Clutch Squeal - 2018 Mk3 Sport

[SuperCNJ]

Our MK3 has only done about 11k miles and we've had this squealing sound from the clutch in the past 1000miles or so. It happens when the clutch is engaged when moving off from stationary, especially when under load (loaded with passengers or going up an incline). It's fine once it gets going.

The car drives completely fine but the noise is annoying. I've had this problem on my old EP3 Civic Type-R where I had the clutch replaced under warranty but then it started doing it again very shortly after so I put it down to a design fault.

I'm just wondering if other people have had this problem before and whether it is a cause for concern. 

[jazzaro]

Common issue for GK3 and GK5, easy to solve it.

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11517.msg91473#msg91473

[SuperCNJ]

Common issue for GK3 and GK5, easy to solve it.

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11517.msg91473#msg91473

Thanks, but this is different.

I had the squeeky clutch pedal before and I manage to sort that with a bit of lubricant. The problem I am describing here is the actual clutch not the pedal. It's a grinding kind of feeling/sound as though the clutch plates are grinding and making a squeal. It only happens at the biting point when pushing off.

[jazzaro]

Ok.
Does it squeak even with the engine off?

[SuperCNJ]

Ok.
Does it squeak even with the engine off?

No it doesn't. It seems like the friction surfaces are grinding somehow and making a whirring sound. It doesn't affect the driving of the car but just an unsettling and annoying sound whenever I'm on the biting point under a bit of load.

[jazzaro]

No it doesn't. It seems like the friction surfaces are grinding somehow and making a whirring sound. It doesn't affect the driving of the car but just an unsettling and annoying sound whenever I'm on the biting point under a bit of load.

Also  damper springs could generate this noise.

[Lord Voltermore]

Could be because its only done 11k miles since 2018. Especially if the miles didnt include much stop/start driving .

   Damp may have caused some  surface rusting  on unpainted components such as  flywheel, pressure plate, release mechanisms. Lack of use can cause brakes to rust ,grind and seize. This may also be true of the clutch.

You may find things will improve  if you deliberately include some extra stop/starts, hill starts  and rapid getaways at higher revs than normal. It may help wear away any rust on the clutch parts  and  get things moving more smoothly.  A bit of enthusiastic heavy braking can certainly improve  brakes that have got a bit rusty and graunchy. 

A rusty clutch its probably not as much a concern as it might be for brakes, if thats what it is. But quite a big job if it ever becomes necessary to access a clutch if its only for rust.   Such a big job that they may  suggest replacing the whole clutch anyway while they have the opportunity.         Hopefully it wont come to that and only after experts have eliminated other possibilities.

[Westy36]

+1 for Lord Votlermore. Wise words.

I drive my cars very gently, but once fully warmed up, I ensure they get a decent wedge of throttle and make 4k+ revs. Keeps things moving. Same with the brakes, at least one very firm brake per journey. Cars need to be used.

[SuperCNJ]

Could be because its only done 11k miles since 2018. Especially if the miles didnt include much stop/start driving .

   Damp may have caused some  surface rusting  on unpainted components such as  flywheel, pressure plate, release mechanisms. Lack of use can cause brakes to rust ,grind and seize. This may also be true of the clutch.

You may find things will improve  if you deliberately include some extra stop/starts, hill starts  and rapid getaways at higher revs than normal. It may help wear away any rust on the clutch parts  and  get things moving more smoothly.  A bit of enthusiastic heavy braking can certainly improve  brakes that have got a bit rusty and graunchy. 

A rusty clutch its probably not as much a concern as it might be for brakes, if thats what it is. But quite a big job if it ever becomes necessary to access a clutch if its only for rust.   Such a big job that they may  suggest replacing the whole clutch anyway while they have the opportunity.         Hopefully it wont come to that and only after experts have eliminated other possibilities.

Thanks for the advice. We use the car pretty much daily and most journeys are just school runs and grocery shopping so I'm guessing it probably isn't a rusty clutch/flywheel? Not sure if this is a common thing for honda clutches as I've had this on my old Civic and after doing a bit of digging, it seems other Honda Civic owners seem to have this problem as well - although I haven't seen anyone on here with the same problem?

https://www.civinfo.com/threads/does-your-clutch-make-a-rough-whirring-sound-when-cold.22825/

I guess if there's no fix and it's not a sign of problems to come, I might have to learn to live with it until the clutch is due for a change. In which case, probably an alternative brand might be worth a try.

[Lord Voltermore]

Rust was only a possible suggestion. But clutches do have various moving parts in their mechanisms  and its possible the Honda original is particularly susceptible to squeaking etc. But  I'm only speculating.     

An Original equipment clutch can outlast  the car ,  if for instance you do lots of motorway miles with few gear changes.   It could be many years before you would need a new clutch due to wear.
 
Might still be worth occasionally  slipping the  clutch a bit  and deliberately braking extra hard anyway .

