Apr 20, 2021
The clutch is a fundamental part of a car and is one of the parts many of us drivers take for granted as we don’t realise how important it actually is until it fails. If you know that your clutch is on its way out, you need to book your car in to get repaired as soon as possible to save yourself some money.
The good news is that thankfully clutches aren’t a common failure, however, should you ever find yourself with some clutch issues it’s good to be aware of the tell-tale signs to help diagnose the problem early.
The clutch has a plate or disc that uses friction to join it to the flywheel where they move at the same speed and if this friction material starts to wear out, the clutch plate will be moving at a different speed. This then prevents the engine from reaching full power, transmitting less power through the gearbox to the wheels.
Typically, clutches will last anywhere between 60,000 to 80,000 miles, however, this all will depend on many factors such as type of car, driving habits etc.
● Burning smells: If you happen to notice a burning smell, this could be the result of leaking oil or it’s a sign that your clutch is slipping.
● Hesitating before accelerating: Have you been experiencing hesitation before accelerating? This means the clutch is not delivering a sufficient boost to the wheels through the transmission.
● Clutch disengaging quickly: If you’re pushing down on the clutch pedal and it doesn’t take much effort to disengage it, this is another common sign of a slipping clutch.
● RPMs higher than expected: If you drive a manual car, it can be easier to spot clutch problems by taking your car out for a drive to see if your engine needs more RPMs than expected to reach a certain speed.
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