Has anyone else experienced clutch judder on their Fabia II, 1.9TDI from cold. On starting up first thing in the morning from COLD, clutch judder can be felt when moving off in 1st Gear untill the engine warms up. The judder isn't felt in reverse or any other only 1st. It's just the last half inch of pedal travel as you let the clutch out that you feel it. A very difficult problem to diagnose as apparently when I take it to a Skoda Dealer they cant detect any fault with it? Sound familiar!

The cars just covered 7000 miles and the problem came on at about 5,000miles, car under warranty until Feb 2012. I'm now thinking of getting rid of it, just wondered if anyone else had experienced this.

No. Our car, exact same model, has covered 20k and no judder.

There are several possibilities. I doubt there is any problem with the DMF. Could be some minor contamination on the surface.

When the engine is warm try slipping the clutch aggressively a few times to clean up the friction surface and see if that helps.

My Octavia pdi is exactly the same, clutch judder for the first 2 or 3 times I pull away in the morning then its fine, it has been covered on the Octavia forum a couple of times but no real cast iron ideas just guesses. My dealer claimed it was back brakes sticking on but this was untrue so back to the drawing board.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/152307-clutch-judder/page__p__1893609__hl__clutch%20judder__fromsearch__1entry1893609

My Octavia pdi is exactly the same, clutch judder for the first 2 or 3 times I pull away in the morning then its fine, it has been covered on the Octavia forum a couple of times but no real cast iron ideas just guesses. My dealer claimed it was back brakes sticking on but this was untrue so back to the drawing board.

http://briskoda.net/...1entry1893609

Hi.. Thanks for replying. Is your Skoda still under warranty?

Regards

Yes still under warranty 08 model with only 24k on the clock.

I would document the problem to the dealer and ask him to reply in writing. Use this documentation later if the problem gets worse .

I would document the problem to the dealer and ask him to reply in writing. Use this documentation later if the problem gets worse .

Yeh, I don't think this is an isolated problem. What I personally want to do is get an idea of how many, or a percentage of how many Octavia and Fabia owners with 1.9TDI PD engine have this early morning, first thing juddering from cold in 1st Gear.. And I particularly want to hear from owners whose car is still under the manufacturers warranty and what the dealers have said when you've taken the car in.

Whether this clutch problem is all about the DMF as I've been hearing or NOT, its still not acceptable to buy a diesel Skoda new or used for this problem to occur at low mileage and then be told by the dealers that there is not or they cannot find the fault, especially when the vehicle is still under warranty from the manufacturer. What I propose to do is this:

If I can get details names and addresses etc from a number of owners mainly Fabia but I will include Octavia owners too who are experiencing this problem with this particular engine, the 1.9TDI PD with manual 5 speed transmission whose car is still under warranty, I will personally write to the current Director of Skoda U.K. at Milton Keynes by Recorded Delivery in order to try and get a solution to this problem, because its in our interests to do so and it needs addressing.... There is absolutley no point in contacting Skoda Customer Services, based in Leeds as you can't even get to talk to anyone technical only a team leader, useless.. The idea of all this is to bring this matter to the attention of the brand Director of Skoda U.k. ) who can and will hopefully try and find an answer to this common problem. O.K. it will get passed down the line to customer services in the end I suspect but I will keep the pressure on until I receive some sort of rational answer. At the end of the day I would like and hope that this fault could be rectified at local dealers under our existing warranties. Have a think about this and let me know. I know its a long shot, but if like me you have been to the dealer, and that's proved a waste of time then what have we got to loose

Paul MR

P.S. Robert Hazelwood is Director of Skoda U.K.

I have an Octavis vRS, coming up to 3 years old. I've had it for a year and a half and had an ongoing problem with the clutch. There is a lot of vibration in the clutch pedal, but also intermittently the clutch pedal sticks to the floor while I'm driving and I have to flick it back up. Had it back to the dealer. The first mechanic said he couldn't see anything wrong with it, but he changed the master cylinder anyway. It made no difference. Had it back again recently because it was also making a tapping noise when idling, and I mentioned the clutch problem again. They said the flywheel was causing both problems, replaced that and the tapping noise is gone, but the clutch is exactly the same...

Yeh, I don't think this is an isolated problem. What I personally want to do is get an idea of how many, or a percentage of how many Octavia and Fabia owners with 1.9TDI PD engine have this early morning, first thing juddering from cold in 1st Gear.. And I particularly want to hear from owners whose car is still under the manufacturers warranty and what the dealers have said when you've taken the car in.

