The general recommendation for a clutch adjustment is every 6,000 miles. We can do that for you here at CAR FIX in Maryville, Tennessee. If you fail to take care of your vehicle’s clutch, there will come a point sooner rather than later when it starts to give you problems. Even if you do take care of the clutch, it will not last forever. A clutch that is well cared for can last up to 100,000 miles or more. Here are signs that the clutch is going bad in your automobile.
A Burning Pedal
If you smell hot odors wafting from the clutch, its internal mechanisms have worn out and it is slipping. A slipping clutch will fall out of engagement even though you haven’t released the clutch pedal. This can make shifting the gears difficult, if not impossible, and can cause damage to the transmission.
A Spongy Pedal
The clutch pedal should always give you the same resistance feel when you press down on it. If the pedal sinks all the way to the floor, feels spongy, or feels unusually soft, this is a sign that the clutch needs to be replaced. We may be able to rebuild the clutch to restore its resistance.
Gear Shifting Problems
Naturally, if your clutch is going bad, you will have problems shifting gears. You may not be able to get the manual transmission into gear or shift through the gear cycle once it is in gear. It’s also possible that the clutch will slip out of engagement and, as a consequence, the transmission will slip out of gear.
Grinding or Squeaking
A clutch that is not engaged will make the gears grind when you shift them. This is because the clutch has not transferred the power to the transmission from the engine. Another sign that your clutch is going bad is if it makes squeaking noises when you use it. You should never hear strange sounds coming from the clutch or when you use it to shift the gears.
High Catch Point
Changes in the catch point of the clutch can also point to the need for it to be replaced. The catch point is the place in the clutch when you feel it give and you shift the gears. This point should always stay the same. If it gets higher, you need to replace the clutch.
Speed Hesitation
Finally, a sign that the power has not been transferred to the transmission is acceleration hesitation when you release the clutch. This is an indication that the transmission does not have the power it needs to turn the driveshaft. It is the clutch that transfers this power.
Call CAR FIX in Maryville, TN, today if you are having problems with your vehicle’s clutch.
