How Have I destroyed My Clutch

Cocksure

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Currently having to fork out for a new clutch, flywheel and bearings on my 6 month old VW T6 as I have completely destroyed it. I'm therefore trying to work out what I did wrong and what was ok to do so as I don't repeat it.
Guilty of
1) resting foot on clutch pedal when driving
2) do 2 plus reverse hill starts with clutch only partially released to control the speed a day, and a few forward hills starts
3) have been holding clutch down for long periods at traffic lights to stop start/stop from kicking in.

Not keen to have to fork out again so no more clutch riding and I'm no longer afraid to use the start/stop so that side of things will end. Can change hill start to forward instead of reverse if that will also help? Just trying to understand
 
Does it have Hill Hold Assist? I think the button says "Auto Hold".
 
Does it have Hill Hold Assist? I think the button says "Auto Hold".
Yes (when I remember to use it). Half the time with the hill starts I'm start of from a parked position (handbrake on) that I don't even think to tap the brake pedal to engage it first, instead its just clutch bite point, handbrake release and accelerator pedal.
 
You don't need to remember to use the auto hold. Once you turn it on or off it will stay that way even after you turn the engine off.

Stop resting your left foot on the clutch and use the foot rest instead?

I find the stop/start feature really annoying and doesn't help me save any fuel at all with the kind of driving I do. I always turn it off immediately after I start the engine. I don't even have to think about it now - it's become a habit.
 
I had the driver's seat set too low, so foot moving wasn't the easiest. Only downside with the van is lack of leg space. Lifting the sit up has corrected that at least.

Start/stop wise I always forget to use the button, just hold the clutch down without thinking instead (no more).

I dont know if it remembers the hill start but I do know that it only works for 3 seconds, starting the van, wiping the windows etc soon uses that time period up. Do know that the few times I have assumed its there waiting for me the van has rolled either forward or backwards. Pretty sure (but could be wrong) that applying the handbrake removes the hill start function until reactivated (one to ask the dealership when I pick the van up).

So its likely my clutch riding and lack of use of hill start that has caused the issue then
 
surely it's still under warranty ?
it would be quite difficult to wear a clutch out in 6 months despite some of your habits
 
I would have said the clutch riding was probably the biggest issue. Hill starts are part of normal driving and would not see clutches die so quickly even when we did not have things like Hill Assist. The only way I could see the hill starts being an issue if you were towing a lot of weight all the time and riding the clutch excessively with a lot of revs (and you would be smelling the clutch burning!!!).
 
surely it's still under warranty ?
it would be quite difficult to wear a clutch out in 6 months despite some of your habits
The garage sent me a video of it, deep grooves on the flywheel, clutch pad in pieces etc, no signs of any leaks or manufacture faults. Overheated and completely shot, zero chance of a warranty claim, at £1100 plus VAT it's an expensive lesson.

Thanks @PSM1 its helpful to know what I was doing wrong, the clutch did smell a bit at 1st when the van was new on the hill starts, but can't say I have noticed it since but it might have been. Do new clutches always smell for a time when new, or is this another case of my ignorance catching me out?

Edit
Its a petrol if that makes a difference so they do rev more
 
@Cocksure those bad habits you list i must say im guilty of at times especially hovering my foot over the clutch pedal but never burnt a clutch out. Certainly doesnt seem right to get through a clutch in 6 months unless you are doing some serious mileage?
 
Last edited:
I must say you’ve had more car woes I’m the last few months than I’ve had in 30 years of driving.

New clutches don’t wear out in 6 months.
 
Just over 9k mileage, most of it is city driving so I do feel like my foot is never off the clutch even without riding it!

The garage has been pretty good at claim under the warranty before so I'm inclined to believe it's my fault, besides deep down, I know what I've been doing isn't good for it, and to be perfectly frank, I'm already in one dealership dispute so the idea of another doesn't appeal.

My Ford thread clearly (as does this) shows my lack of knowledge in the area so would mean paying for another inspection & report etc. I don't get the impression that they are taking advantage so I'm included to accept it. Just got to alter how I'm driving is all
 
You can definitely kill a clutch in 6 months!

