Hello All

This isnt the normal post about how great my new scout is, i wish it was though! it was great for a week, however at 8 days old it wouldnt go into gear and the clutch was slipping, then smoke started pouring out of the bonnet and it smelled of burning clutch fluid. I took it to an independent who said the clutch seems to be burnt out. It has now gone to an authorised dealer and the last i heard they had taken the gear box out......skoda uk say they should cover it under warranty but cant guarantee that yet as the clutch is a wear and tear item or something, which is interesting at 8 days old and 480 miles....i assume they will cover it or i will be suuing......anyway i now have a zaffira courtesy car, which is truly awful, but then again it does have a clutch! has anyone had anything similar?? it is the 1.8 tsi

cheers

If a serious manufacturing defect is present from when the car was built then it is far more likely to appear early, which yours clearly has.

The Octavia is a good quality car, the Scout being an excellent 'jack of all trades', you only need to read the great feedback from all owners on this site to appreciate that. It seems to me you have just been unlucky.

I'm sure Skoda will fix this for you FOC /under warranty. It's certainly a challenge to burn out a clutch in less than 500 miles, clearly something is not as it should be.

With it being so new I'm not sure why you drove it to an independant garage, I wouldn't have driven it at all and called out Skoda Assist to avoid doing any further damage.

Good luck in getting it fixed and be sure to share with us what the problem was and how it was fixed...

If a serious manufacturing defect is present from when the car was built then it is far more likely to appear early, which yours clearly has.

The Octavia is a good quality car, the Scout being an excellent 'jack of all trades', you only need to read the great feedback from all owners on this site to appreciate that. It seems to me you have just been unlucky.

I'm sure Skoda will fix this for you FOC /under warranty. It's certainly a challenge to burn out a clutch in less than 500 miles, clearly something is not as it should be.

With it being so new I'm not sure why you drove it to an independant garage, I wouldn't have driven it at all and called out Skoda Assist to avoid doing any further damage.

Good luck in getting it fixed and be sure to share with us what the problem was and how it was fixed...

thanks for the reply, it is good re-assurance, i did call skoda assist and they said i could drive it to the garage, and it seemed to drive ok, the clutch was high or something he said. I thought the independent garage was an authorised garage, but it wasnt and they didnt do any work so as not to interfere with the warranty, the rac picked it up the next day and delivered it to the authorised dealer.......cheers

If the "clutch was high" I assume he was referring to the biting point.

Generally the biting point (the point of the clutch pedals travel at which the car begins to move) will get higher and higher as it wears out.

For the clutch to be 'high' at 500 miles suggests there is a problem. I assume it wasn't like this from new? I guess if it was you wouldn't have any concerns as it would be all you are used to.

The smoke also suggests a clutch problem, was it white / light coloured smoke? Burning clutch has a very unique and distinctive smell.

I would have said it sounds to me as though it should be a relatively quick and easy repair with no long term effects, however I don't think (but I could be wrong) that you need to remove the gearbox to replace the clutch? This may suggest a more serious problem.

If they discuss replacing the gearbox I may be tempted to reject the car, especially if you are planning (as I do) to keep the car for a long time (i.e. out of warranty).

Keep us posted

If the "clutch was high" I assume he was referring to the biting point.

Generally the biting point (the point of the clutch pedals travel at which the car begins to move) will get higher and higher as it wears out.

For the clutch to be 'high' at 500 miles suggests there is a problem. I assume it wasn't like this from new? I guess if it was you wouldn't have any concerns as it would be all you are used to.

The smoke also suggests a clutch problem, was it white / light coloured smoke? Burning clutch has a very unique and distinctive smell.

I would have said it sounds to me as though it should be a relatively quick and easy repair with no long term effects, however I don't think (but I could be wrong) that you need to remove the gearbox to replace the clutch? This may suggest a more serious problem.

If they discuss replacing the gearbox I may be tempted to reject the car, especially if you are planning (as I do) to keep the car for a long time (i.e. out of warranty).

Keep us posted

thanks again for this, i will keep you posted, it definitely smelled like burning clutch fluid and was light coloured smoke, am i within my rights to reject the car? because as much as i like it i dont want a lemon!

thanks again for this, i will keep you posted, it definitely smelled like burning clutch fluid and was light coloured smoke, am i within my rights to reject the car? because as much as i like it i dont want a lemon!

