompted me that he was the service manager from the dealership and remembered me. He told me he had since left them and worked for another company and was pleased to see I had jumped ship and gone with another vehicle, he admitted he couldnt say anything at the time but they were inundated with new models with clutches that just werent up to the job.
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Michen said:
Hmmmm. It is surprising as VW are in general very hardy well made cars. As it's not even my car anyway, but a lease company car, I am not responsible if something goes wrong. Having said that I have paid nearly 700 quid to have the Towbar fitted to said car so I would rather it didn't go back! I think I'll go easy on it for the next few hundred miles and if it does it again then I'll look into it. What make was your car that went wrong?

It's only a Tiguan not a monster truck so I'm not expecting it to be "made for the job" but it shouldn't exactly be struggling to reverse a 900kg trailer! My A3 could have done that!
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the ‘indestructible’ one that top gear tried to destroy ;) certainly should have been made for the job, sad times.
 
I know that technically you don't have to follow the ancient rules of running in a new car now, but less than 100 miles on the clock seems to be a bit early for putting it through it's paces and smoke of any sort from the bonnet is not normal, so I would get it checked!
 
Michen said:
Defo smoke. Car had been driving for an hour and then parked for half an hour before it was then put to work... No frost on it
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Now I am not trying to confuse you really ! Did you press the ESP button on the dash as I assume it will have one to stop the ESP working. As simple as I can put it ESP stands for electronic stability program it a program that helps stop your car doing nasty things if you get out of shape.
If senses one of your wheels is slipping it will apply the brake to that wheel to try and put more traction through the oposite one it is possible if this system was in operation that you unknowingly had been driving with the brake applied for a period through the muddy part although your foot was off the brakes.
It is always best when offroad to disengage that system it actually aids your traction overall. Not sure of setup on tiguan so not even sure you have the option.
That would be my first suspicion anyhow!
 
^^ as Popsdosh says
Also was the trailer brake on. I always find I have to look at mine and double check it's not been put on (is usually parked with it off), but also some IW (ours included) if the trailer hasn't been moved for a longish while and it's been raining the brakes seize on, I think due to the brake dust accumulating and then getting damp and solidifying, so one has to faff about taking the wheel off to release or to run that wheel over a brick to release.
 
We went to an event once, truck and trailer pulls in, smoke everywhere and STINKING!! The driver got out complaining she had had a horrendous trip, trailer wouldn't tow. My OH told her to take her horse out of the trailer, he took the handbrake off the trailer and drove it back up the main road to cool the brakes down. All the trailer hub caps had popped off. She had driven 20 miles!!!!
 
Hope you didn't do the same as me! I drove our BMW X5 and trailer 30 miles to collect my daughter's new horse who was only 1 year old. When I arrived at the sellers yard I thought I could smell something odd - sniffed around the engine but knowing nothing about car engines, decided to ignore it.

Loaded new horse and set off for home. About half way in on the motorway I looked in wing mirror and saw lots of smoke. Pulled over to the hard shoulder and in a panic, phoned the RAC thinking that the turbo had blown on the car (had happened before). Horse was brilliant, happily munching hay while lorries thundered past him.

RAC man arrived pretty quickly and on walking past the trailer, said that he thought the smell was coming from it - it only turned out I'd left the handbrake on for the whole journey! Needless to say I'd melted the brakes, hence the smoke. Lovely RAC man followed me home to make sure I was OK.
 
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