If the clutch stops working in traffic
If the pedal goes to the floor, or the engine revs and the car won't move, get off the road while you still have momentum. Pull over somewhere safe, put the hazard lights on and call roadside assistance if you have it. Don't try to nurse it home. If you're stuck in a live lane, get everyone away from the traffic to somewhere safe, and if anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
What real clutches have done
| Distance | What was said about it | |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Nissan Dualis | 100,000 km | No reason to complain, CarsGuide said |
| Daihatsu Sirion | 105,000 km and still going | Already doing well, CarsGuide said |
| Toyota 100-Series LandCruiser, non-turbo diesel | 80,000 to 120,000 km | Standard clutch, depending on use. Heavy off-roading and towing shorten it |
| 2013 Hyundai Veloster | 36,000 km, about 75 percent worn | Low-kilometre replacements are no longer unusual, CarsGuide said, and it might have gone to 50,000 km or more |
| Nissan Qashqai | 40,000 km | Much too early, although not unheard of, CarsGuide said. Dual-mass flywheels wear clutches faster |
What wears a clutch out?
A clutch is a friction part, a bit like a brake. It wears each time it slips while taking up the drive, so the question is how often and for how long it slips.
Stop-start driving. Urban running and towing almost always mean a shorter clutch life, CarsGuide says, while highway cars that change gear less often go further.
A foot resting on the pedal. RAC WA says this partly disengages the clutch and wears it out early.
Holding the car on a hill with the clutch. RAC WA says partly engaging it to keep the car still gets it to the end of its life much earlier. Use the handbrake instead.
Heavy loads. Trailers, caravans and hard off-road work ask the clutch to slip for longer on every take-off.
Why some newer clutches go early
Some cars use a dual-mass flywheel, a two-piece flywheel that smooths out engine vibration. CarsGuide says clutches wear out faster with one, and that the flywheel is replaced at the same time, which makes the job bigger.
So an early clutch on a car like that is a disappointment, but it isn't proof of a fault. CarsGuide's point on a young Hyundai Veloster holds true here: the only way to know if wear is abnormal is to inspect it.
Signs your clutch is wearing out
- The revs rise but the speed doesn't, most of all in a high gear or going uphill.
- The pedal bites higher than it used to. CarsGuide says take-up near the floor means plenty left, and take-up at the top of the travel means it's probably close to worn out.
- A shudder when you move off, which LandCruiser owners reported in first, second and reverse.
- A burning smell after a hill start or heavy traffic.
- A pedal that sticks, feels different or doesn't come back properly.
Slipping doesn't always mean worn out
Before anyone replaces the clutch, it's worth finding out why it's slipping. CarsGuide says to check it isn't poor adjustment, or oil on the clutch from a leaking engine seal. If the rear main seal is the problem, the gearbox and clutch have to come out anyway, so fix both together. A new clutch fitted over a leak won't last.
A sticking pedal can be a fault of its own too. In the Veloster's case, it was a faulty clutch master cylinder.
How to make a clutch last
Take your foot off the pedal
Rest it on the floor or footrest whenever you're not changing gear.
Use neutral at the lights
Sitting in gear with the pedal down is a habit worth dropping in long waits. Select neutral and let the pedal up.
Hold hills on the brake
Use the handbrake or foot brake on a hill, not a slipping clutch.
Be smooth when you take off
CarsGuide says a gentle driver who shifts smoothly can get more life from a clutch.
Think about the load
If you're towing, plan your stops so you're not taking off on a steep hill, and use low range on a 4WD where it's fitted.
What a good clutch estimate covers
- The clutch kit: the plate, the pressure plate and the release bearing.
- Whether the flywheel is being machined, replaced or left, and why.
- The rear main seal, and whether it's leaking.
- The clutch master and slave cylinders, and the fluid.
- The gearbox oil, since it's coming out anyway.
- Whether a heavy-duty clutch is worth it for your towing or off-road use.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Notice where the pedal bites now, so you'll spot a change.
- Check the clutch fluid level if your car has a reservoir, against the marks.
- Change your habits at the lights and on hills.
- Tell the mechanic what you tow, and how often.
Leave to the mechanic
- Inspecting the clutch, which means taking the gearbox out on most cars.
- Replacing the clutch and flywheel.
- Fixing oil leaks onto the clutch.
- Bleeding the hydraulics or replacing a cylinder.
What we'd do
If the car's slipping, don't leave it. A slipping clutch doesn't get better, and it can leave you stuck. Have a mechanic confirm it's the clutch, and check for an oil leak before anything else, so the new one has a fair go. If you tow or do a lot of city driving, say so, and ask if a heavy-duty clutch suits the way you use the car. It's also worth doing any seal or flywheel work at the same time, because the gearbox only wants to come out once.
Who should do the job?
Clutch replacement is routine for most workshops on everyday manuals. A 4WD that tows is better with someone who does a lot of them, and a car with a dual-mass flywheel is worth taking to someone who knows that setup.
Tell us the car and how you use it. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.