A question for you all. I know there is some mixed understandings about how snow mode works, but I've very rarely seen discussion of anything happening ALONG with the use of snow mode.

For example, during our wonderful snow storm this past weekend, we were driving our IS350 AWD in snow mode to get around town. It was a lot of stop and go traffic on top of a couple inches of snow. Upon reaching our destination (15 total miles, stop/go, hills, ect), I noticed a burning smell coming up through the floorboard around the passenger area.

The smell disappated, and then on our way home (5 miles), we noticed the smell again, but not as potent.

My wife drove the next day without snow mode on, and many days since, and has reported no smells coming from the car.

My first thought was an issue with the differential, but then after looking at some old 2009 threads on this forum, there has been discussion about "ECT Snow Mode" heating up the transmission during extended use.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-ect-snow.html

Does anyone have experience with this? There is no mention of limitations of use in the manual.

My wife took the car to Lexus today for her 20k service, and they were stupid enough to say the burning smell was OBVIOUSLY the 'aftermarket' exhaust. I'm very experienced with mods, and this isn't it. So I'm having them look into this further.

If its making a burning smell, that makes me think the factory fluid in the tranny is probably cooked, but I'm sure they won't replace that unless they can find a reason that forces them. I'm just looking at whats best for the long term life of the car.

Thanks!

 

Here's a theory. The way traction control works with an open differential is to apply to brakes on the slipping wheel. The burning smell could be coming from the brakes. Were they supper hot?

 

I did not check the brakes as brakes are usually a bitter metal smell. This smelled like a fluid and metal type of heat.

But if that was the case, the only hot brake would have been then passenger front both directions.

 

Upon further looking, the tranny is a sealed unit. THAT is why the dealership has no interest to look at it. The fluid CAN be changed, but probably not desirable to do.

 

Hi, do you find out why there was burning smell? I have got lexus is200t, it have got snow mode, when its snow in streets I must have actived it and drive around or only use it when I get in deep snow?

 

I’ve only used snow mode when it’s exceptionally slippery out there, to balance the grip, otherwise normal mode is just fine.

 

I wonder if it was the brakes after all. The only times I've ever smelled a burning-type smell in either IS I've owned have been the brake pads.

 

I wonder what it was too...If it was indeed the tranny, why would it ONLY be smelling like that during snow mode only? Quite curious...

 

guys so we find out that we can only use snow mode in extremly situation but nut everyday snow driving?