Whether this clutch problem is all about the DMF as I've been hearing or NOT, its still not acceptable to buy a diesel Skoda new or used for this problem to occur at low mileage and then be told by the dealers that there is not or they cannot find the fault, especially when the vehicle is still under warranty from the manufacturer. What I propose to do is this:

If I can get details names and addresses etc from a number of owners mainly Fabia but I will include Octavia owners too who are experiencing this problem with this particular engine, the 1.9TDI PD with manual 5 speed transmission whose car is still under warranty, I will personally write to the current Director of Skoda U.K. at Milton Keynes by Recorded Delivery in order to try and get a solution to this problem, because its in our interests to do so and it needs addressing.... There is absolutley no point in contacting Skoda Customer Services, based in Leeds as you can't even get to talk to anyone technical only a team leader, useless.. The idea of all this is to bring this matter to the attention of the brand Director of Skoda U.k. ) who can and will hopefully try and find an answer to this common problem. O.K. it will get passed down the line to customer services in the end I suspect but I will keep the pressure on until I receive some sort of rational answer. At the end of the day I would like and hope that this fault could be rectified at local dealers under our existing warranties. Have a think about this and let me know. I know its a long shot, but if like me you have been to the dealer, and that's proved a waste of time then what have we got to loose

Paul MR

P.S. Robert Hazelwood is Director of Skoda U.K.

we have a 58 reg 1.9 tdi fabia 3 and its hit 14000 miles and started to get clutch judder when cold intermittently. Dealer understandably can't investigate unless they can replicate fault and of course so far they haven't been able to-very frustrating on such a new car. i used to get it on my vauxhall astra (the last shape one before the new one) and was told its due to the materials now used for the clutch plate as they can't use asbestos anymore Would love an answer to this issue as all we can do is keep taking it back to the dealer!!

Has anyone else experienced clutch judder on their Fabia II, 1.9TDI from cold. On starting up first thing in the morning from COLD, clutch judder can be felt when moving off in 1st Gear untill the engine warms up. The judder isn't felt in reverse or any other only 1st. It's just the last half inch of pedal travel as you let the clutch out that you feel it. A very difficult problem to diagnose as apparently when I take it to a Skoda Dealer they cant detect any fault with it? Sound familiar!

The cars just covered 7000 miles and the problem came on at about 5,000miles, car under warranty until Feb 2012. I'm now thinking of getting rid of it, just wondered if anyone else had experienced this.

Paul, it isn't a common problem on the 1.9TDI or any Skoda cars in particular. If it were we would know about it, and this site would be buzzing with it all the time, or again perhaps not as Skoda would have fixed the problem. Having said that, this type of thing is nothing new. ALL manufacturers have the odd car that does suffer some degree of judder and caused by a variety of reasons, and mainly front wheel drive models. This can be fixed ok and you not should sell your car because of it. Virtually all my new front drive cars, in particular Ford, suffered from clutch judder and I bought two new ones every year (yeah, I know I was stupid and the clutch judder was just the tip of the iceberg!). Front drive cars are more sensitive to any clutch related problems caused by contamination of the clutch disc, or a faulty clutch disc or cover assembly. Sometimes it's caused by nothing more than early morning condensation finding it's way onto the flywheel/disc or ingress of water/coolant. I doubt your DMF is faulty.

I would be surprised if your action provides a uniformed response from SUK. This would only happen if vehicles with the exact same engines, of the same or similar year and month of manufacture were proven to exist in large numbers. This would tell Skoda something was wrong and probably there are faulty components involved. However, usually, the manufacturer knows of situations like this long before we the customers do and a resolution is triggered. If it is a potentially dangerous fault a recall is carried out. The 1.9TDI is an old engine, tried and trusted with no known design faults.

Paul, could this be 'clutch snatch' you are referring to. This is something that some of our customers have had over the years on various makes of car and can make you believe it is 'clutch judder', and indeed some have described it as 'judder'. You can be moving off from your drive first thing, you are lifting the clutch pedal, engagement of the drive occurs and the vehicle starts to move, you pause the pedal slightly to gain some momentum and get a smooth move off, then you continue to lift the clutch. Suddenly, the car jerks forward rather quickly as the clutch 'snatches' the drive abruptly. This is usually caused by the clutch drive plate sticking on it's splines momentarily or again...contamination of the disc. Once warm, or when it's been used a time or two it's ok.

