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Clutch & gearbox

Clutch pedal soft, spongy or stuck to the floor

A change in pedal feel is usually hydraulic. It often appears before the clutch stops working altogether, so it is worth acting on.

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Symptoms drivers describe

  • Pedal feels light, spongy or inconsistent
  • Pedal stays down and needs lifting by hand
  • Bite point changing from one drive to the next
  • Fluid loss from the clutch reservoir

Possible causes

  • A leaking master or slave cylinder
  • Air in the clutch hydraulic system
  • A failed concentric slave cylinder inside the bellhousing
  • A broken release arm, fork or pedal spring
  • A worn clutch release bearing

What you can do

  • Stop somewhere safe rather than driving without clutch control
  • Note any fluid loss or a damp footwell

How we check it in the workshop

We measure release travel, pressure test the hydraulics and inspect for leaks before deciding whether the gearbox needs to come out.

Is it safe to keep driving?

Treat as urgent — clutch failure can leave you unable to select gears in traffic. Recovery to the workshop is often the safest route.

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Related repairs

How we can help

Clutch Replacement in IverCommon signs of clutch wear can include a high or slipping pedal, judder and difficulty selecting gears. Symptoms often build up gradually, and catching them early may save the flywheel as well.Read more Clutch & Flywheel ReplacementClutch and flywheel are a matched pair. When the flywheel is worn, a new clutch alone will not fix judder or noise.Read more Vehicle RecoveryBroken down, non-runner, or a car that needs moving? We tow and recover cars and light commercials across West London, Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire — and bring them straight to our own garage for repair.Read more

Clutch & gearbox

Other symptoms in this group

Clutch slipping or revs rising without accelerationA slipping clutch is no longer transferring all of the engine's torque. It normally shows up first in high gear, uphill or under load.Read more Crunching or grinding when changing gearCrunching often means the clutch is not fully releasing rather than the gearbox being worn out — which is worth establishing before any gearbox work.Read more Car judders when pulling awayJudder can be transmission or engine related. Whether it also happens while driving at steady speed helps separate the two.Read more Car will not go into gearWhether it will not select from rest or fights you between gears tells us whether to look at the clutch release system or inside the gearbox.Read more Engine revs but the car does not moveIf the revs rise and the car stays put or barely pulls, drive is being lost somewhere between the engine and the wheels.Read more

Want this looked at properly?

Send us your registration and describe the symptoms — we will tell you what the next step is.

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