That would indicate that it wasn't the clutch that was burning out as such but the slave cylinder had sprung a leak and deposited oil over the friction plate which was then being burned off and ruining the friction plate(light coloured smoke = vapourised oil), all will have to be replaced, including the friction plate as its problem was caused by a manufacturing fault in another component.

I wouldn't have thought you'd need to reject the car if all the problem was, was a faulty/misplaced 'O-ring'. Put a new one in, replace components damaged as a consequence and the job's a good'un.

Ian

Edited 7 August, 201114 yr by countryboy

On my other car, with 200km (day later after pick up) it was left at the shop due to a gearbox problem.

Like you I was pi-off.

Anyway it now has 160000km and no more gearbox problem.

A friends Audi on the same day of pick up was left at the shop again to resolve a gearbox problem, wouldn´t go into reverse.

Now has just over 100000km and no problems.

Better now than later.

On my other car, with 200km (day later after pick up) it was left at the shop due to a gearbox problem.

Like you I was pi-off.

Anyway it now has 160000km and no more gearbox problem.

A friends Audi on the same day of pick up was left at the shop again to resolve a gearbox problem, wouldn´t go into reverse.

Now has just over 100000km and no problems.

Better now than later.

thanks countryboy/ alberg, will see what they say the problem is hopefully tomorrow, i may be back for more advice as i am not mechanically minded ( in case you hadnt guessed!) i really do want to keep it as it is a great car....apart from the obvious issue!

An elderly neighbours even more elderly father had a similar problem after about 5 months with a brand new Citroen C2 and Citroen did that FOC so I'm sure that if Citroen do it Skoda will.

Very unusual to hear of issues at all really but thankfully it's happened early so obviously something wasn't right from the outset.

Strange that they've not given you a Skoda courtesy car but just think how thankful you'll be to be back in the Scout after the Zafira

thanks countryboy/ alberg, will see what they say the problem is hopefully tomorrow, i may be back for more advice as i am not mechanically minded ( in case you hadnt guessed!) i really do want to keep it as it is a great car....apart from the obvious issue!

:rofl: countryboy/alberg not funny

You live in a funny named place (Northumberland) like I did, Newfoundland

Edited 8 August, 201114 yr by alberg

Why didnt it go back to the dealer who supplied it ???

Why didnt it go back to the dealer who supplied it ???

Maybe the supplying dealer is not his nearest?

From what he said it is now at an authorised Skoda dealer.

Maybe the supplying dealer is not his nearest?

From what he said it is now at an authorised Skoda dealer.

yes i got in birmingham from all electric via ebay, so a bit of a trek from northumberland, will update you later, but suffice to say no-one has offered to pay the 1200 quid for a new clutch yet!

yes i got in birmingham from all electric via ebay, so a bit of a trek from northumberland, will update you later, but suffice to say no-one has offered to pay the 1200 quid for a new clutch yet!

OK to update they are going to fix the car FOC and it will hopefully be ready tomorrow, they have said if it happens again in 6 months time they cant guarantee to fix it under warranty as it is a wear and tear item. They have examined the parts and can find no faults so have basically assumed that it is my driving that has burnt the clutch out in less than 500 miles! which is interesting as in the last 20 years of driving I have never had a clutch problem before. Anyway I am hoping the clutch was dodgey and now it is fixed so am going to get the car back, and if it does happen in 6 months time I will argue about it then! Unless anyone thinks that this is a bad idea and I should do anything else??

PS Alberg glad you find northumberland an amusing name, after the hours i took to come up with turniphead! :yes:

Phew, a good result

I would however be making it perfectly clear that such an early failure is blatantly a manufacturing defect and any other suggestion, especially your inability to drive, is offensive and rude.

Fair wear and tear is an excuse that is used way too often, mainly as it is often their word against yours so they are more likely to get away with out having to cover it under warranty.

A few guys at work do go through a few clutches (one is ready for his third in five years) and it is clear why when you are a passenger, however even he would struggle to completely ruin one in less than 500 miles.

Once the repair is complete, you have the car back and are happy with the result I would be putting together a strongly worded letter to Skoda UK to say that you are unhappy with such an early failure, offended at the suggestion it was your fault and that if there are any further signs of clutch slip before the warranty expires you will be expecting it repaired FOC.

Well done and good luck!