The thing to do is allow your dealer to keep your car overnight to allow a technician to experience the fault first hand (unless they experience the problem they are not allowed to touch it mechanically under warranty). This is what we always used to do in these circumstances and it usually confirms the problem. You can then discuss what to do about it with your dealer.

Gotta say my 1.4TDI is super smooth at all times and heaps better than any Ford or Fiat that I've owned. Yours will be too once your dealer has a handle on it.

PS. Can you answer the following please: is you vehicle parked on very level ground overnight? If not, does it lean to one side or the other, tilt downhill or uphill?

Edited 18 August, 201015 yr by Estate Man

we have a 58 reg 1.9 tdi fabia 3 and its hit 14000 miles and started to get clutch judder when cold intermittently. Dealer understandably can't investigate unless they can replicate fault and of course so far they haven't been able to-very frustrating on such a new car. i used to get it on my vauxhall astra (the last shape one before the new one) and was told its due to the materials now used for the clutch plate as they can't use asbestos anymore Would love an answer to this issue as all we can do is keep taking it back to the dealer!!

i have a 07 roomster 1.9tdi so same drive train, 125,000 in just over 3 years, original clutch no problems

Blue, that's nice to know yours is going like most others do...no problems! You should easily get two or three times that mileage out of it before serious spannering is needed.

I test drove 2 different Fabias recently before ordering one and they both had some clutch judder (vibration of the clutch pedal). Both were new demonstrators. It didn't make a diffrence to the way the gears shifted and I think I read something about it on the forum here so I figured it was normal. Ordered a 1.6 estate.

Had exactly as Paul MR describes with a 2005 Octavia 2.0TDI PD. Had two dealers look at it, neither manage to cure it and in the end they gave up with the usual "it's a characteristic of the car" punch line, despite admitting that yes it juddered in 1st. when cold :S

TP

To be clear Jimbo, I think Paul is referring to his car shaking as the clutch takes up the drive, the whole car body shaking with a jerky take up of the drive. Judder can be variable, severe or not very bad. Whilst it's true that sometimes you may feel a little vibration through the pedal at the same time, this isn't always the case and pedal vibration like that is most often caused by engine lumpiness at tickover and whilst pulling away at low revs and can sometime just be there until the clutch has bedded in. I wouldn't think you were experiencing clutch judder although of course I was not there, you were the driver.

To be clear Jimbo, I think Paul is referring to his car shaking as the clutch takes up the drive, the whole car body shaking with a jerky take up of the drive.

Yep that's exactly what I had with the Octavia, as you let the clutch out and applied the accelerator to move away in first the car would shake. Went away once she started to warm up.

TP

To be clear Jimbo, I think Paul is referring to his car shaking as the clutch takes up the drive, the whole car body shaking with a jerky take up of the drive. Judder can be variable, severe or not very bad. Whilst it's true that sometimes you may feel a little vibration through the pedal at the same time, this isn't always the case and pedal vibration like that is most often caused by engine lumpiness at tickover and whilst pulling away at low revs and can sometime just be there until the clutch has bedded in. I wouldn't think you were experiencing clutch judder although of course I was not there, you were the driver.

I think you're right: the cars I drove definately weren't shaking!

Edited 18 August, 201015 yr by jimboJones

I have the same problem on my 2008 Octavia 2.0 TDi with 6 speed box. It has done it since around 4000 miles and is now on 16,000 miles. I've tried leaving it with a dealer overnight but they couldn't detect a problem.

For a while I had convinced myself that if I pumped the clutch pedal up and down about 30 times before starting the engine the problem didn't happen. I think this would add some support to the sticky spline theory in one of the previous posts. Has anyone else been desperate enough to try this!!

On mine I've noticed that if I rev the engine a bit more than usual when pulling away during the aorm up period (say the first 3 miles) the judder doesn't seem so bad. Any ideas why this should be?

For a while I had convinced myself that if I pumped the clutch pedal up and down about 30 times before starting the engine the problem didn't happen. I think this would add some support to the sticky spline theory in one of the previous posts. Has anyone else been desperate enough to try this!!

On mine I've noticed that if I rev the engine a bit more than usual when pulling away during the aorm up period (say the first 3 miles) the judder doesn't seem so bad. Any ideas why this should be?

