New Clutch/gearbox After 10,000 Miles!

[Feersum_Endjin]

Be nice to have joined the site in order to shout about how great my C4 has been, unfortunately am after advice and help pronto instead.

 

I have a C4 1.6 VTR+ Diesel which last Thursday the clutch started to whine when depressed and there was a strong smell of clutch when you got out. Took it to my local Citroen dealer, who when I told them I only got it in September and had just 10,000 miles on the clock told me it'd be a warranty issue.

 

However I've just got a call off them today and having taken it apart they have now changed their minds. The service centre isn't saying that it is definitely driver fault, but according to their checks there is no identifiable fault with the parts and therefore it does not come under warranty.

 

Supposedly because of this I have to pay them for the work because the waranty doesn't cover it, however they are putting together a claim with Citroen warranty on my behalf but the dealer doesn't fancy my chances.

 

Just to give some background I'm just shy of 30, work as a Project Engineer in IT and have been driving since I was 17. The car is actually on private lease and is the 3rd one I've had in this way (so I'm not new to new cars), and one of the others was a C5 diesel. I do a round trip of approx 40 miles a day for work and every other weekend drive down to Bournemouth to see my partner. I live in Bristol which is known to be horrendous for traffic, however I actually live in the centre and work outside so my drive is pretty jam free as I'm always going in the other direction to everybody else).

 

This has never happened in any other car I've ran so I'm just trying to get some feedback or advice, firstly on the best way to take this up with Citroen and also on what the possible cause might be. If it is me what on earth am I doing wrong in this car, particularly as I'm stuck with it for another year.

 

Fellow Citroen owners, please help!!

[BigJohnD]

You have to do some serious bad driving to knacker the clutch on a diesel in a mere 10,000 miles.

 

Even if they are correct that parts failure is not the cause, it could be incorrect assembly.

 

What evidence have they got that that it's the driver, other than it must be?

[hertsnminds]

The sale of goods act says

 

• In general, the onus is on all purchasers to prove the goods did not conform to contract (e.g. was inherently faulty) and should have reasonably lasted until this point in time (i.e. perishable goods do not last for six years).

 

http://www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page38311.html

 

Which means it is down to you to get the evidence. The best way would be an independent report from someone like the AA or RAC.

 

Not sure how to prove you were not changing grear without pressing the clutch or doing F1 starts by revving the engine to 3k or 4k and dropping the clutch or abusing the car in some other way. The only evidence you have is all the previous cars you have owned.

 

The other evidence Citroen have is at the pre sale check and the 1,000 mile inspection the car was OK (I am assuming this was the case).

 

Did the clutch bite point change during the 10k miles you have been driving, have you reported any faults with the car during the time you have had it? If not it sounds like the car has been doing its job (under the sale of goods act).

 

The only other thing I can think that you can check, and this will be difficult to find out, is how many other 1.6 VTR+ cars have had a clutch fail at 10k to maybe show there was a faulty batch of parts at the time your car was manufactured.

 

Sorry not to be of more help

 

 

Ian

Black 55 VTR+

[Feersum_Endjin]

Thanks for the responses. All the garage is officially saying is that the fault is due to the clutch becoming overheated, but that this was not caused by a fault in the part i.e. they are intimating it must be due to how it is driven.

 

Apologies I'm not the most technically minded, but I will be going in tomorrow to meet with them to get a more detailed explanation of what is going on. As to the car previously I've had no issues, apart from the service book only finally being sent to me last month!

 

One thing I have noticed though is the difference in the clutch between my car and the courtesy car they have provided. The courtesy car is a petrol VTR+, but I'm finding the clutch is a lot lighter and easier to depress.

 

But apart from the clutch possibly being stiff thats the only thing I've noticed. As to my driving, I admit I would have a hard time proving I was your typical 'Sunday Driver', but you'll also never find me ragging the thing down the local superstore carpark of a Friday night!

 

Will keep posting with what's going on.

[jonfish]

Snap!

 

24000 miles

1.6 HDi 110

on way to work this am screeching and smoking

RAC towed to dealer - yet to hear what they've got to say.

I NEVER ride the clutch and this happens.

Not a happy bunny.

[Feersum_Endjin]

Hi All

 

Apologies for nothing new on this thread for awhile but here is the latest.

 

I went back once the work was complete and the garage gave me some further details. They had already spoken to Citroen Warranty who stated that they had received no other issues of this nature hence they would not automatically cover the work under warranty.

 

The garage told me the next step was for them to put in a claim that this should be paid for by Citroen Warranty. If Citroen Warranty agreed (or disagreed) straight away I would hear back in a few days, else they would request the parts be shipped back to them for further investigation before making a decision, which would take anything up to a month.

 

As I don't think there is anything in my driving style which would cause this, the garage did agree to send a mechanic out with me on the road to see if there was anything obvious in what I was doing. I think though they did this to stop me breaking down and crying in their office as its not even my bloody car! (It's a Citroen Finance lease car)

 

And I did endeavour to drive as I normally do, because I really don't want to have to pay for another clutch before my contract is up. The response from the mechanic was that if I normally drive as I did with them then there is no obvious reason for the clutch failing, and they would be happy state that when the claim is made.

 

:angry: However what has got me back here posting is that the garage has been onto me today with more news. No, Citroen Warranty haven't made a decision, because they have said they are refusing to consider it!!!

 

The reason given is that this should have been raised through Citroen Customer Services at the time I was told it would be chargeable.

 

Firstly, how the blummin hell was I supposed to know this! Secondly, I DID!! My first call was to Citroen Contract Leasing, who said this was an issue between myself, the garage and Citroen Warranty, however they could put me through to Citroen Customer Services who should be able to help further. All Customer Services said though was that they don't have the technical skills to identify whether the work should be covered under warranty or not, so I would need to speak to the garage who would advise me from there.

 

So I'm back to where I started. Having told the garage this they have gone away again to have another word with Citroen Warranty, but something tells me I'm still going to be £750 out of pocket by the end of it.

 

Oh and for reference if you are interested, below is what work was done;

 

Labour 9.20 hours

Clutch Kit

Seal 33065266 HOW

Clutch Bush 33065237

Clutch Fork

Seals

Pipe 33065285