Clutch gone in traffic?
If the pedal drops to the floor or the car won't go into gear, coast to the side if you can, put the hazard lights on and switch off. Roadside assistance can help from there if you have it. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000. If you smell burning or see smoke, stop somewhere safe straight away.
What does a clutch do?
The clutch connects the spinning engine to the gearbox. Press the pedal and it lets go, so you can change gear or stop. Release it and a friction plate clamps against the flywheel (the heavy disc on the back of the engine) and the car moves.
That friction plate wears a little every time it takes up the drive, like a brake pad. There's no fixed life. Towing, city traffic, hills and how you use your left foot all matter. Our guide on how long a clutch lasts goes through it.
Signs the clutch is on its way out
- Revs flare under load, but the car doesn't pick up. That's slipping.
- A burning smell after a hill start or reversing a trailer.
- Notchy gear changes, or trouble selecting a gear.
- A shudder as you take off.
- A whine that changes when you press the pedal, which CarsGuide says can be a worn throw-out bearing (the bearing the pedal pushes against).
- A pedal that's gone heavy, spongy or changed height.
What makes a clutch job bigger or smaller?
We don't publish prices, because a clutch varies so much from one car to the next. What sets the size of the job is how hard it is to reach, and what else needs doing while it's apart. The gearbox has to come out either way.
The car's layout. A rear-drive car can be simpler. A tight front-drive engine bay takes longer. All-wheel-drive and 4WD systems have more to unbolt.
The flywheel. Plenty of diesels and utes use a dual-mass flywheel, a two-part flywheel with springs inside that soaks up vibration. It's a wear part too. CarsGuide says replacing the clutch on the D40 Navara meant replacing the dual-mass flywheel as well. Ask about yours up front.
The hydraulics. Many clutches run on fluid, with a master and slave cylinder. If those are leaking or tired, it makes sense to do them while the gearbox is out.
Oil on the clutch. A leaking engine or gearbox seal can soak the friction plate, and a new clutch won't last until that's fixed.
What does the mechanic do?
First, they confirm it's the clutch. A road test usually tells them. Adjustment, the hydraulics or a leaking seal can feel similar, so a good mechanic checks those too.
Then the car goes up on a hoist, the gearbox comes out, and the clutch plate, pressure plate and release bearing get replaced as a kit. The flywheel gets checked and either machined, if it's the type that can be, or replaced. It all goes back together with a road test at the end.
This is a job for a workshop, not a driveway. Most general mechanics do clutches. NSW also has a Transmission specialist class that covers them. On a 4WD or a ute that tows, go to someone who does those regularly.
What a good written clutch estimate shows
- What was tested, and why it's the clutch.
- The full kit: plate, pressure plate and release bearing, with the brand.
- The flywheel: reuse, machine or replace, and the type fitted.
- The slave or master cylinder and fluid, if they're being done.
- Any seal found leaking while the gearbox is out.
- The warranty on the parts and on the labour.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Keep your foot off the pedal when you're not changing gear. RAC WA says resting it there wears the clutch out early.
- Use the handbrake on hills, not the clutch. RAC WA says to avoid slipping it.
- Take off in first, not second, especially with a load.
- Tell the mechanic what you tow and where.
Leave to the mechanic
- Taking out the gearbox. It's heavy, and the car has to be safely up on a hoist.
- Bleeding the clutch hydraulics.
- Inspecting and machining the flywheel.
- Any adjustment. Getting it wrong wears the new clutch quickly.
Our take
If it's slipping, we'd get it looked at soon. A clutch doesn't heal, and a slipping one can damage the flywheel it's rubbing against. Ask for the whole kit and an honest answer on the flywheel before the gearbox comes out, because that's where a job grows. If you tow or carry heavy loads, say so at the start. Tell us the car and how it's behaving, and the mechanic can tell you how urgent it is.