Faulty clutch

Drudge22

I have a 72 plate Peugeot 2008 with 18.5k miles on it which I purchased from the local dealer 9 months ago, it came with 6 months warranty and I paid £899 for another 3 years.

lately when the car gets hot the clutch becomes quite heavy and I asked the dealer to look at it 2 weeks ago whilst in for a service and MOT and they said it needs a new clutch.

Of course the warranty company are saying it is wear and tear and not covered, but with only 18.5k miles on it, to me it can't be wear and tear and must be a faulty component.

They have also said to me it must be because of the way that I drive that has caused it, which is absolute rubbish

I've logged a complaint with their head office but would appreciate any guidance

daveyjp

If you haven't owned it from new you have no idea if the car was owned by someone who did abuse the clutch.

I would however get a second opinion. Has the clutch fluid been changed regularly? That would be a cheap initial attempt to a solution.

flaneurs_lobster

They have also said to me it must be because of the way that I drive that has caused it, which is absolute rubbish

I'm sure that your clutch control is exemplary, but presumably you have no knowledge of how the previous owner(s) may have thrashed seven shades of poop out of the thing.

Woodstok2000

Keep pushing for a warranty fix, but Warranties are a pain. There are usually so many exclusions that it can be hard to know what is covered. If you can get a report from an independent mechanic showing the clutch is faulty, and the fault would have been present when you bought the car, then you can rely on your consumer rights. You will need to pay for the mechanic in the first instance. Its a risk, because if it comes back as wear and tear then you've wasted that money.

Ayr_Rage

A clutch that worked normally for at least 3.5 years is unlikely to have a manufacturing fault, that would've shown up much earlier in the life of the vehicle.

Of course it can be wear and tear, despite what you think and your assertion about your driving style.

If the warranty or dealer will not cover the repair then you've no option but to get the clutch replaced and see if they do find a faulty component that has not been damaged by the way the vehicle has been driven.

It is on you to get a report that shows a manufacturing or component fault and then argue the toss.

Baldytyke88

The part that suffers wear is the clutch plate, if that was worn it would cause slippage, but that is not what you are complaining of.

What would cause a stiff clutch and is it because of normal wear n tear? What did the dealer say? A clutch should last 50+k miles.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82161218#Comment_82161218

A slight correction, a clutch usually lasts around 50,000 miles, a good driver and someone who does a lot of motorway driving could easily get over 100,000 miles, equally I know someone who got through a clutch every two years/18,000-20,000 miles before they switched to an automatic.

Goudy

Going from your description of the issue (getting stiff when the car engines is hot) I would say it's a release bearing and/or pressure plate issue.

Generally a worn out clutch friction plate would either slip, so when you accelerate the revs climb faster than the car accelerates. You would often notice this as the pedal bite point would get higher and higher over time.

Or

Not disengage. This would feel like you can't push the pedal down far enough to get it in gear. This usually causes it to grind, crunch and baulk when selecting gear. You often notice it on the lower gears first.

Heat from the engine can causes some thermal expansion and that is either causing the release bearing to bind or the heat is expanding the pressure plate diaphragm fingers which would be starting to wear a little anyway.

Other clutch issues might not be the actual clutch. Dual Mass Flywheels can cause clutch issues. When they start to fail you can usually feel the cutch pedal pulse under your foot as the thing rotates unevenly and as they heat up, you get a still pedal.

But the first things to do before removing the gearbox it is check all the low hanging fruit first. If it's not happened already, replace the hydraulic fluid. Dirty and contaminated fluid can expand, particularly if there is moisture in there and that can cause the release bearing to bind.

The master cylinder needs checking. Some Peugeot's have had master cylinder seal problems but they usually end up feeling like they are not disengaging rather than stiff or heavy.

Drudge22

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82161190#Comment_82161190

Thanks for the reply and the car was a mobility car for 3 years hence the low mileage and as far as I know the fluid has been changed but I will find out

Drudge22

The dealer just said it was down to my driving and normal wear and tear

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82162467#Comment_82162467

Very low mileage is often bad for cars, not good. You don't say how many of the total 18k miles you've covered in the nine months you've owned the car.

But DOT brake fluid should be replaced at 2yrs, as a rule of thumb - so your 4yo car is due for its second replacement. If there's doubt, get it done…

Whatever the cause, the fix is likely to be the same - if a little routine maintenance like a fluid change doesn't sort it, then it's gearbox out and replace the whole lot. Three- or four-piece clutch kit, and DMF. The clutch slave MAY be possible to change without pulling the box - I think some powertrains are a concentric, but others are a more traditional external slave.