renault espace clutch?

I too have an espace, but older. Gears can be difficult to engage if the clutch cable adjustment is wrong. I never experienced the bad smell, but this could be the cable being too tight, and preventing the clutch from fully engaging, thus giving you constant slip which is usually the first cause of a brake-like smell. Suspect bad cable adjustment if the clutch only engages as the clutch pedal is towards the top of its movement.

p robson
April 2008