Hello all,

The clutch on my fabia will no longer release. I was driving in traffic and while shifting from 2nd to 3rd I could not select third gear. I was able to get the car into 2nd momentarily, then nothing at all. With the engine off, all gears are selectable with no problems. The car has 46k miles.

I've got a rudimentary knowledge of the clutch - there was no slipping or noticeable performance problems, and I'm really quite sedentary with the revs - the car only gets above 3000rpm on the motorway, most of the time.

I did notice the previous time I used it a burning rubber smell after I'd parked, but thought this was just outside and a one off. I only recalled this after yesterday's problems and wonder if it's relevant.

The clutch has always been very light - much lighter than the 1.4 TDI I'd learnt to drive in; to the extent where the bite point is barely perceptible apart from the RPM needle twitching a little. I very seldom slip it excessively, but if I do lighty do so on inclines there's noticeable torque feedback through the pedal - aside from the that the car 'talks' very little through the pedal. Maybe it's always been a bit knackered?

Any obvious telltales? It's in the garage Monday and I just want to educate myself a little.

Edited 5 November, 201114 yr by Sulman

Could be clutch master cylinder or slave (release bearing), if they are OK clutch plate will have broken.

Could be clutch master cylinder or slave (release bearing), if they are OK clutch plate will have broken.

Okay, that might explain the smell before. The car has no issue with drive, I was able to bump start it in second to drive it a short distance to a parking spot. What gives feedback on the pedal? The tension has remained the same throughout.

Pedal feel is governed by release bearing acting on the clutch center plate spring fingers. Clutch collapse usually gives you a very light pedal. However the clutch plate can shear from the center plate and gives you no clutch. Same goes for faulty release bearing, although they tend to make a noise before failing when the clutch is pressed down.

Hard to tell until the gearbox is stripped out.

That's interesting, thanks for the feedback. I'll update the post with what the garage comes back with.

It was the release bearing - had failed and wasn't working on the spring fingers properly. All sorted, new clutch kit.

Thanks for the feedback.

It was the release bearing - had failed and wasn't working on the spring fingers properly. All sorted, new clutch kit.

Thanks for the feedback.

Thanks for posting the fix glad it's sorted.