Should I Replace My Mkiii Due To Clutch Problem

[dellybeanhead]

All,

 

I am very confused. Either my car has a problem, all Mkii's have a problem or I don't know how to drive it.

 

The problem: Clutch burn (a very smelly problem that even makes you choke in the car for several days afterwards.... or do you just get used to the smell after a few days??)

 

It occurs when doing a hill start on a steep hill. The car does not seem to have the power to get up until it is revving and you are forced to ride the clutch to get it up to speed before letting the clutch fully up.

If you do let the clutch up before the power is there then it stalls.

 

It also occurs when reversing with a trailer (caravan). Exactly the same issue as above resulting in clutch burn.

 

I have also found in general that it is very easy to stall this car even on the flat with no trailer. I.e. normal driving. And it's not just me. My wife stalled it on almost every junction on her first day of driving it. It is an aggressive snatchy clutch (or is it just mine?)

 

We have both now 'got used to it' and can get the revs up before we fully release the clutch. However, my question is: Should we get used to it. Are we just compensating for a malfunctionin or poorly deisgned car.

 

Has anybody noticed an ease of stalling/ lack of power / clutch burn problem on their MKIII.

 

I am seriously considering selling it and getting a MkII or something else completely. But I don't want to sell it as it is such a practical versatile car.

 

Thanks

 

James

Edited April 2, 2008 by dellybeanhead

[mumof4]

sell it :lol:

[Nick]

Is it a mk2 or mk3? Either way some thing is not right, get it checked out - still in warranty?? Edited April 2, 2008 by Nick

[mumof4]

well, first off he says he has a MKII, then at the end he says he has a MKIII, so i dunno if in wrong section or not??, till i know, i cant move it.

 

oooo..you edited your post.lol

[dellybeanhead]

sorry. Yes it's a MKIII (3). I reposted the topic as I could not edit.

[dellybeanhead]

An update for you.

 

It seems the 1.8 engine is well known for clutch burn when towing and hill starts.

 

I have found several users of both 1.8D Galaxys and SMax's who get this problem.

[searcher]

I cant see how a 1.8 can have clutch problems when a 2.0 doesnt.

A clutch only burns if its slipping and the size of engine should make no difference.

Then again we are talking about Ford here i spose.

[dellybeanhead]

I think it is down to the engine power and gearing. with my MkIII you have to slip teh clutch to allow teh engine to get beyong stall speed/power when doing a hill start. It is teh only way. And this causes clutch burn. Maybe the 2.0 has less of a power delay. On my 1.8 it goes very suddenly from too little power and threatening to stall to bat out of hell turbo mode where your hanging on to your seat.

[Seatdriver]

Hi,

 

Had similar isssue with mine, didnt appear to have a great deal of down end torque. This resulted in me having to drop down a gear and put on extra revs to avoid stalling when setting off uphill.

 

The car has just returned from the main agent due to the centre console getting rather hot and I must say 10 out of 10 to my local main agent. Took in the vehicle, 2 hrs later phoned me with the problem ordered the bit and will fit it when it arrives.

 

Anyhow that aside he also said that my 1.8tdci needed a software upgrade and he would do that at the same time. The result of this is I no longer have to rev the engine to pull away during hill starts and it will now pull uphill in 3rd when before only 2nd would do. Before it was rather too easy to stall, but not now.

 

Even so round my way its very hilly and just to get off my estate requires two steep hill starts and I have never smelt any hot clutch smell.

 

Have a word with your main agent, I will get the details of the upgrade when I return to the main agent at the end of this week.

[Dunney]

Hi

 

My 2.0 is easier than my old 115 Alhambra to stall. I have to reverse the car up a slope each morning where it is parked and you do have to be a bit mindful of the revs as it seems to need more than the 115 Alhambra to get under way. I don't think it is dearing more due to the mapping of the fuelling. I don't like the way it can surge a bit at low speeds and over revs on gear change which I also put down to the fuelling and turbo. However I have never experienced burning clutch smell.

 

But every car has it's flaws and otherwise I am happy with the car although it is not as frugal as my old '02' 115 Alhambra but it is quieter.

 

As an aside I watched a chap manoevring his caravan with a 2.0 Tdci at a motorway service station. He seemed to be making heavy weather of it, but hadn't blocked the trailer brake on the caravan while he was reversing. When he was reversing one of the caravan wheels was locking. Granted that shouldn't happen, but it is also easy to forget that some braked trailers definitely need to have the machanism blocked before reversing.

 

Dunney

[dellybeanhead]

Thanks for replies.

Useful stuff.