Yes, moving off with a few more revs will minimise the vibration/judder. It will also help remove any contaminates more quickly from the disc friction material. However, if you do this to extreme, using too many revs all the time, or misusing the clutch by holding the car on a hill at the lights with the clutch instead of the brakes, the disc will incur extra wear and the extra heat generated will almost certainly warp the clutch disc making the judder worse. Pumping the clutch before driving is unlikely to do anything to alleviate clutch snatch caused by a clutch disc sticking on it's splines, as the disc doesn't actually move on it's splines with the engine stationary, only the clutch cover assembly operates.

Blue, that's nice to know yours is going like most others do...no problems! You should easily get two or three times that mileage out of it before serious spannering is needed.

my 2000 octavia 1.9tdi glx had 235k miles with no serious problems (other than an air mass meter failing and alternator bearings failed ) when i replaced it in 07 with the roomster but for 7 years of hard work that was not bad

I test drove 2 different Fabias recently before ordering one and they both had some clutch judder (vibration of the clutch pedal). Both were new demonstrators. It didn't make a diffrence to the way the gears shifted and I think I read something about it on the forum here so I figured it was normal. Ordered a 1.6 estate.

Interesting as I have this on my 1.6TDi CR. I didn't notice it on the demonstrator I drove although unlike testing as when buying a used car I was more interested in deciding generally if the Fabia was right car for me.

The judder / vibration is always there, not just for the first few changes / minutes from standing overnight or due to damp etc. Also given my car is garaged and the recent spell of warm weather I would not expect this to be the cause.

The judder / vibration is only really noticeable in first when setting off. It is less noticeable if revs held at about 1500rpm rather than just over 1000rpm. On a hill start even with revs higher it is then more noticeable. It is not bad but not really what I would expect on a new car.

I'm coming up to 1000 miles so particularly given the number of gear changes / clutch operations on my commute I would have thought if just bedding in this would have happened by now.

I feel this is more than just engine vibration as that would be the same at low revs but clutch fully engaged. Having said that so far a least this engine doesn't seem happy much below 1500rpm despite gear change indicator prompts to change up just above 1500rpm which means in next gear revs not far above 1000rpm. I am ignoring the change up prompts. It has been posted that by 5000miles this engine will be happier nearer to 1000rpm, time will tell.

I've not been back to the dealer yet not least as been busy and not sure if better left rather than even if they agreed to replace the clutch letting them with end result still the same and other issues from the dismantling and reassembly.

I will go to them so at least they can feel the problem and I can get it formally recorded if a premature failure. Ideally I'd like to try another car too.

Interesting as I have this on my 1.6TDi CR. I didn't notice it on the demonstrator I drove although unlike testing as when buying a used car I was more interested in deciding generally if the Fabia was right car for me.

The judder / vibration is always there, not just for the first few changes / minutes from standing overnight or due to damp etc. Also given my car is garaged and the recent spell of warm weather I would not expect this to be the cause.

The judder / vibration is only really noticeable in first when setting off. It is less noticeable if revs held at about 1500rpm rather than just over 1000rpm. On a hill start even with revs higher it is then more noticeable. It is not bad but not really what I would expect on a new car.

I'm coming up to 1000 miles so particularly given the number of gear changes / clutch operations on my commute I would have thought if just bedding in this would have happened by now.

I feel this is more than just engine vibration as that would be the same at low revs but clutch fully engaged. Having said that so far a least this engine doesn't seem happy much below 1500rpm despite gear change indicator prompts to change up just above 1500rpm which means in next gear revs not far above 1000rpm. I am ignoring the change up prompts. It has been posted that by 5000miles this engine will be happier nearer to 1000rpm, time will tell.

I've not been back to the dealer yet not least as been busy and not sure if better left rather than even if they agreed to replace the clutch letting them with end result still the same and other issues from the dismantling and reassembly.

I will go to them so at least they can feel the problem and I can get it formally recorded if a premature failure. Ideally I'd like to try another car too.

Hi Delta, sorry to hear you have some clutch judder. If it is always there you need to monitor it. Some small amount of judder when new can be present and be perfectly ok (as long as it is a very small amount) and often will reduce or even completely go away when the clutch has bedded in. Bedding in can take a couple of thousand miles or even more. It depends how the car is used. But from experience, if the judder is any more than minor, it will get worse as the miles go on and become a problem. If it is just minor I certainly wouldn't worry at the moment. The dealer would want you to put some more miles on the clock anyway before he does anything so just keep driving it unless you feel it is quite bad NOW and not reducing. The most common cause is just a warped disc or cover plate. If needed the dealer will fit a new factory clutch kit to include the release bearing. It's not too often a flywheel problem but they will check this at the time a new clutch is fitted, if it needs one. Oh...don't worry about other problems arising from having a new clutch fitted. Dealers are very good at this sort of stuff and you won't even know anyone has spannered the car...a new clutch is no big deal and doesn't take long to do. As per usual, please let us all know how you get on with this problem...good luck mate!

