Failed Clutch and great dealer assistance

[Grumpy Geaser]

On Monday car was found to be making a worrying rattle/ whirring noise which stopped when clutch pedal was pressed. Have read many horror stories about DMF failure I took it to my local dealer, Henry's, in Glasgow. They checked the car and confirmed a clutch issue and noted they didn't recommend driving in case of further damage. Despite the no notice call they gave me the service manager's car on loan and have arranged to work as fast as they can to resolve. I have an extended warranty with Warrantywise (waiting for response) so the gearbox had to come off to confirm damage. They called yesterday inviting me to inspect the damage - confirmed as failed pressure plate and damage to bell housing.

 

Now waiting for warranty approval but can't praise Henry's enough for service provided.

 

Car is 2013 Yeti Elegance 140 and around 35k miles

[octyal]

On Monday car was found to be making a worrying rattle/ whirring noise which stopped when clutch pedal was pressed. Have read many horror stories about DMF failure I took it to my local dealer, Henry's, in Glasgow. They checked the car and confirmed a clutch issue and noted they didn't recommend driving in case of further damage. Despite the no notice call they gave me the service manager's car on loan and have arranged to work as fast as they can to resolve. I have an extended warranty with Warrantywise (waiting for response) so the gearbox had to come off to confirm damage. They called yesterday inviting me to inspect the damage - confirmed as failed pressure plate and damage to bell housing.

 

Now waiting for warranty approval but can't praise Henry's enough for service provided.

 

Car is 2013 Yeti Elegance 140 and around 35k miles

 

That type of failure is well known on the Sachs clutches, press them for warranty replacement of clutch, dmf and gearbox

[Ryeman]

It would be handy to have a DMF failure thread as they are worryingly common in all brands it seems.

[octyal]

It would be handy to have a DMF failure thread as they are worryingly common in all brands it seems.

 

No such thing as a "common" DMF failure - they fail for a reason

[Ryeman]

No such thing as a "common" DMF failure - they fail for a reason

No

What's common is failures and having them reported in one place enables a place to go for evidence and comparisons for sufferers

.......and solace perhaps.

It seems DMFs are now the only type of clutch across all brands

[Rooted]

octyal.

He never said there was a common problem just that it was worryingly common.  Which is not the same thing.

 

Maybe the numbers that fail would show if it is worryingly common, 

and then a thread on it could show if there were common reasons.

[octyal]

octyal.

He never said there was a common problem just that it was worryingly common.  Which is not the same thing.

 

Maybe the numbers that fail would show if it is worryingly common, 

and then a thread on it could show if there were common reasons.

 

My apologies. The way I read it, it sounds like there are worryingly common failures.

 

If it had a comma in the middle, it would read better - "It would be handy to have a DMF failure thread, as they are worryingly common in all brands it seems."

[Ryeman]

DMFs are just another nail in the ICE coffin in any case.

Cars have never represented more long term ownership worries, particularly if bought second hand on a budget.

[Llanigraham]

Well I'm going to be contentious! 

 

Are DMF's that bad? I have calculated that over the last 3 cars I've had, all with DMF's I have driven in excess of 250k miles, some of it off-road, some of it towing a caravan, and I have had NO problems. I talk to friends with DMF equipped cars and guess what? No problems reported, and that includes one person with a driving school car. Yes I admit SOME people have problems, but it doesn't appear to be that common across all makes of vehicles.

[aerofurb]

But Graham, what's the point of having a thread if it doesn't allow Ryeman and Offski' the platform to slate all things Škoda....

[aerofurb]

PS I've owned four DMF Škoda diesels and have had no problems to date.

[Rooted]

On your bike.

I slated nothing in this thread or many others.

Henry's are a rather good Dealership group.   As to Clutch Failures with the VW Group i know nothing on the failure rate.

 

What is it with you that you just keep at it with getting digs in at me on me being interested in how cars have issues and Skoda Customer Services or dealerships pan off owners.

It is nice when positive responses from dealerships are acknowledged and praise given when deserved.

Not all need to be fan boys, or none as blind as will not see.

Edited 13 October, 2016 by Offski

[Ryeman]

DMFs are just another nail in the ICE coffin in any case.

Cars have never represented more long term ownership worries, particularly if bought second hand on a budget.

No mention of Skoda or any brands for that matter because they are endemic to all, in the sense of an all new high tech weak link to basically impress motoring journalists distributing ranking points in a hyper competitive market.

