Clutch/gearbox noise when using clutch

[getboredeasy]

Hi, can anyone offer any advise on this issue with my car?

On my 2013 Citigo Sport  (just up to 12,000 miles) when the clutch is released ( pressure released from pedal when clutch has been engaged) I get a noise. Its hard to explain but when the clutch pedal is released you get a transmission type noise.

It also does this when the engine is not started and you press the clutch up and down quickly. Not so much of a click but a clonk?

If you release the clutch pedal slowly you don't seem to get the noise. Could it be a noisy/worn clutch release bearing or something more sinister? 

Car is in Warranty until Mar 2016 so I can book it in to be looked at but wanted some advice/ammunition to hit the dealer with if they start to be unhelpful or unresponsive to my claims. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Camlep]

 

Hi, can anyone offer any advise on this issue with my car?

On my 2013 Citigo Sport  (just up to 12,000 miles) when the clutch is released ( pressure released from pedal when clutch has been engaged) I get a noise. Its hard to explain but when the clutch pedal is released you get a transmission type noise.

It also does this when the engine is not started and you press the clutch up and down quickly. Not so much of a click but a clonk?

If you release the clutch pedal slowly you don't seem to get the noise. Could it be a noisy/worn clutch release bearing or something more sinister? 

Car is in Warranty until Mar 2016 so I can book it in to be looked at but wanted some advice/ammunition to hit the dealer with if they start to be unhelpful or unresponsive to my claims. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

 

Don't worry - this is THE known Citigo thing. It's a cheap car, with cheap build quality. My Citigo does it, and so does the Citigo courtesy car I had. My friend's VW Up! does this also. Even the Skoda Rapid I had as a courtesy car made this noise. 

It is - as you say - a transmission noise, and is particularly noticeable because the car is so lacking in soundproofing. Do not worry about it. It will sound like a clonk, as you say, rather than a click or anything. It's very mechanical sounding, and perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about at all. :-)

[getboredeasy]

Hi, thanks for the reply and reassurance. I suppose there is no fix under warranty then?

[Camlep]

Hi, thanks for the reply and reassurance. I suppose there is no fix under warranty then?

 

No problem. And you're correct; there's no fix as it technically isn't really a problem. Noticeable and slightly irritating, certainly, but causes no damage or issues to the transmission. If you take it to your dealer, they will tell you it is 'A Characteristic of the Car'! Nothing to worry about. The best way to avoid the noise, as you've pointed out yourself, is for a slow clutch release. But if you hear the noise, do not worry at all. Anyone on here will tell you the clutch/transmission clonk is a renowned Citigo characteristic. I like to think of it as part of its charm

[getboredeasy]

Ok, thanks for the response. I do really like the car and am happy with the car generally but it is a bit disappointing that this is perceived as an acceptable issue. It just sounds a bit 'agricultural' when driving. My old Citroen C1 was also a 'cheap car' and that didn't have any issues of this nature with the transmission, I can't believe VW/Skoda couldn't engineer a better design from the start.

[Camlep]

Ok, thanks for the response. I do really like the car and am happy with the car generally but it is a bit disappointing that this is perceived as an acceptable issue. It just sounds a bit 'agricultural' when driving. My old Citroen C1 was also a 'cheap car' and that didn't have any issues of this nature with the transmission, I can't believe VW/Skoda couldn't engineer a better design from the start.

 

Agreed! I tend to have music on in the car, or live football, so I confess to not noticing it as much any more!  

[ronime]

My 64 plate Elegance does this. It has just over 2,000 miles on the clock and has done it for as long as I have owned the car. It's just the noise of the transmission taking up drive. Many other cars will exhibit the the same kind of noise to a certain extent but the lack of isolation/insulation in the Citigo makes it more apparent.

[getboredeasy]

Thanks for the replies, guess I'll just have to turn up the stereo!

[lfcfran]

My wife's new Citigroup made a clicking noise and the dealership said it was the clutch box needed re-welding. Fixed it under the warranty as it was less than a month old but still waiting to see what sort of comp going to be offered. Might pull out from being my new Fabia as a result.

[MikeW]

I wouldn't worry about it, it's a lightweight car with hardly any soundproofing, mine's a 12 plate and has made many noises from new, but goes well

[beegee99]

This is a noise which is noticeable when the clutch pedal is out, and the car is idling , just noticed it , our citigo has 45,000 km on the clock.

Not sure why I only noticed it now, perhaps because I did my own oil change for the first time last week, and am conscious of what a dealer service might have done differently.

 

We have  one of nine citigos in NZ, we never knew why they didn't sell well here, because they are such an economical and comfortable car for long drives.

we believe that nine is the sum total of the manuals and automatics

[freemansteve]

The intriguing bit is this quote in the OP:

 

"It also does this when the engine is not started and you press the clutch up and down quickly. "

 

Assuming the car is not moving, then none of of the shafts in the 'box will be moving either. This surely rules out the common clunks that all gearboxes have when taking up drive or shifting (albeit far more apparent in some than others!).  

 

I will try my clutch later today, on my 2019 version, and see if I can hear a clonk with engine off and when stationary. I'll be surprised to hear anything. If ignition is on, but engine off, it could be a relay used in the stop/start system, if fitted. Might even be the switch on the pedal or a hydraulic component - it depends where the noise is coming from, but it'd be easier to locate when not running....

[P3P5I]

There are apparently two types of weird noises coming from gearbox/clutch area. One is apparently a well known gearbox noise. It was covered recently in one of the other threads on this forum. The other one is a clutch. My citigo had exactly the same problem as described. When engine was cold and idling, clutch pedal depressed - strange rattling could be heard. Once the clutch pedal was pressed down - noise disappeared. In my car's case, it was worn out clutch. After clutch replacement, not at the stealership, problem disappeared