One further thought. I am not aiming this at you personally .But it might apply to others reading this.    .   Some drivers get into a bad habit ,sometimes without realising it,  of not going into neutral  but  leaving the car in gear with the clutch pedal  depressed when stopped in traffic. Some might even lightly rest their foot on the  clutch pedal whilst driving along.   These habits will cause premature wear of the  clutch release bearing, which can get noisy.  This noise is most prevalent when depressing the clutch but might be heard at other times .(they are not designed for extended use)  And its a dangerous habit .Your foot could slip (if for instance someone rear ends you) and the car drive itself  across a junction before you can react. 

If it is a worn clutch release bearing  the annoying thing is although the part itself  is quite cheap, the labour involved in replacing it is similar to a complete clutch replacement.  Again it may be prudent to get a diagnosis from a few trusted mechanics before  going to this expense .

[SuperCNJ]

Rust was only a possible suggestion. But clutches do have various moving parts in their mechanisms  and its possible the Honda original is particularly susceptible to squeaking etc. But  I'm only speculating.     

An Original equipment clutch can outlast  the car ,  if for instance you do lots of motorway miles with few gear changes.   It could be many years before you would need a new clutch due to wear.
 
Might still be worth occasionally  slipping the  clutch a bit  and deliberately braking extra hard anyway .

One further thought. I am not aiming this at you personally .But it might apply to others reading this.    .   Some drivers get into a bad habit ,sometimes without realising it,  of not going into neutral  but  leaving the car in gear with the clutch pedal  depressed when stopped in traffic. Some might even lightly rest their foot on the  clutch pedal whilst driving along.   These habits will cause premature wear of the  clutch release bearing, which can get noisy.  This noise is most prevalent when depressing the clutch but might be heard at other times .(they are not designed for extended use)  And its a dangerous habit .Your foot could slip (if for instance someone rear ends you) and the car drive itself  across a junction before you can react. 

If it is a worn clutch release bearing  the annoying thing is although the part itself  is quite cheap, the labour involved in replacing it is similar to a complete clutch replacement.  Again it may be prudent to get a diagnosis from a few trusted mechanics before  going to this expense .

That's a really good point. I am guilty of not putting the car in neutral sometimes and just keeping the clutch pedal depressed when it's just a very brief moment otherwise I do put it into neutral. But I never ride the clutch, that's something I am always conscious of and I hate people who do that or hold the car on the biting point at the lights.

Perhaps I ought to put it into neutral more often and see if that changes things. But thanks for the suggestion, I hadn't thought it could be the clutch release bearing caused by not going into neutral which makes sense. I've driven other makes of cars more than I have driven Hondas in terms of mileage and have never had this issue until I bought my first honda so didn't put it down to my driving style intially.

[Lord Voltermore]

Sorry if I am boring folk and repeating myself (and stating the obvious)   but there may be some   who might benefit from a simplified explanation of the mechanics involved.

Many will understand how a clutch uses a friction plate to gradually transfer engine revs to forward motion so its not done too abruptly,stalling the engine.  In time the friction material (similar to brake pads) can wear out . New clutch required.  Simples

The release bearing is less well known. Basically the clutch us normally  tightly clamped together by a powerful spring.  The whole assembly  rotates with the engine.  To release the friction disc so it  freewheels independently of the engine  and able to do its magic, the pressure spring has to be compressed.   Problem is the spring is rotating at engine speed, and the clutch pedal is not.   For a static  part to press on a rotating  part some sort of bearing is required.  (like wheel bearings)
  This bearing may need to be a  fairly slim line design and cant have too much grease ,which could melt and contaminate the clutch.    And a lot of force is needed to compress the spring. It has a hard life.

Used correctly it should last as long as the clutch linings.    Its normal practice to replace the clutch release bearing at the same time as the clutch even if it still  appears ok.  But on some cars it can get noisy before this , even when used correctly.

Normally it only needs to compress the spring for a second or so until you are in neutral  and release it.  If you sit with the clutch pedal  depressed for say 10 seconds its under stress for 10 times as long as it was designed for .  Equivalent of a 11K mile car having done 110K miles.  Or more precisely a 110K mile release bearing with a clutch that has only done 11K miles miles. 

If it is the clutch release bearing (and it might not be )  it will probably be ok  for as long as the noise  remains tolerable .  Ideally get an on- the- spot opinion from an experienced mechanic who is honest enough not to suggest  unnecessary work. 

[Gerred]

It seems like the friction surfaces are grinding somehow and making a whirring sound. It doesn't affect the driving of the car but just an unsettling and annoying sound whenever I'm on the biting point under a bit of load.

Hello, you are describing the same problem I have with my 1.3 Jazz, manual gearbox. It is a 2015 model and probably one of the first models that came to europe (only grey base coat in engine bay, on the underside of the bonnet and around filler cap).

Because of this clutch issue I went to my dealer several times but Honda did not offer a solution and still doesn't. It must be a common issue because here in Germany are plenty of people who have the same problem.

It is a shame the problem still exists on the 2018 sport model and Honda does not offer anything to fix it.

I heard some people got rid of the problem when installing an aftermarket rear engine mount:

https://www.hardrace.com/Product_detail.asp?id=3493&Car_Make=7&Car_model=20&Car_Type=185&MainType=