I was unfortunate to experience a total clutch failure whilst driving my 2006 Octavia 1.9 TDI to a job interview. I assumed there would be a clutch fluid reservoir somewhere under the bonnet to check the fluid level but was unable to find one. How do you check for clutch fluid level? Are clutch problems common? What is the most likely cause? Could it just be loss of fluid or is it more likely to be total clutch failure? Is the severe cold weather likely to be a factor in te failure?

The clutch shares the same fluid and reservoir as the brakes. These is no separate clutch fluid reservoir.

Is the brake fluid level low?

What is the clutch pedal doing?

How did it fail?

As above, with the note that the most likely clutch failures are the pivot pin on the pedal (easy visual check), slave cylinder (less easy), master cylinder (easier than slave, but less likely unless there's a new slave in the recentish past), welding on the pedalbox (not likely, but easy to check when you're checking the pivot pin), and inside the bellhousing (barstewards to check).

The clutch shares the same fluid and reservoir as the brakes. These is no separate clutch fluid reservoir.

Is the brake fluid level low?

What is the clutch pedal doing?

How did it fail?

As above, with the note that the most likely clutch failures are the pivot pin on the pedal (easy visual check), slave cylinder (less easy), master cylinder (easier than slave, but less likely unless there's a new slave in the recentish past), welding on the pedalbox (not likely, but easy to check when you're checking the pivot pin), and inside the bellhousing (barstewards to check).

Thanks guys, some useful info. My brake fluid level was good so hopefully it'll be a simple/cheap mechanical failure. Symptoms were: difficulty in changing gear initially followed by juddering when braking with clutch dipped (clutch not disengaged so engine still driving gearbox) then when stopped could not select any gear due to clutch still engaged when pedal fully down. I had to get recovery vehicle to rescue me and drop car at local garage. I'm now waiting for them to phone with assessment of the fault.