Interesting as I have this on my 1.6TDi CR. I didn't notice it on the demonstrator I drove although unlike testing as when buying a used car I was more interested in deciding generally if the Fabia was right car for me.

The judder / vibration is always there, not just for the first few changes / minutes from standing overnight or due to damp etc. Also given my car is garaged and the recent spell of warm weather I would not expect this to be the cause.

The judder / vibration is only really noticeable in first when setting off. It is less noticeable if revs held at about 1500rpm rather than just over 1000rpm. On a hill start even with revs higher it is then more noticeable. It is not bad but not really what I would expect on a new car

I'm coming up to 1000 miles so particularly given the number of gear changes / clutch operations on my commute I would have thought if just bedding in this would have happened by now

I feel this is more than just engine vibration as that would be the same at low revs but clutch fully engaged. Having said that so far a least this engine doesn't seem happy much below 1500rpm despite gear change indicator prompts to change up just above 1500rpm which means

in next gear revs not far above 1000rpm. I am ignoring the change up prompts. It has been posted that by 5000miles this engine will be happier nearer to 1000rpm, time will tell.

I've not been back to the dealer yet not least as been busy and not sure if better left rather than even if they agreed to replace the clutch letting them with end result still the same and other issues from the dismantling and reassembly.

I will go to them so at least they can feel the problem and I can get it formally recorded if a premature failure. Ideally I'd like to try another car too.

Hi delta well I had this once clutch filly engaged, and travelling in 4 th doing about 40 mph and all of a sudden a shudder and a racket as if my engine was throwing bits all over the tarmac, I changed down and fine and have not got it again however could have been that it was not fully in gear and popped out ?

I think cause of mine (1.6TDI CR 105PS) is the friction material because when I got home one day last week on the drive way I did this - Pulled the handbrake on hard, raised revs to about 1500rpm and while keeping throttle at the same position, engaged first then the clutch until the car was just creeping forward and held for a couple of seconds.

The next day the clutch was perfectly smooth but over the weekend the judder / vibration started to come back and is now like early last week.

Like any niggle once noticed you always notice it but only really noticeable starting off uphill. Certainly if my money to replace it would have to get a lot worse before I would pay out.

If I was sure the clutch would not have a shorter than expected life I'm happy if left but in case of a future problem I want to be sure this is logged on Skoda's system so will get in touch with the dealer soon. Of course if they decide to replace that is good for me.

I have now covered 1000 miles and not found other faults nor got any rattles.

Based on my one-off experiment maybe those who are heavier on the clutch, have a sloping drive etc are less likely to find this judder / vibration.

I try to be gentle on the clutch keeping minimum revs until fully engaged.

I like letting the boy racers and white van man get away at the lights but then cruise past them a hundred yards down the road without really trying. Having a Skoda whizz past upsets a few who then have to thrash their car / van to get in front again.

I think cause of mine (1.6TDI CR 105PS) is the friction material because when I got home one day last week on the drive way I did this - Pulled the handbrake on hard, raised revs to about 1500rpm and while keeping throttle at the same position, engaged first then the clutch until the car was just creeping forward and held for a couple of seconds.

The next day the clutch was perfectly smooth but over the weekend the judder / vibration started to come back and is now like early last week.

Like any niggle once noticed you always notice it but only really noticeable starting off uphill. Certainly if my money to replace it would have to get a lot worse before I would pay out.

If I was sure the clutch would not have a shorter than expected life I'm happy if left but in case of a future problem I want to be sure this is logged on Skoda's system so will get in touch with the dealer soon. Of course if they decide to replace that is good for me.

I have now covered 1000 miles and not found other faults nor got any rattles.

Based on my one-off experiment maybe those who are heavier on the clutch, have a sloping drive etc are less likely to find this judder / vibration.

I try to be gentle on the clutch keeping minimum revs until fully engaged.

I like letting the boy racers and white van man get away at the lights but then cruise past them a hundred yards down the road without really trying. Having a Skoda whizz past upsets a few who then have to thrash their car / van to get in front again.

Isnt it a cracking engine, pulls like a train in 3rd