temporary or long term issue?
 

I was stuck in traffic on an uphill road, and noticed odor and smoke from around the driver's side rear wheel. Suspect it was clutch overheating, but of course I can't be sure. Temp gauge was well within range, so it wasn't the engine itself. After cresting the hill it drove fine and I didn't notice either smoke or the odor any longer, but obviously I'm concerned. Thoughts?

(PS the only other thing I could think it might be besides the clutch is the e-brake, which I recently had adjusted and now engages very early. I'm hoping it wasn't set so tight as to be stuck, and what I was sensing was that brake getting fried)

PS -03 base, manual

My guess... you were riding the clutch a bit too hard.
Just asking, driving manual long?

That was my guest/hope as well. Yes, I've been driving a manual for decades, but the clutch on this one, that I just bought, is of course different. The mechanic who did my PPI said it was on its way out, and I think in fact it's just gone.

well, hot clutch smells different than hot brake than burning oil. could be power steering overheating? the pump overflow is onto driver side of the engine.

No, it was the clutch. I got cocky and drove it a little further and the pedal stuck down, gears wouldn't engage etc. etc. I had it in my mental budget to do soon based On what I heard earlier, so aside from the temporary inconvenience, it is what it is

You will likely need to also replace the DM flywheel too

And while you are in there . . . .

RMS and IMS