Clutch replaced at 90k miles. Failed at 97k. Do I have a claim that this should be warranty repair?

robii

Local garage replaced my clutch at 90,000 miles in June 18. Clutch has just failed at 97,000 miles. Should the garage be repairing this under warranty? Garage supplied all the parts for original repair.

Bit of background: There was nothing to suggest an issue with the clutch this time round. I had it replaced at 90k as it was slipping but it hadn't completely failed, but this time there wasn't any prior warning. I was driving, put the clutch peddle in to change gear and the peddle just stayed down, no pressure from the peddle.

I bought the car at 75k, so drove the car for 15k miles before the clutch needed replacing. I believe it was still on the original clutch. I've also been driving for 20 years and don't go through clutches, so don't think my driving style is an issue.

I've used the garage before a number of times and never had a problem, but I don't think a clutch should be failing after 7,000 miles and can't afford to be replacing it again if it fails in another 7,000 miles/18 months.

I'd like to know where people think I stand before taking this up with the garage.

Thanks

AdrianC

Sounds like the friction material was replaced last time, and it's the hydraulics gone this time.

So, no, because it's a different thing.

What car? If it's a concentric slave, they should have really replaced that with the friction kit - otherwise, the engine and box won't need to be split.

sevenhills

robii wrote: »

I was driving, put the clutch peddle in to change gear and the peddle just stayed down, no pressure from the peddle.

Could it be a different fault, clutch cable or master/slave cylinder fault?

ohreally

May not be the clutch, is it hydraulically operated?

robii

Cheers all.

It's a Fiat Bravo.

3 part clutch unit was replaced at 90k miles.

Mechanic says the slave cylinder has also failed (sorry, should have added that to original post). So could a slave cylinder failure cause clutch damage? Or has clutch failing caused slave cylinder problem? If I say the clutch was under warranty is the mechanic going to be able to say the slave cylinder failure caused the clutch failure?

AdrianC

External slave, so no need to get in to the clutch itself.

It's purely coincidental - usually caused by poor maintenance. When was the brake fluid last changed...? And was the clutch bled through at the same time?

robii

AdrianC wrote: »

External slave, so no need to get in to the clutch itself.

It's purely coincidental - usually caused by poor maintenance. When was the brake fluid last changed...? And was the clutch bled through at the same time?

Not sure when brake fluid was last changed, will need to find receipts. Would this cause the clutch to fail or just the slave cylinder? I checked the fluid level after breakdown and it was between min and max, but not sure when it was last replaced.

AdrianC

robii wrote: »

Not sure when brake fluid was last changed, will need to find receipts.

It should be done every couple of years or so - it's hygroscopic, and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. That causes the cylinders to rust internally. It's probably the same reservoir for brake and clutch - but they both need bleeding through when the fluid's changed. It's entirely possible that even if the fluid was changed, the clutch was forgotten.

Would this cause the clutch to fail or just the slave cylinder?

"The clutch" is two main things.
There's the physical clutch itself - friction plate, pressure plate, driven plate/flywheel, release bearing. Then there's the actuation - hydraulic (master, pipework, slave) or cable.

Last time, the clutch was replaced. Now the clutch simply isn't being operated because the actuation's gone. That's why there's no pedal feel and the pedal's staying down. It's simply not pushing the release bearing forwards to release the pressure plate.

robii

AdrianC wrote: »

It's probably the same reservoir for brake and clutch

Yes it is

AdrianC wrote: »

"The clutch" is two main things.
There's the physical clutch itself - friction plate, pressure plate, driven plate/flywheel, release bearing. Then there's the actuation - hydraulic (master, pipework, slave) or cable.

Last time, the clutch was replaced. Now the clutch simply isn't being operated because the actuation's gone. That's why there's no pedal feel and the pedal's staying down. It's simply not pushing the release bearing forwards to release the pressure plate.

OK, that makes sense. The mechanic left a message on my answer phone and said both the clutch (presumably means the physical clutch) and slave cylinder need replacing.

So I realise I'll need to pay for the slave cylinder and labour but I suppose my question is, should the physical clutch need replacing again, given that it was only replaced 7,000 miles ago? And if so, should I be paying for it?

DoaM

If you've not noticed any slip when driving then I can't see how a slave fault would cause the clutch to wear excessively ... pressing in the clutch pedal releases the 2 clutch plates to allow gear changes; so a slave fault as described would mean that the 2 plates are being pressed together as normal.

Therefore I can't see how any clutch failure could be down to you or the slave.

What warranty was provided for the replacement clutch? If there was nothing specific then you'd only have the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to rely on. After ~18 months then you wouldn't be entitled to a free replacement.

AdrianC

If the friction plate's been contaminated by leaking hydraulic fluid...