Faulty Clutch (Evans Halshaw)

Flo2108

Hi all,

Any help appreciated here.

In February 2019 I purchased a Peugeot 308 2.0HDI (2014 64) from Evans Halshaw with 41,000 miles on the clock.

Four months later, in June 2019, the clutch went when I'd come off the motorway onto a slip road. I had the vehicle recovered to my home and called Evans Halshaw the following day. I ended up through to the main switch board service desk who advised to speak to my local Evans Halshaw, rather than the one I bought it from. Called, booked in, no courtesy car on offer, and I also had to have the vehicle recovered from my home to their garage.They called me four days later to advise the Slave Cylinder needed replacing (Which I already knew and told them). They then proceeded to tell me the cost. 

It took four further days with talks between the original Evans Halshaw I made the purchase from, the one closest to me and their complaints team for them to agree to pay for the work (Consumer Rights Act 2015). 

I'd already spoken to Peugeot who advised it would be a 2 day job for most garages, or a 1 day job with them. 15 days later I got the car back (without the vehicle for 22 days in total). They'd outsourced the job to a 'clutch specialist'.

Today, slightly under 13 months later exactly the same happened again. Been on a day trip to Blackpool with my wife and daughter and just as we were setting off for food down the promenade I went to change from 1st to 2nd and the pedal stuck to the floor. 

I understand a clutch should last at least around 2 years or 20,000 miles. I've done around 6k miles since the full clutch replacement in July last year (yes, they replaced the full clutch apparently, rather than the cylinder). I'm savvy to how to drive,  I've worked in the motor trade previously for a number of years and I'm absolutely confident my driving hasn't caused the issue. I've had numerous previous cars, all manual and no issues with any of the clutches. 

Evans Halshaw are closed today, so I couldn't have the vehicle recovered there today, so it's still sat outside Blackpool Tower -_- for now.

I'd just appreciate any advice on what to expect when I call them tomorrow. Do they have any liability? Should they offer to fix the vehicle? Can I ask to change the vehicle or request a refund minus depreciation? 

I'm expecting the absolute minimum from them based on my previous experience so any advice is appreciate.

TIA.

arcon5

They rectified the original fault. 17 months after purchase you should try but highly unlikely you'll get anything.

Grumpy_chap

How long a clutch lasts is very variable and depends on driving style.

Flo2108 said:

I understand a clutch should last at least around 2 years or 20,000 miles. I've done around 6k miles since the full clutch replacement in July last year 

I'm absolutely confident my driving hasn't caused the issue. 

In my experience, 2 years / 20k miles is very low for a clutch.  So is 1 year / 6k miles.  My car is 145k miles and first clutch.

I cannot imagine anyone would ever accept their driving as cause of early clutch failure, even when it clearly is.

I don't think you will get anything from the supplying dealer.

AdrianC

"The clutch" - as in the friction material - hasn't failed, and hasn't worn.

It's a concentric slave - built-in to the release bearing - so the clutch itself would almost certainly have been replaced last year, when the slave was replaced. It probably failed early because of inadequate maintenance, the clutch fluid not having been regularly replaced.

If the pedal has gone to the floor and stayed down, I'd be wondering about the master cylinder. Was that replaced last year? Because if the slave failed through old, wet, unchanged fluid...

[Deleted User]

Consumer Rights Act still applies, the clutch didn't last a reasonable length of time so they are on the hook for most of the cost.

Flo2108

AdrianC said:

"The clutch" - as in the friction material - hasn't failed, and hasn't worn.

It's a concentric slave - built-in to the release bearing - so the clutch itself would almost certainly have been replaced last year, when the slave was replaced. It probably failed early because of inadequate maintenance, the clutch fluid not having been regularly replaced.

If the pedal has gone to the floor and stayed down, I'd be wondering about the master cylinder. Was that replaced last year? Because if the slave failed through old, wet, unchanged fluid...

Thanks. As far as I was aware - both the master and slave cylinder were replaced in July 2019. 

The car had a full service in Feb this year (first service under my ownership) with Peugeot. 

Essentially, I don’t want to have the vehicle fixed (whether it end up being my cost or theirs) only for the fault to re-appear again in 12 months. 

AdrianC

[DELETED USER] said:

Consumer Rights Act still applies, the clutch didn't last a reasonable length of time so they are on the hook for most of the cost.

Do you want to show your working on that?

The OP bought a ~4yo vehicle.
Four months and an unspecified mileage later, the clutch slave cylinder failed. The supplier paid for the work, so there is no separate warranty on that work.
Fifteen months later, something else in the clutch - currently unknown if it was a new part 15mo ago or if it was original 6yo - has failed.

Flo2108

Grumpy_chap said:

How long a clutch lasts is very variable and depends on driving style.

Flo2108 said:

I understand a clutch should last at least around 2 years or 20,000 miles. I've done around 6k miles since the full clutch replacement in July last year 

I'm absolutely confident my driving hasn't caused the issue. 

In my experience, 2 years / 20k miles is very low for a clutch.  So is 1 year / 6k miles.  My car is 145k miles and first clutch.

I cannot imagine anyone would ever accept their driving as cause of early clutch failure, even when it clearly is.

I don't think you will get anything from the supplying dealer.

Thanks, going to call them this morning. 

I also get it - I’m really happy to have it assessed as to whether it’s my wear and tear or an actual fault. I’ve owned cars for much longer than this and not had any issues at all. I do mostly motorway driving driving to and from work and the car was sat for four months during lockdown. 

AdrianC

Flo2108 said:
...
and the car was sat for four months during lockdown. 

That puts me even more towards the (original) master as being the cause.

Flo2108

AdrianC said:

Flo2108 said:
...
and the car was sat for four months during lockdown. 

That puts me even more towards the (original) master as being the cause.

So, rang the dealership it was recovered to last year. I know as I was told at the time that the job was outsourced to a ‘clutch specialist’. Today they’ve told me A. They have no idea who completed the work (genuinely, I’m actually astounded). They’ve advised they have to get accounts to go through invoices to find out. B. NEITHER the slave or master cylinder was replaced at the time. 

I was, without doubt, told at the time that both cylinders were replaced. They’ve now told me a general ‘clutch kit’ was fitted. 

Awaiting complaints manager to call me back with who actually completed the work, why what I was told was done wasn’t and what to do next. 

Just to clarify my original post, where o said the ‘full clutch’ - I meant both cylinders and clutch kit. 

AdrianC

So last year it wasn't the slave that failed, and just the basic friction kit replaced...?

A clutch kit would normally be the three-piece pressure/friction/release bearing. Where the slave is an internal concentric type, like on your Peugeot, then the clutch kit wouldn't normally include it - but it would be a wise precaution to replace it, because of the massive labour saving. On a warranty/CR replacement, I'd have expected the parts to be chargeable.

The master is completely separate, and there's no labour benefit in replacing it at the same time as the slave and friction kit, apart from not having to bleed it all twice.