Just bought and have noticed a problem with the clutch

Hi my partner has just bought a Citroen C3 1.4 59 plate 21,000 miles on the clock. She drove it home 50 miles today from the dealer, and then gave me a go saying she thought it had funny acceleration when climbing hills. I immediately noticed that the clutch pedal had to be lifted quite high to engage, and then set off to find some hills. I didn't get very far before I knew what she had been talking about. At every gear change, after fully releasing the clutch pedal, the revs would go quite high before the settling back down as the acceleration caught up. Am I right in thinking this is likely a dodgy clutch? Seems hard to believe on such a young car.

Hi,

There is a post here about the high clutch on the C3 here - C3 clutch high

Basically it says that its quite high, hydraulic and self adjusting. No mention of slipping.

It does sound like the clutch is worn or contaminated, but on such a new car, with so few miles

Whatever is the cause, the clutch will have to come out. I don't think you will get to the bottom of the cause until you have the clutch plate in your hands (and look at the rear crank seal).

First thing tomorrow morning I think you could phone the dealer, explain the problem and listen to their solution. If its not good news, reject the car (don't drive it), then next call is to your local CAB https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/


GOOD LUCK!

Took the car down to my local mechanic who got in and diagnosed a worn out clutch in 30 secs. The car is now at the Citroen dealers having a new clutch fitted (I hope) at their expense.

My friend and had a 2005 54 C3 HDi Desire from New and he handed it back after 3 years at 8,500 miles and he said to me he dosen't think the clutch will last much longer so he was glad to change the car. and its not his Driving as he's 73 now and has been driving cars since 17 and Lorrys at 21.

I have a 2010 (new shape) C3 hdi 1.4 and at 18,000 miles the clutch has started slipping. When it was in for it's 10,000 mile service I raised with the dealer that you only had to touch the clutch pedal and it disengaged, they advised there was nothing they could do as it was hydraulic. The car had been recalled last 2 weeks ago to have the conrod shell bearings replaced on the crankshaft, ever since this was done the clutch has started to slip. I have also notice oil residue on the underside of the clutch housing. Either the clutch is defective or the crank shaft oil seal bearing is leaking, fuel consumption has also increased significantly. I'll know next week as the car is booked back in again to get this matter sorted.

Update on post 5th December................I have a C3 1.4 HDi 2010 model with exactly the same problem. When mine was in for it's 9K service I raised the matter with the garage, they stated there was nothing they could do as it was self adjusting. 9k later and the clutch is slipping, the car went back into the garage and they could find nothing. Fuel consumption increased and the problem got worse. Now with the 19,250 on the clock the car is going back in to the garage. The car is still under warranty, I don't ride the clutch, I have been driving for over 30 years and have never burnt a clutch out. I have been told by the garage they will charge me for the removing the gearbox to check the clutch, should transpire there is a fault then the cost is waived. My concern is that the dealers seem to use the term driver error, what ever that is. Anyway, for a clutch to go through normal use at 18k would a substandard component. I drive on A roads, straight run to work and home. I have been told the engine in the 1.4 HDi is a BMW engine I believe fitted to the mini? The cars going back to the garage on the 7th to have the gearbox removed and the clutch replaced......I'll keep you posted regarding the outcome.....

Are they charging you for gearbox removal if the clutch is faulty?

Hi Bill...I would assume not, considering the car is still in warranty. I was out in the car today and the clutch is slipping away, with 19k on the clock the clutch assembly is not fit for purpose and should last longer that 18k when it first started showing signs of slipping. There is no doubt when they remove the gearbox they will see the clutch is worn, the next stage is all important...... will they quote the usual statement when they try to get out of replacing a defective component "driver error". This is there get out of jail free clause. When I spoke to the garage on Monday after they contacted Citroen technical, they started quoting me MPG etc and what the norm was, I pointed out that the car had significantly increased its fuel consumption, was over revving, you could hear from the start of the conversation they were putting their defence in place. The fact is the clutch should not give up after 18k. Citroen tried to pull this stunt with my wife on the C1, in that her clutch went at 21k, through research I discovered Toyota replaced all clutches in the Agyos because they were the wrong size, the C1 and Peugeot 107 have the same engine, I had a long battle with them to replace the assembly free of charge. I have lost all confidence and trust in Citroen and unless this unit is replaced free of charge and without a fight I will never buy another Citroen/Peugeot.

Oh to be still in warranty! my engine just failed catastrophically at 65k, what happened to the 150k we used to expect from a diesel engine? Strikes me they are using the warranty as the benchmark after which, anything goes, and they get paid all over again to fix their own mistakes whether it be bad engineering or just sloppy construction not tightening things up correctly. Look at ebay, breaking for spares, there are dozens listed, barely one with a mark on it! In my youth, the engines ran for ever but the body fell off after 10 years max, now they have been forced by Audi and Fiat to smarten up their anti corrosion measures, they engineer everything else to go wrong instead, net result, they keep selling new cars and the old ones get scrapped whilst still roadworthy. Madness

Update.... I'm afraid the dealership are refusing a warranty claim on the clutch they say it's down to wear and tear, they could offer no explanation as to why the clutch starting slipping at 18250 miles. When asked if they would be notify Citroen of the problem they replied no. When the gearbox was out the technicians noted the original white grease was still on the spigot shaft, I measured the thickness of the plate at various intervals and it ranged between 6.7mm and 7.5mm in thickness, you could see that the rivets almost touch the plate surface. The dealership were of no help whatsoever, I contacted Citroen Uk on Monday evening and to date they have not responded, I sent another email tonight requesting a response. I got my car back this evening at a cost of £499, I don't think myself or my wife, who also has a Citroen will be buying another one, her car is due for changing next month and it wouldn't be a citroen. The strange thing about it all is the dealership know ho I drive my cars, maintain them etc, yet they weren't interested. I have wrote to the Managing Director of the dealership and asked him to reply in 14 days, lets see what the response will be. Oh I'm back to getting 70.5 miles to the gallon out of the car and the bite in the clutch is where it should be not near the top of the pedal but halfway up from the floor .... i''ll keep you posted.