WipeOut

My wife had this issue with a VW Touran 1.2 tsi and they replaced the turbo which fixed the issue.

This reply from the dealer and Skoda UK is unacceptable. It's like saying your car is faulty, but they're all faulty, live with it. Really, who would consider a loud clicking clutch pedal to be acceptable!?

Agreed. Having owned three previous Skoda's I've never had any complaints and I've been a satisfied owner. It's bad enough that there are quality issues with my car and it's gearbox and clutch. However they're couldn't care less attitude rubs salt in to the wound. They need to find fixes for these problems, and start replacing faulty items. It's unnaceptable.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have thought of getting a second opinion and report from another independent garage at my cost. However I am not sure what I would do once I had another garage confirm the noise is excessive and the car suffers with gear change issues. There is clearly a quality issue, due to inconsistencies in manufacture some cars and fine, others not. I believe Skoda/VW don't know what is causing these inconsistencies. So even if I got report done, it's unlikely I could use it to fix the car. Even if they agreed a new gearbox and clutch would it solve the issue? To be honest I've got more important items on my to do list other than my car and I've lost the will. I am planning to keep the car for 5 years, if the clutch fails in that period then I will sue the garage arguing there was a problem from new. Why Skoda/VW think that clutch which is noisy than the engine on release is acceptable is beyond me?

Good luck with getting it fixed. I have a grinding noise from my clutch, and after a few months of trying to get a fix and involving Skoda UK, here is the final decision from Skoda on the excessive clutch noise. "The noise reported on release of the clutch pedal have been diagnosed as a characteristic of the vehicle. Skoda UK have informed us through technical product information ... that the noises are due to the design of the power unit and are in accordance with the state of the art production."

Good luck with getting it fixed. I have a grinding noise from my clutch, and after a few months of trying to get a fix and involving Skoda UK, here is the final decision from Skoda on the excessive clutch noise. "The noise reported on release of the clutch pedal have been diagnosed as a characteristic of the vehicle. Skoda UK have informed us through technical product information ... that the noises are due to the design of the power unit and are in accordance with the state of the art production."

Here is the final decision from Skoda on the excessive clutch noise. "The noise reported on release of the clutch pedal have been diagnosed as a characteristic of the vehicle. Skoda UK have informed us through technical product information ... that the noises are due to the design of the power unit and are in accordance with the state of the art production."

I completely sympathise with who how you feel. I have a different problem with my clutch. Phone calls, inconvenience, wasted trips to the dealer..... I've own two Skoda's before and I've had no complaints, they were good cars. There is something wrong with the quality on the Citigo.

I have the Hankooks and find grip in the wet poor. I would to take them off and swap them, but I may be rejecting the car anyway.

What would be really helpful, is for some one with good technical knowledge to tell me why my clutch and gearbox isn't working properly. Telling me that it's "fact" that 99.9% of clutches fail due to driver error isn't particular helpful, especially as mine showed problems on day one of collection from the showroom. Can anybody offer any help on getting Skoda to fix my car?

There are a number of clutches you’ve seen in your life. You’re assertion is 0.1% failure are due to mechanical defects as the other 99.9% are driver error. That equates to 2,030 clutches ( I originally used 2,000 as you said). So what is the total number of clutches you based your sample on (clutches you have experience on for your fact)? We can reverse out the percentage. Original number of clutches = 100% Clutches that fail due manufacturer defect = 100% - 99.9% = 0.1% So 2,030 is 0.1% of the original set of clutches. Original set = 100% * 0.1% = 100 * (2030 / 0.001) = 2,030,000 clutches that you’ve based you fact upon. It’s fine to have an opinion, but you’ve made an assertion it’s based on fact. The fact based on the 2,030 clutches is that you must have been involved in the replacement of 2,030,000 clutches. That’s an awful lot clutch's to have replaced in a working career? :think:

Or 2,000,000 old ladies using the clutch pedal as a foot rest.

