How Do I Know If My Clutch Is Going?

The clutch is slipping

The clearest sign of a worn clutch is slipping. The revs rise when you accelerate but the car does not speed up to match, most noticeably in higher gears or going uphill.

You might also notice a burning smell after a hill start or heavy traffic. Slipping gets worse over time, and eventually the car will struggle to move at all.

The biting point has moved

As the clutch wears, the point where it bites usually moves higher up the pedal travel. If you now have to lift your foot almost all the way before the car moves, the clutch is likely near the end of its life.

Some cars adjust themselves automatically, so this is a clue rather than a certain sign.

Noise, judder and heavy pedals

A juddering pull-away can mean a worn clutch or a worn dual mass flywheel, which many diesels and some petrol cars have. A rumbling or whirring noise that changes when you press the pedal often points to the release bearing.

A heavy or sticking pedal, or a pedal that sinks to the floor, can be a hydraulic fault such as the master or slave cylinder rather than the clutch itself.

Making a clutch last longer

Clutches wear fastest in stop-start traffic. Avoid resting your foot on the pedal, use the handbrake on hills rather than holding the car on the biting point, and put the car in neutral at long stops.

How long a clutch lasts depends heavily on driving, so there is no set mileage.

Clutch replacement in Smethwick

At ER Automotive we diagnose the fault before quoting, so you know whether it is the clutch, flywheel or hydraulics. We fit full clutch kits, and flywheels where needed. Call 0121 461 6097 or book online.