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2 December 2025 (updated) Clutch problems, symptoms, and solutions
Over time your car clutch can become worn, rusty, misaligned, or damaged, making it more difficult to operate or leading to total failure. Being able to spot the signs of hydraulic clutch problems early on should help you to avoid accidents and more expensive repairs.
Common clutch problems and symptoms
Not everyone sees the red flags before the trouble starts. Many of these clutch problems and symptoms can show up out of the blue or be intermittent. It’s important that you act quickly and don’t ignore them to ensure smooth operation.
Now, let’s get down to business. Below you will find descriptions of the most common worn clutch symptoms and their usual causes and solutions. You’ll often experience more than one symptom at one time.
Difficulty shifting gears
For example, if the clutch fails to disengage fully when the pedal is pressed down, it may make gear changes much harder or cause the engine to stall. In this case, the issue could be caused by a bad clutch linkage, a worn pressure plate or disc, a stretched or damaged cable, or hydraulic problems. Replace worn, damaged, or stretched components.
Grinding gears
In a manual transmission, the gears may start to grind when shifting (or only in certain gears) due to the clutch only partially engaging or disengaging, or rapid gear changes. In addition to the causes mentioned above, it could be due to a worn clutch release bearing. Make sure to avoid riding the clutch as this will make it worse.
Article number: 600 0017 00
£332.50price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
Article number: 837522
£376.00price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
LuK Clutch kit
with pilot bearing, with clutch release bearing, with release fork, with flywheel, with screw set, Requires special tools for mounting, with automatic adjustment
Article number: 600 0238 00
£444.00price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
Article number: 619 3087 00
£162.49price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
LuK Clutch kit
with central slave cylinder, with flywheel, with screw set, with automatic adjustment
Article number: 600 0321 00
£393.00price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
Clutch noises
You may also hear a squealing or grumbling sound as you press down on the pedal. Make sure to check the release and pivot bearings, as well as the clutch fork. Rattling sounds may indicate dual mass flywheel problems.
Clutch sticking
If the pedal or clutch is sticking, this is typically an indicator that the cable needs to be replaced or the clutch fluid is low or contaminated, causing the pedal to be spongy or stick to the floor. Change the fluid if necessary. Fill with new clutch fluid if necessary.
Poor acceleration
If the clutch isn’t properly transferring engine power to the wheels, you may experience sluggish or weak acceleration. This can be caused by several factors, including oil contamination, overheating, a worn disc or pressure plate, and a damaged or glazed flywheel.
Clutch pedal pulsates
The main culprits for a vibrating or pulsating clutch pedal are alignment issues, a damaged flywheel or clutch disc, and a faulty diaphragm spring. If the pressure is unevenly distributed or the parts are unstable, vibrations occur.
Clutch slipping
The mechanism can slip when the springs, bearings, clutch disc, flywheel, or pressure plate is worn as the parts fail to grip against each other and stay engaged. You may notice a sudden loss of power during acceleration or when climbing a hill.
Burning smell
If you can smell an odour like burnt rubber when driving, it could be the result of increased friction from a slipping clutch. This could lead to more wear and damage as the parts are overheating.
Slipping gears
For instance, if there’s a delay in engaging gears or the engine revs increase but the car’s speed doesn’t increase correspondingly, the gears are likely slipping. Check the hydraulic system for leaks and the car clutch components and electronics for wear or damage.
VALEO Clutch kit
with dual-mass flywheel, with flywheel screws, without lock screw set, with clutch release bearing, 235mm
Article number: 837072
£452.50price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
-64%
SACHS Clutch kit
with clutch pressure plate, with dual-mass flywheel, with flywheel screws, with pressure plate screws, with clutch disc, with clutch release bearing, 228mm
Article number: 2290 601 059
compared to
RRP
£883.76
£315.00price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
-60%
SACHS Clutch kit
190mm
Article number: 3000 990 214
compared to
RRP
£300.85
£118.49price incl. 20% VAT, excl. delivery costs
VALEO Clutch kit
with clutch release bearing, 208mm, 208mm
Article number: 855201
£828.50price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
Article number: 837397
£319.00price incl. 20% VAT, free delivery
Signs your clutch is going
In summary, signs of a bad or failing clutch include difficulty changing gears or keeping the clutch engaged, sudden power losses and poor acceleration, a spongy or stuck pedal, a burning smell, abnormal clutch noises, and excessive vibrations from the pedal.
How to tell if your clutch or gearbox has gone
The symptoms of failure for the clutch and the gearbox are virtually the same. These may include shifting problems, slipping gears, a burning smell, and abnormal noises. With a manual gearbox, you may also hear a whining or humming sound while driving or in neutral, which usually indicates that the gears or bearings are worn.
How can I take care of my clutch?
Clutch maintenance tips:
- Don’t leave your foot on the clutch pedal while driving as this will cause strain and increased wear.
- Downshift gradually to avoid slippage and prevent frequent stalling.
- Don’t use your clutch to brake!
- Accelerate gradually when pulling off and make sure to shift to the correct gear.
- Check the clutch fluid every two years or so.
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