This is very interesting. You are aware of 2,000 clutches that were down to manufacture defects. So as you say "99.9%" is statistical fact down to driver error. So that's just 0.1% down to manufacture issues. That means you've witnessed or been involved in the replacement of 2,000,000 clutches, as 99.9% were down to drive error. I don't want to come over as a smart ass, but are you really sure this is a statistical fact as you put it. 2 MILLION clutches is your source of your statistics! :-)

I agree that VW don't know what's causing the problem and that's a part of the reason why they won't/can't fix. They need to stop fobbing off customers with the "state of the art" nonsense and figure out why there are some cars with an issue and others are fine. Inconsistency is symptom of poor quality. They need to resolve these issues. Clutches and gearbox should work well from day one, unlike mine. PCP is a good suggestion, shame I had bought my car privately as a local run around to be kept until its good for scrap.

Fair enough, refreshing to meet someone on a forum has some factual basis from which they speak. It's still based on only your experiences and judgements rather than some analytical fact. That said, I've driven for 25 years and never had clutch wear out, despite some high mileages and driving in London everyday. Is my judgement any less valid? Put yourself in our position of having bought a new car. Immediately you notice the clutch isn't operating correctly. Then some technician who agrees it's excessively noisy not right, but Skoda won't replace. Then say some time down the car ownership the clutch fails prematurely and you are landed with the bill, because some technician says 99.9% of the time it is driver failure. Already I am hear reports of clutches failing prematurely on Cigito/Ups!. VW/Skoda have a quality issue with their clutches on the Citigo and they need to stop patronising consumers and get a fix for the problem at their expense rather than hoping it fails at the consumers expense.

This is such a unquantified statement. Could you tell me how you know that 99.9% of clutch issues are down to users? Have you got some imperical metric evidence to back up your claim? I suspect not. It's just your unfounded opinion and not fact. I have no doubt that some clutch issues are down to bad technique, but please stop belittling anyone who is having clutch problem with such sweeping and unfounded statements.

Happy you got your car fixed. I am stilling waiting to find out what they plan with mine. Is the gearbox quieter and smoother than the previous one?

I thought the clutch/gearbox was dodgy on my car. It's not as dodgyas Skoda Customer Services. I've emailed, I've phoned, I left messages numerous times and still got nowhere with my case. It's very clear to me Skoda Customer Services couldn't give a ...... Very disappointed with the car, the dealer, and Skoda themselves.

Oh dear I hope you get it sorted soon. In some respects, although I wouldn't wish this on someone, at least you've got a problem that can't be disputed. I am still been fobbed off that my issue is a characteristic of a state of the art gearbox! To compound my problems trying to contact Skoda UK by phone has been near impossible. Hope you get it fixed soon, keep us up to date.

Good to hear that at least VW acknowledge the problem. I hope you get it sorted, please keep us up to date. I hope Skoda start acknowledging there is an issue.

I understand first gear should hardly be used when the car is moving, but if the car is struggling in second then first should be selected. Double declutching doesn't help. Double declutching also doesn't help with selecting reverse. For the record I've driven numerous modern cars, classics, F3, held a racing licence, combine harvesters and tractors and there is something wrong with this gearbox! :-)

I can't speak for mrjmiddleton, but my experience is reverse is often impossible when the car is stationary. Low speed or stationary selection of first gear can also be difficult. I have long and diverse driving history and I think there is a problem with my gearbox/clutch and I am sure others are experiencing a similar issue.

IMHO anyone who says needing a clutch after 22k is down to their driving style is speaking from their ignorance of how the person drives.

Let's be clear the problem I am experiencing with the clutch has nothing to do with riding the clutch due to no footrest.

Skoda and VW need to stop fobbing off their customers, that the clutch/gearbox is fine. They're hoping it fails outside of warranty so the customer picks up the bill. Rather they should understand the problem with the clutch find a fix and repair customers cars!