This is an issue that I've often wondered about, but never asked.

Has anyone experienced an issue with the clutch on an '04 Max 6spd emitting an odor as if it is burning during the break-in period of the car.

I thought that it was the way I was driving the car, but I have owned several manual transmission cars and have never had this issue. I am an experienced manual shifter.

It seemed as if the clutch would burn during the slightest of hesitation letting off of the clutch.

Now that the car has 13K miles or so, this has not been an issue for some time. I wondered if anyone else has experienced this.

Perhaps this isn't a burnt clutch, but some other "normal" by-product of the break-in period.

 

No manual here (not since my 1978 Datsun 200SX 5 speed), but it may be possible this is sort of a 'breakin' smell.

For the first several weeks, my '04 5 speed auto SL emitted all kinds of odors (like burnt electrical, etc) in my enclosed garage. That finally stopped completely.

Sort of like the new monitor I added to my other PC two months ago, and which filled the room with putrid odors for almost a month.

But maybe someone with a manny '04 can help us out here.

 

My 6 speed had no consistent clutch smell. The clutch did "burn" on a steep slope when I was first getting used to driving manual again. The only manual transmissions I've driven were all 4 cylinder cars, so it took me a while to get used to the clutch with all the torque of the Maxima. No problems now. The clutch actually feels better now than when I first bought the car.

 

I gota question now that where on the topic of the clutch. I have had my max (6 spd)for a year now.And every now and then the clutch just gives I would be driving and go to down shift or just a regular shift and I have to press the clutch pedal all the way down b4 it engages . This would happen for like 2 or 3 shifts and then all of a sudden it will work fine it has happend to me twice b4 once a few months back then last week then tonight I went to move my car it happend again but this time the clutch didn't engage at all and it wouldn't go into 1st I pumped the clutch like 10 times and it went back to normal. I checked the fliud and it is filled to the max line. I'm gana take it to the dealer on Monday to get it checked out. I just wanted to see if anyone else was havin any problems

 

I have over 8,000 miles on my SE 2004 6 sp manual. Never notice a clutch smell or problem, even when I push the thing hard.

For those of you who drive the 6 sp manual, do you get some grinding when shifting up to the 2nd or 3rd gear, particularly when you do the shifting in a haste like you mean to go somewhere?

 

Rarely from 2nd to 3rd, more frequently from 1st to 2nd, but only on cold starts. This is a known problem and it's been posted on several threads. I don't know of any remedies as of yet.
Also, while we're on the subject, I've noticed that when I try to shift quickly into 6th from 5th after downshifting from 6th to 5th, the 6th gear locks. I have to shift into neutral from 5th, pause, then it lets me shift into 6th, Anyone else notice this?

 

Thanks, all, for the replies.

As for the issues. The only other issue I've noticed with my manual shift (aside from burning smell), is difficult shifting from 1st to 2nd. Only happened during cold winter months and hasn't happened since.

 

Yup -- I just turned 30k miles and I've had the smell from day 1 -- thought it was just me. I notice it when my foot is fully depressed on the pedal -- not when I'm letting it out, as you might think would be the more traditional interpretation of "burning the clutch".

I live in northern California (where it isn't particularly cold) and I get the 1-2 grind on first driving the car after sitting overnight.

Despite all the little annoyances with this car, I got far too good a deal on it to complain.