Brake pad smell after long downhills

path1 wrote:
Glad I could provide you with the "dumbest things you ever heard".

Direct quote out of owners manual:

"Descend a hill in the same gear you would use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive brake application and brake overheating".

I went up in "D" with O/D off why not go down in same gear?

Or would it be dumb to follow what owners manual states?

path1,

I think you have misunderstood the owners manual's recommendation.

You should down-shift from "O/D" to "D" to "3" or "2', or even "1" as needed, going both up & down hill. It is EXTREMELY HARD TO DESCRIBE on the forum when the right time is, but you want to let the engine work less going up hill, even if at a sacrifice to vehicle speed, and spin fast when going down hill to benefit from as much engine braking as possible. If your instrumentation has a tachometer, let the engine spin fast down hill until near red-line before the need to hit the brakes, assuming you are at proper speed in straights & curves.

I never before heard of a transmission seal blowing out from high rpms. I would question that bit of information. Maybe someone who knows more will comment about it.

Don't take such insulting comments to heart. I hope you can laugh about it.