Clutch Slipping

[Audio56]

Hi New Member here and C4 owner for 5 months but need help. For the last 3 to 4 monts my clutch has been slipping intermitently and not getting obviously worse. Car only done 12k when problem started and 14k now. First went to citroen dealer who basically said that clutch is "very high" therefore must be worn and not covered by warranty.

 

Next step went back to dealer where bought who can't "fault it" and therefore won't do any work. The problem is maddeningly intermittent, may go days sometimes weeks without slipping then slip a lot over a few miles, not even on hills, just normal acceleration. I'm just a normal driver, the car gets no serious "welly" . The only clutch problem I had in the past got progressively worse quite quickly.

 

There's definitely a problem, and I'm not convinced it is wear and tear but citroen wont touch it unless I pay up front for them to get at the clutch to find what it is.

 

Are there any knowledgable people who can suggest what it might be so I can suggest to Citroen that it should be covered.

 

Help greatly appreciated as this is so fruatrating.

[consoltant_tech]

Hi New Member here and C4 owner for 5 months but need help. For the last 3 to 4 monts my clutch has been slipping intermitently and not getting obviously worse. Car only done 12k when problem started and 14k now. First went to citroen dealer who basically said that clutch is "very high" therefore must be worn and not covered by warranty.

 

Next step went back to dealer where bought who can't "fault it" and therefore won't do any work. The problem is maddeningly intermittent, may go days sometimes weeks without slipping then slip a lot over a few miles, not even on hills, just normal acceleration. I'm just a normal driver, the car gets no serious "welly" . The only clutch problem I had in the past got progressively worse quite quickly.

 

There's definitely a problem, and I'm not convinced it is wear and tear but citroen wont touch it unless I pay up front for them to get at the clutch to find what it is.

 

Are there any knowledgable people who can suggest what it might be so I can suggest to Citroen that it should be covered.

 

Help greatly appreciated as this is so fruatrating.

 

i work for citronen and you will be very lucky to get any dealer to touch a clucth with that milage cos citroen will not re-emburse them/pay their claim.

[syrup]

First went to citroen dealer who basically said that clutch is "very high" therefore must be worn and not covered by warranty.

 

The clutch on my C4 has been high since new, asked my dealer if they could adjust it and they said that C4 clutches are unadjustable and that it was the norm.

Members on this other site http://www.c4owners.org/news.php all state the clutch being high.

 

Keith

[Audio56]

i work for citronen and you will be very lucky to get any dealer to touch a clucth with that milage cos citroen will not re-emburse them/pay their claim.

 

Not sure what you mean by "that mileage" surely 14000 miles is very low, if clutch slipping at that mileage wouldn't that indicate a fault rather than wear and so I'd have thought they should "touch it". This is my first ever Citroen, God, how long do their clutches last?

[wozza]

You are not the first to have a dodgy clutch. Which engine is it out of curiosity?

 

Mine started like that and the clutch was dead before 8000 miles. If you get a decent dealer they would be willing to look at it as it is a somewhat known issue that some of the clutches were not quite right.

 

There have been numerous people on here with new clutches / flywheels etc all done under warranty as it was found to be manufacturing defect. THink there is at least 5 people on here who have had replacements. More common on the 1.6 petrol than the others.

 

In my case they did not believe me until I broke down at 4am and had to get it towed back to the dealers the following day. They tried to charge me for it at first until I pointed out I had been complaining something was wrong for quite some time. They did the work and funnily enough I did not have to pay for anything...manufacturing fault.

[Audio56]

You are not the first to have a dodgy clutch. Which engine is it out of curiosity?

 

Mine started like that and the clutch was dead before 8000 miles. If you get a decent dealer they would be willing to look at it as it is a somewhat known issue that some of the clutches were not quite right.

 

There have been numerous people on here with new clutches / flywheels etc all done under warranty as it was found to be manufacturing defect. THink there is at least 5 people on here who have had replacements. More common on the 1.6 petrol than the others.

