2004 Toyota Sienna use in the mountains...sometimes a burning smell?

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LaingRanch

New member
Last year during a ski trip to NC, we would intermittently get a burning smell when on a steep incline (the small road heading to the lodge itself). Not brakes, definitely under the hood...no smoke seen, just the smell. It wouldn't always happen, and didn't matter whether we were heading up or down. The first couple of times, we pulled over and popped the hood; nothing noticed. When started back up it seemed to be okay. Wondering if anyone else has encountered this? We had a local garage take a look under the hood, nothing found. It was definitely a little frightening (for me, anyway, a non-mechanic). We're planning to go ahead next month; anything in particular we can request when we have the van checked for the road trip? Thanks in advance for any/all help & advice.
 
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kelly_f_1999

Active member
well most people smell brakes if they going down and using them more than they should and some times going up cars to over heat from lack of power and being in a hard drag for so long... and many cars will over heat if not in shape... so if your going up a mountain and it seems like your car is having problem shift to a lower gear and go slower and do same coming down any car should be fine
 
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happy2b_white

Member
Check all of the fluids, and take a close look at the belt. It could be the belt rubbing against something, but the most likely cause is an overfilled fluid reservoir that leaks when you get into a steep angle, then it drips onto the exhaust. Later on it's all burned away, so you can't tell what happened.
 
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