I'm definitely living in the past, where you could actually fix your own car eg fit a new clutch etc

Long gone sadly.

[octyal]

No mention of Skoda or any brands for that matter because they are endemic to all, in the sense of an all new high tech weak link to basically impress motoring journalists distributing ranking points in a hyper competitive market.

I'm definitely living in the past, where you could actually fix your own car eg fit a new clutch etc

Long gone sadly.

 

DMF's have been around for over 30 years now....

[Ryeman]

DMF's have been around for over 30 years now....

Conventional autos didn't have them but the dual clutch systems and the tight packaging makes them a nightmare for the home handyman.

Just something more to give trouble IMO......and for what?

[octyal]

Conventional autos didn't have them but the dual clutch systems and the tight packaging makes them a nightmare for the home handyman.

Just something more to give trouble IMO......and for what?

 

Conventional autos are torque converters, true, a lot of CVT's now use them as they transmit more power, rather than the torque converter using it (frictional losses via the fluid involved), meaning that a CVT can now achieve the same levels of economy as a manual equipped vehicle.

The dry clutch 7 speed systems are simple to do with the correct tools and training, whilst the 6 speed are even easier as they are a wet clutch which comes as a pack (like a motorcycle).

Normal manual transmissions with DMF's are no different to doing a normal single mass system, only thing to watch is the self adjusting mechanism doesn't trip by bolting it down cross wise and slowly, so it is drawn square to the flywheel.

 

Think about how engine tech has moved on. 20 years ago diesels were just starting to get turbo chargers, and power levels were starting to break the 100 bhp mark, now we have common rail systems that work at over 2000 bar of pressure, compared to a direct injection diesel that worked at around 200 bar - so 10 times higher now. This change in pressure, and hence increase in power, leads to a change in the torsional forces imposed on the crank, which can lead to the torsional stresses reaching the same frequency as they steel it is cast from. This can result in cracks forming in the casting, and eventually micro fractures forming, and sometimes a snapped crank. The DMF is basically a shock absorber that takes these vibrations and damps them out, reducing the stress on the crank, not just decreasing the NVH for motoring journalists, and also protecting the transmission, which again has moved on a lot, with higher tolerances and a lot more plastic components inside than there used to be to reduce weight.

[Ryeman]

Give me an old straight six BMW from the 80s and I'd be happy........nothing with a water cooled alternator though.

My back won't allow me much now in any case.

[weasley]

...confirmed as failed pressure plate and damage to bell housing.

 

I had exactly the same failure and needed a new gearbox, which was fitted under warranty.  However, the Skoda workshop that undertook this work forgot to fit or correctly tighten the propshaft bolts to the transfer box at the back of the gearbox, leading to a potentially lethal problem (two bolts were missing and the shaft had rotated about the remaining one).  It was me that finally found the problem, which showed up as a speed-related judder.  The workshop lied and did their best to avoid contact or take any responsibility.

 

I always go under the car now after it has been in for work (and I have found other issues when I have).

 

In fact here... have a read yourself!

Edited 13 October, 2016 by weasley

[Llanigraham]

But Graham, what's the point of having a thread if it doesn't allow Ryeman and Offski' the platform to slate all things Škoda....

 

It's what the "Ignore" button is for.  :peek:  

[Rooted]

Has yours been fixed now?

[Grumpy Geaser]

Update:  The parts required identified and warranty direct approved repairs so just waiting on parts to arrive and rebuild to start. The result is a new clutch assembly and a new gearbox casing. Both Henry's and Warranty Direct have been great so far - this lot is costing more than 2 years premium.

 

Also for the above correspondents the DMF is currently innocent

[Grumpy Geaser]

Sorry - have to make a correction. The extended warranty was through Warranty Wise not direct as suggested above. Age has it's problems

[Liger1956]

Is there any way of looking in the bell housing with a small camera to try to find any damage before it becomes critical without removing the gearbox?

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

This fault occurs when part of the clutch pressure plate breaks off, sticks out and begins to bore through the gearbox casing.

It's normally accompanied by a continuous noise with the engine running.

[Grumpy Geaser]

As James notes it does make a noise BUT it was only heard outside the car or if the windows were opened.

 

Surprisingly (and worryingly) the noise is just not heard inside the car. It was only by chance I got out with the engine still running and heard the noise. If I had't heard it I suspect the first I'd have known would be the gearbox exploding or dumping it's oil on the road/ driveway. The only other symptom was a slight clutch judder on a cold start shortly before the event