Yet Another Problem.

[wozza]

Just had the RAC out to tow my car back to citroen. Clutch is dead.

 

Was asking him if the recent accident could have caused something as when trying to get the cars apart my wheels were jammed and the revs were piling on but nothing was happening. And last night on the way home it just seemed to die. Didnt think they went like that but my friend said his went exactly the same way on his nissan. Just travelling along and that was it just died basically was needed more and more revs to get it anywhere. I limped it into a sidestreet and just left it there. And by limped I mean 2mph.

 

But well I have been complaining about it juddering and slipping for some time. Now maybe that they have a clutch to replace they will listen to me.

 

Either way.

 

Im a little annoyed. But thankfully i have the other car i can use.

[Stuey]

you have mentioned it to Citroen then?? Clutches shouldnt be going this early at any rate...

[wozza]

Mentioned its been juddering and on the motorway the other day i put my foot down to over take revs went up and the car just went no where. So think its possibly something thats been happening a while and the accident probably wont have helped as when I tried to get the cars apart I got that burning clutch smell.

 

Sure there was someone else who went through a clutch rather quickly on there C4 as well.

 

It just should not have died after 12,000 miles. Pedal feel has changed and last night it got harder and harder. Will go up there to speak to them tomorrow and see whats gonna happen though.

 

Just no end of problems with the car recently. I originally thought it had gone into limp home again like the other day as there was just no power but no error messages. But then it got worse as I was driving.

 

But as I said my mates went exactly the same within 15 minutes of him going up the road it went from fine to totally knackered. Mine went the exact same way.

[iannez]

could be crank shaft oil seal. sounds a bit funny for such low miles and you would have had to of had it smoking to burn it out when you were stuck.

[wozza]

RAC guy seemed to think the clutch was dead. Either way should be replaced by warranty i think shouldn't it?

 

I mean the amount of abuse needed to burn one out in 12k miles would be silly and if anything i drive this car more slowly than the Clio and that never had a single problem.

 

Is there a possibility something else went and me giving it more gas could have burnt it out?

 

The clutch pedal felt harder than usual to press as well. And it just could not hold the power you could pull the pedal right to the top without the car stalling and it'd just start to move off at around 2 - 3mph. and not get any quicker putting foot down just increased revs and nothing happened.

 

Will see what they say at the garage tomorrow though as its not right. Thankfully it was quite close to a mates house when it died so just got them to push it up to his house and got a lift home and left it there.

[iannez]

if your pedal was heavy it sounds like pressure plate fault or poss slave cylinder.

[Welshguy]

Damn right it should be covered under warrenty whatever it is !!!

[Rich_Eason]

Not always so I'm affraid. The clutch went in my Focus at 23k and had a complete nightmare trying to get Frawds to admit that it was not normal for the clutch to fail at such low milage. That was still in the 60,000 mile mechanical warenty. Admit that it is a different company and thus different warrenties.

 

My argument was that I'd spent at least 45-50% of those miles on the motorway..the M5 to be precise and gear changing had been minimal...

 

Their attitude was "so.......?"

 

Good luck Wozza...

 

Is it me or is there a fair few posts with the phrase "clutch problems"? Does anyone think there is perhaps some issues with the clutches on these cars? Judder, lumpy failures?

[Welshguy]

Fair point, but I'd do my damnest to make their lives a living hell until they relented to FOC work!

 

It's my opinion that a warrenty should cover these things - take for example my Head Gasket work after ONLY 11,000 miles...there was no way I was going to be convinced it was in any shape or form my fault. I treat my car like a temple (LOL!) - the car is warmed up before almost every journey for f**k's sake!

[Rich_Eason]

I'm with you welsh

 

Somethings just wear out fact of life, and experience dictates somethings wear faster than others no matter how hard or soft you drive. If my cigarette lighter spring knackered because I was smoking 60 a day then fair do's but a clutch even under normal use I would hope would exceed a 65k mile life span.

[CoolCarbon]

I would hope would exceed a 65k mile life span.

 

And then some!... :blink:

 

My BX 16 Valve is just coming up for 140,000 and is still on the original clutch.... :huh:

[Rich_Eason]

And then some!... :(

 

My BX 16 Valve is just coming up for 140,000 and is still on the original clutch.... ;)

 

My point exactly I think a clutch on a Mini I had once lasted well beyond 120,000

[wozza]

Well there looking at it now phoned me earlier getting back to me later on.

 

And thats the point although did some searching on here another guy on here who only posted a couple times mentioned he had to have clutch and flywheel changed at 8500 miles! And im sure i remember dave&trace saying they had a replacement in theres at the meet in Manchester.

 

So maybe this is a little more common than first thought. C4 does not seem to be the only car suffering from it. the Xsaras had occasional one fail at similar mileage.

 

If they try make me pay for it im just gonna direct them here and tell them to search for the word clutch. See how many posts about clutch problems come up.

 

Of the few of us on here got to be less than 40 C4 owners I have counter 5 who have needed new clutches. in cars under 30,000 miles.

[CoolCarbon]

Umm, nearly 10% failure rate...not good :(

[Rich_Eason]

I'm sure they will find some excuse why 10% failure is completly acceptable, after all its only out of 40 cars.

 

They will quote precisely how many cars have been sold in the UK and tell you that the figure is less than e.g.3%.

 

The same happened on my Focus, a forum in excess of 300 people all having the same problems e.g. Timing Belt Pre Tensioners snapping causing cam belt to go wild and making a bit of a mess under the rocker cover, clutch master cylinder going bang squirting juices all on your clutch plates... all very ££££ jobs, but to Ford it is not a common reoccuring fault to warrent a recall on over a large number of vehicles, all jobs I ended up arguing getting nasty about who was going to pay for what as wioth other members of the forum.

 

I'm with you Wozza I'd argue the toss with them all the way, you just know that they are going to pull some gem out of the bag that will make your life as hard as possible to claim under warenty. Good luck mate :(

[wozza]

Got it back today did not charge me anything did not even ask about any costs.

 

But have to say the clutch feels so much better than it has done ever. Engages so much more smoothly now just so much nicer to drive now.

[skaramanga]

Great news!! :D

[ham's c4vts]

Did they tell you what they had done?

[wozza]

Not entirely my mum was the one who spoke to them all she mentioned was a new clutch.