clutch problems for newbie

[nickpolo]

hi guys,

bought a spanking 51plate red gti today, privately - was driving it home - clutch had a very short travel and felt a little creaky - as i went to change gear i felt a slight bang though the clutch and the pedal went really light - i couldnt select any gear and had to roll to the side of the road.

while i waited for the rescue truck i had a look under the bonnet while my mate pressed up and down on the clutch pedal - just really ligh like there is nothing attached, and i could see the cable moving in the engine bay fine.

my car is now at a local garage - i cant afford vw prices, they havent had a chance to look at it yet - but from what i've described does anyone have any idea what it might be?

thanks guys

ps- am i doing the wrong thing not going to vw? both my mum and sister have had nothing but headaches from them

[hassienda]

I think it sounds like the clutch cable has snapped which shouldnt cost too much to replace. The signs that indicate that the clutch cable is on its way out are are that the clutch is usually very stiff before it goes .Hope this helps you out.

[nickpolo]

hi, thanks for your reply - if the clutch cable had gone then surely you wouldnt still see it working/moving okay in the engine bay?

also does anyone know where i can get hold of parts such as vw door grab handles and stuff like that

should i be worried about it not receiving the same level of attention as if it had been taken to vw?


thanks

nick

[inder]

It could be the pedal box recall issue on polo GTI's - has your GTI had the recall and been repaired?

If the cable is not snapped and is working okay, could be as above - search the polo gti section using search function for 'pedal box' for more info

Any spares/parts can be got thru your local vw dealer or you can order thru the vagparts section on this forum, their prices for the same items are cheaper in most cases, check them out

[nickpolo]

i was told by vw that it had no recalls outsanding, so the pedal box had been done - does this sound like a pedal box thing then?

will it be okay that i've left it with my local garage and not vw?

thanks

nick

[Si_GTi]

Nick, from what you've described I'd say it could be the auto-adjuster on the clutch cable that has failed. What happened to you is exactly what happened to me almost 12 months ago, I had to call VW assistance after coasting to a stop at the side of the road, and when the guy arrived he was able to manually adjust the cable so that I got the clutch back again, and was able to drive off.

He informed me that whilst the repair he had made would work indefinitely, it is best to get a new clutch cable fitted, as it will no longer auto-adjust the pedal for you (the auto-adjuster keeps the clutch pedal at the same height as the brake pedal during the life and wear of the cable).

I had my cable replaced under warranty (on the last day!) so don't have an idea of cost

HTH

Cheers

Si

[Tony B]

well, welcome to the polo gti,......and the problems with the clutch!! If your clutch was creaking before hand then you've got a clutch problem (its the pedal box thats creaking as it flexes). In my opinion the recall doesn't help at all - all it does is replace the pedal box. I've had it done twice (under warranty and plenty of complaining the second time) - problem was the clutch was too stiff, and this kept breaking the pedal box. The good news is i recently bit the bullet and had a new sachs clutch fitted (me paying though) after reading some of the things on here.....and the car is now awesome!.........The clutch was the only part of the car i didn't like so i had to sort it! - it was like having a new car......

[theclient]

just out of interest ... how much was your sachs clutch fitted?

cheers

gareth

[M@Turner]

I've heard good things about the Saches clutch aswell. I think Scott (ICEYPOLO) has had it fitted and it cost him around £300 for clutch and fitting.

Think i'll be forking out for one in a couple of months.

Mat

[Tony B]

Gareth,

- Cost me only £240, but that was a garage i use all the time and i know the guys. I'd expect you could get it done for about £300 from a normal garage (i.e. not a dealer).

Makes a massive difference!

[nickpolo]

the sachs clutcht hat you're all talking about - is sachs just one of many clutch manufacturers? my local garage has had to fit a new clutch - and i know its not a sachs one - does this matter?


thanks

nick