Clutch?

[Sharon]

Had new clutch fitted about 2 years ago. Recently been slipping. Yesterday was terrible. Does it really need replacing already? Should it?

[CRC]

It depends a lot on your driving style and the quality of the replacement components.

Our Jazz is still on it's original 23 year old clutch with 130,000 miles and it's still good.

Bear in mind that, when you're driving along normally, there is no wear on the friction plate of the clutch as the engine rpm is the same as the gearbox input shaft, so there's no slipping taking place and no wear on the friction lining.

The wear takes place whenever you're slipping the clutch and feeding the engine rpm into the gearbox gradually.

"Holding" the car on a hill using the clutch only is just about the worst way to wear a clutch out as you're deliberately causing it to slip and wear out the friction lining.

Lots of stop / start driving won't help as each pull away causes some slippage and using too many revs to pull away is also bad.

Jimmy Carr managed to burn out the clutch on  the Top Gear reasonably priced car in a couple of laps, so a lot depends on driving style and "mechanical sympathy" as well as component quality.

[paulhipw]

How many miles have you done?

[Sharon]

Thank you, I get that. I mentioned the issue on the phone to the garage who immediately said it needed a new clutch, without seeing the car! Started the car today to take in to the garage and for the short journey there it was fine. No slipping. Admittedly the garage is only around the corner and I didn't get out of third,  but still, does that suggest something other than a knackered clutch?

[CRC]

Overheating the clutch by slipping it with lots of revs can cause strange issues until it cools down and the friction plate can get contaminated with oil which will again give issues.

In general though, once it starts slipping because the friction lining is actually worn out, it doesn't get better again....