gregh

Mine hasn't happenned since we've had this mild spell, I wonder if it is related to ambient temp?

Greg

DJB

The clutch on my MY98 has juddered since the car was about a year old. The problem is definitely worse in the winter and especially on very cold days. My usual dealer did not offer to investigate the problem when I first mentioned it, over a year ago. Since then the judder has not worsened but I think that this is because I have modified clutch release and sub-consciously I allow more clutch slip when the engine's cold.

I'm interested to hear that some have noticed that clutch pedal has become heavy. I was only aware of how heavy mine is, when I test drove a MY01 at the weekend and was amazed at how light the clutch was. The dealer who let me test drive the car has offered to test out the clutch on my own car from cold.

D.

AllanB

I ahd the nasty heavy clutch for months until it got unbearable. It also started to creak light a floorboard but levander Hill changed the master cylinder which cleared it up. I;ve only just started to get the clutch judder sinces its got colder but it warms up within a mile or two and then its fine.


AllanB

Chris L

Phil

The clutch judder that I have suffered has been just when the car is cold. It normally only lasts for the first 3 or 4 gear changes and then goes away. I have never had a problem when the car is warm and I've never experienced the 'heavy' clutch reported here either.

When the guys at Cheam Motors took the car for a test drive, their comment on the clutch was 'it feels horrible'. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that Cheam have been confident that they have found the cause of the clutch problems. Time will tell though...

BTW I had heard that the warranty for the clutch was 25000 miles. I might be wrong, but I'm sure I remember this being posted recently.

Chris

Bedders

chiark

I have a MY00 Dutch import and have only suffered clutch judder once when the car had not been used for a couple of days and the night before it was very humid and damp. It only persisted while the car was cold.

Phoned my local dealer (Concours in Haslemere) and the guy on the service desk said that the clutch lining material does attract moisture and this will cause the clutch to judder until it dries out. The explanation in this case sounds plausible because I am sure I read somewhere that clutch lining material is 'hygroscopic' i.e. has a tendency to absorb moisture.

This may account for some of the clutch judder problems but as so many cars seem to be affected this suggests some pretty fundamental problem with one or more of the clutch components.

sunilp

IM is International Motors, the Subaru importer for the UK (or is it just for GB)?

Sunil

Andy K

MY 99 33000 miles

Local dealer (Monks Heath Motors) told me IM will only replace clutches up to 20000, but if a problem is found after this point would consider paying a proportion of the replacement bill according to mileage. I mentioned it at the 30k service and was warned that if they open it up and don't find a problem, or the problem is caused by wear, I'd be liable. Not a difficult decision!

Live with it if you have higher mileage, moan like hell if its low.

Andy

JDS

MY 99, 6000 miles

JDS

MY 99, 6000 miles

I had this judder for a short period of time at about 5000 miles. Since then it has cleared up, until this morning when I had one instance of extreme judder and then was OK again.

Like many people, if I take it to the dealer to investigate, odds are that they won't be able to replicate it and I might possibly be liable for any investigation costs. Where do we stand here?

James.

GREEN SCOOBY

Never had any of the problems mentioned on my MY 97 32k (pretty smooth compared to my 205 gti) but do find 2nd gear a little bit harder to use in the morning.By the way who is IM?????

RB27

RB5 WR Sport my99 15,000

Recently been having occasional problems getting first gear, which I highlighted at recent 18 month service. Due to back order of synchro and first gear in Japan, and the fact that I was about to go on holiday, the whole gearbox and clutch was replaced under warranty. The previous clutch had a slight judder when cold, but this still exists occasionally until warm with the new one. Not yet fully run in, but gearbox much better. I no longer sit at traffic lights trying to engage first, eventually giving up using the clutch - crunch!

Top marks for Carstins of Balsall Common, Coventry for sorting this out.

Next problem to sort out is the periodic lack of boost on hard acceleration. Third time lucky on that one I hope.

Kev.

PhilH

Chris

Many thanks - your experience fits almost exactly with mine. I'm due for the 15,000 service in the next few weeks and will see what the dealer says. Mine is an EU UK spec import, so I might get a different response!

Anyone else with a EU import had their clutch changed under warranty? If so, is there anything I should know?

Phil

richard.heald

Phil H
The reply I (and others) have got is that the clutch has to be returned to the supplying country (in my case Holland) who will then inspect it and decide if it is a warranty case.

I'm not happy about paying the best part of £1k to get the clutch and flywheel replaced with no certainty of getting it refunded. I'm in the process of checking our legal position and whether Subaru UK must honour the warranty or the parts have to be returned. I'll post the findings.

Richard

ian/555

I remember a while ago on