 

Dunney, are you saying that your old Alhambra 115 was better at towing than your MkIII. I am looking at changing my MkIII 1.8 for either a 2.0 MkIII or a 140PS Alhambra (or equivalent VW).

I am currently swayed towards the MKIII as it has a higher nose weight for the 2008 (90Kg) but I am also put off from my experience of the 1.8 and it's lack of low rev power. And also from what your saying. As far as kerb weight goes there's nothing in it.

 

vwdriver, did you find out what the software upgrade was. I asked my dealer to do it too when they fixed my heater but they did not have a clue.

 

Thanks, James

[aid]

Hi

 

Holding the clutch down in start stop traffic resulted in the clutch pedal losing most of its travel in my 2.0Tdi. There was smoke and a terrible smell. This all happened while queing to leave the lion enclosure at a safari park (you can imagine). I have never needed a clucth in 30 years of motoring so no particular bad habits. The pedal recovered in a few minutes and the car now drives normally. I am left with the lingering smell and concerns about the cause and effect. The car is less than 12 mths old and 10k miles. Is there any point in reporting it?

[dellybeanhead]

Ordinarily I would expect Ford to say that clutch burn is fair wear and tear. But if there are enough of us with the same problem then I would expect a more positive response.

How about, as a first step, we each contact Ford to report the problem and reporting back to this forum with the result. I would rather approach my dealer for a fix to this with a postive response from Ford so that they can't argue. What do you reckon.

[djacks42]

Our MK3 1.8 (5600miles)is at the dealer for this exact same issue - clutch burn. It happened on Wednesday in the hot weather in normal stop/start traffic. I am interested to know of any software (low end torque callibration I assume) upgrades that the previous poster mentioned? Either way, I'll report back later.

[seatkid]

For a "new" car, from reports so far, these MkIII's seem to have some horrendous design faults. Looks like the 1.8tdci should be avoided like the plague.....esp if you want to tow.

[big_kev]

Its a common problem with all new diesels.

 

Its something to do with lower emmissions when idling.

 

This is achieved by reducing the amount of fuel to such an extent that the engine can turn over on idle but you do not have a hope in hell of moving the vehicle.

 

I have had 2 new Golf and a Focus and they were all the same...you have to rev the arss of them to pull away as well as slipping the clutch like hell.

 

I believe the "software change" simply removes this stupid idea and alloows the engine to run normally.

 

Can't see the clutches lasting more than 30k if your lucky.

 

This probhlem is obviously worse for the 1.8l than the 2.0l although both are crap compared to the older engines.

[g4hlf]

I think it is down to the engine power and gearing. with my MkIII you have to slip teh clutch to allow teh engine to get beyong stall speed/power when doing a hill start. It is teh only way. And this causes clutch burn. Maybe the 2.0 has less of a power delay. On my 1.8 it goes very suddenly from too little power and threatening to stall to bat out of hell turbo mode where your hanging on to your seat.

 

Really interesting what you say here!

 

I had a very early MK3 secondhand from the local Ford dealer with 3500 miles on the clock (2.0 TDCI Ghia). I could not drive the thing smoothly to save my life and as you have commented it was either stalling or bat out of hell, nothing much inbetween.

 

In the end having got nowhere with the dealer I got all my money back and purchased a new Galaxy (also a 2.0 TCDI Ghia) and it was a different car to drive, as you would expect and no more stalling/bat out of hell problems!

[djacks42]

I forgot to report back from when I took it to the dealer. They are unauthorised to investigate the issue based on just the 'smell' sympton, as Ford have issued a TIB (bulletin). I read it myself and it is ELV (end of life recyling) replacement materials in the clutch that give off the smell - common x-carline. (I work at Ford so I know about this stuff anyway). This does not mean that there isn't an underlying issue in itself though. As soon as there is any slippage/judder, I will take it back, but no problems so far.

[SEVEN UP]

HI IVE JUST BOUGHT A 56 PLATE GALAXY1.8TDCILX AND ITS CLUTCH STARTED SLIPPING ESPECIALLY AS TURBO CAME IN IN 3RD GEAR CARS DONE 50,000 MILES GARAGE {NONE FORD}WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM HAVE NOW REPLACED CLUTCH AND PRESSURE PLATE NOW DRIVES TOTALLY BETTER IF WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING ISTRUE WE WILL BE NEEDING NEW CLUTCHES EVERY 50,000 MILES?

[bullstein]

I had this problem with my 07 Galaxy

 

I took it Ford Dealer, told them it needed a software upgrade. They looked dubious but hooked it up to diagnostic machine and sure enough, new calibration update ready

 

installed it and it's like a different car, the power lag when taking off has gone, so gas the occasional clutch burn smell

 

do it