Probably not relevant to your situation but I had a Peugeot 406 a few years ago and the clutch was totally worn out in about 6 months (from memory). The dealer tried to charge my employer for the clutch until I got involved. I was 100% sure that I didn't ride the clutch or anything out of the norm. After some investigation they agreed that it was a fault present from new. The clutch was not set/installed correctly and so it was slipping very slightly even with my foot away from the pedal.
After it was replaced I noticed how much more power the car had due the clutch being fully engaged!
 
I find it very hard to believe a clutch has only lasted 9k miles unless there's a fault with it, even if it was given a hard time.
 
Different cars have the 'Bite' point at different heights of the clutch pedal. I would say that this car had the 'Bite' point at a higher level than you used to have. Once you are moving you should really have your foot completely off the clutch.

Even so, 6 months is a very short time. Did you ever notice the smell of a clutch burn ?

My mother-in-law rides the clutch pulling off and changing gear and we get the smell often but she has never killed a clutch.
 
I find it very hard to believe a clutch has only lasted 9k miles unless there's a fault with it, even if it was given a hard time.

I can believe it, if it was used as a foot rest and used instead of neutral when stationary.
 
Apart from when the vehicle was new then no to any smell on hill starts.

Thinking about it though I have at times noticed a burning smell on long journeys which I always put down to just smells in the area I was in, when it must have been from clutch riding for so long a time
 
I find it very hard to believe a clutch has only lasted 9k miles unless there's a fault with it, even if it was given a hard time.

Agreed. Unless you’re literally sat on a hill every day holding it on the clutch for extended periods (and you’d smell it burning horribly), then it has to be faulty in some way to die within 9k. My Mrs rides the clutch a fair bit but has never killed a clutch yet, including having a car from new for 8 years and 70k.
 
I can believe it, if it was used as a foot rest and used instead of neutral when stationary.
Clutch was fully pressed down, but I did do it often :( many many times a day
 
Apart from when the vehicle was new then no to any smell on hill starts.

Thinking about it though I have at times noticed a burning smell on long journeys which I always put down to just smells in the area I was in, when it must have been from clutch riding for so long a time

It sounds to me like something wasn’t set up quite right and the clutch was slightly engaged under normal driving.

To not just kill the clutch plate, but the flywheel and bearings too is very suspicious to me.
 
Clutch was fully pressed down
That still allows the clutch release bearing to wear excessively, alas. But as above, after 9K?
Did it simply wear out "prematurely" or fail catastrophically?
 
Fail catastrophically. Driving the vehicle over to the dealership when it completely gave out and could no longer select a gear with the engine running.

Heavy scratch marks on flywheel, no pad left on clutch, bearings over heated. Totally shot
 
Ouch. I once accidentally rested my foot on a clutch pedal rather than the foot rest and it got hot very quickly (a couple of miles). If you have been doing this routinely I can (unfortunately) see how you could wear it out in 9K. And that would likely overheat the bearings and then take out the flywheel when it failed.
 
That still allows the clutch release bearing to wear excessively, alas. But as above, after 9K?
Did it simply wear out "prematurely" or fail catastrophically?

by what he is describing in the video it sounds like it's failed catastrophically
iv'e only seen 2 clutches break themselves apart
1 was in a reliant robin trying to get it to wheely :( and the other was in a ford escort of unknown origin
both had done many thousands of miles and were far from new

for a new clutch to break the way described that's a failure not excessive wear n tear

edit slow typing :(
 
2 ton van and poor clutch control with a powerful petrol engine- yep that will wear it out in no time! The failed release bearing is probably the most obvious sign that it's been given a rough life.

You obviously know what to avoid, but also don't rev the engine when you pull away. Just bring the clutch up slowly and once fully engaged, accelerate. Modern engines tend to be very high torque and this will rip the clutch up in no time if you are applying a lot of welly. The engine won't stall, as the electronics will increase the revs automatically.

I'll bet you will spend more time in neutral with the hand brake on now LOL!
 
OP has freely admitted that he has abused the clutch in just about every way you shouldn't use one, so I'm not sure why some people are trying to suggest it's a manufacturer fault. Please don't put that idea in his head ;)
 

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