 

In my case they did not believe me until I broke down at 4am and had to get it towed back to the dealers the following day. They tried to charge me for it at first until I pointed out I had been complaining something was wrong for quite some time. They did the work and funnily enough I did not have to pay for anything...manufacturing fault.

 

 

Thats really helpful Thanks and yes its a 1.6 Petrol. I'll be going back next week. Cheers.

[consoltant_tech]

its more common on the 1.6 hdi (and the 1.0 3 pot toyota lump in the c1) the engine is quite torqie as for the fly wheels its normaly the duel mass type that cause a vibration or a noise when the engine is turned off, as for 14000 miles most dealers class clutch's as wear and tear items after 12000 miles and 3000 miles on brakes shocking i know thats why i drive a nissan.

[c4owner]

If you say it's 'slipping' but not getting any worse then I read somewhere that a 'faulty sensor' can can the impression of a slipping clutch

 

Now I don't know what sensor, or even if it's possible, but from experience once a clutch starts slipping it only ever gets worse and then fails totally which yours doesn't seem to be doing?

[oldlowie]

Having the same problem with my petrol VTR+ - bought new in June 2006 and just shy of a modest 12000 miles. In most respects it is a great car, and a joy to drive. The clutch has always been high, but lately has started to slip. Have had to stop resting my foot on the pedal between in-traffic gear changes. Took it to Olds in Yeovil, the mechanic who test drove it with me agreed there was a fault, and it was booked in. One hour later I was phoned and advised there was 'no problem' with the car. When I pointed out that the lad who drove it said there was, I was told a 'consultant technician' had looked at the car and declared the clutch to be working normally. When I went to collect the car the Service Manager was 'too busy' to see me , leaving the poor girl on Reception to explain how my slipping clutch was perfectly normal!

 

This is a classic car manufacturers cover-up, and I doubt anyone will get their clutches replaced. I have owned Citroens for 10 years (I still rue the day I sold my Berlingo - cracking car!)

 

I will be buying an Astra or Focus next I expect...

[wozza]

The Clutch is somewhat known about to be an issue as well. But the high clutch is a trait of the car they have high clutches so that bit is perfectly normal.

 

The slipping obviously isn't. Can you try another dealer?

[BrentC4]

well well well....

 

how all the Members....?

 

My clutch has just gone now :( , well so the Citroen dealer says.

 

The mechanic recomends a whole new clutch kit not like a have a choice. :angry:

 

Can anyone tell me what a Thrust bearing is and what the sole purpose it does for the car, and how long is it supposed to last in miles? :huh:

 

Happy driving all

[syrup]

well well well....

 

how all the Members....?

 

My clutch has just gone now :( , well so the Citroen dealer says.

 

The mechanic recommends a whole new clutch kit not like a have a choice. :angry:

 

Can anyone tell me what a Thrust bearing is and what the sole purpose it does for the car, and how long is it supposed to last in miles? :huh:

 

Happy driving all

 

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong as I'm remembering when I used to my own clutches many many years ago.

 

A thrust bearing is a bit similar to a wheel bearing, it fits on the spline in the gearbox.

The clutch actuating leaver on the inside of the gearbox housing (used to be called bell housing) which is a continuation of the leaver outside connects with the thrust bearing which sits on a spline, the bearing connecting to the clutch plate which connects to the flywheel (all when the clutch is engaged) when the pedal is depressed they all disengage.

I would have thought the thrust bearing would last about the similar time as a clutch and depending how the clutch is used I would have thought on a modern car a least 50,000 miles.

 

As I've said I'm sure this will be corrected if it's misleading, but it will at least give some idea.

 

Keith

[BigJohnD]

Syrup described it OK.

 

Here's a diagram. Click here.

 

A thrust bearing looks like this: Click here

 

Thrust bearings do fail, and usually make noises out of all proportion to any damage that may happen, as all that's happened is that a couple of ball bearings have worn away and/or the grease has leaked away.

 

The mechanic recommends a whole new clutch kit not like a have a choice.

They'll have to separate the gear box from the engine to access the clutch, whatever they do. So fitting a whole new assembly makes sense. The parts are around £125 + VAT.