Pretty much sums it up I think, well worded. Have you managed to contact anyone at sachs technical? They may be able to provide some sort of assessment from the pictures, depends who you talk to. If you can't find the phone number, pop into a motor factor and see if they have the phone number. If it was LuK then may have been able to do something ☺

I contacted Sachs via their online Technical Support Form on Thursday. So far there has been no reply.

 

Here are two more pictures taken after clearing the plate surface of dust. It is pretty obvious that a large portion of the inner disc was not gripping.

 

Looks like a very obvious manufacturing defect to me

Yep, with only two-thirds of the surface area biting the clutch probably couldn't handle peak torque once the outer edge was worn a little. Funny thing is that if I had treated the car much harder then it would have shown up far earlier and probably been replaced without question.

 

This zoomed image (from above picture) really shows how concave the plate is.  It is hardly surprising it started slipping, as this seems clear evidence  of a manufacturing fault. I also think that there was a secondary issue which caused very high clutch bite-point.

 

 

The image below shows the condition of the disc itself. There is still lots of friction material remaining. The inside 1.5cm looks new whilst the mid-to-outside is only partly worn. There are no signs of abuse on the disc, just uneven wear which matches the misshapen pressure plate. Even the worn outside is still in good condition.

Edited 9 May, 201610 yr by Orville

Moral of the story is to rag the hell out of it to start with (I jest).

Let's hope come Tuesday you get some good news.

I have just received a call from Sachs Technical Support. Due to contractual (#gagging) restraints they cannot become involved with disputes between Skoda and their customers. He would only say that I should follow-up the case with Skoda. They at least had the courtesy to call me.

I have just received a call from Sachs Technical Support. Due to contractual (#gagging) restraints they cannot become involved with disputes between Skoda and their customers. He would only say that I should follow-up the case with Skoda. They at least had the courtesy to call me.

 

Had a feeling that would be the case unfortunately - aftermarket and OE are separate entities - looks like you may have to argue the case with Skoda.

It may be worth finding a local engineering firm, someone who will have calibrated test equipment, see if they can measure the amount of run out on the disc and the difference in the levels of the pressure plate, that may hold some weight. If not, then stand your ground, at least for a goodwill payment towards the costs to take the sting out of it.

I would not be happy with anything less than a full refund. The clutch plate is obviously concave and the lack of blue colouring/glazing accross its surface Is evidence that the car has not been mistreated. The disc shows no signs of abuse, just far higher wear on the outside than the inside, which has obviously been caused by the concave pressure plate. The almost complete lack of wear on the inner plate edge proves that the disc never maintained proper contact, and this lack of contact is what resulted in slip. There may have been a secondary issue with the SAC causing very high bite-point and further lack of clamping force, but I cannot prove this from photographs.

All in all I think that the photographs prove my case for manufacturing fault, and I can see nothing (and know that there can be nothing) to prove bad driving-style. It certainly does not look like "wear & tear", and I cannot find any other clutch pictures on the internet that look anything like mine. The disc is not blue, wear is extremely uneven (a third of the pressure plate surface has barely been touched), and the friction plate is in good condition (albeit unevenly worn). I very much hope that Skoda takes a good look at the pictures and makes a balanced assessment.

Hmmmm. I'm not convinced the new one won't do the same unless they find the parts replaced are out somehow bent. If something else is misaligned and it hasn't been replaced, it'll just eat clutch 's for the rest of its life.

Still its not their money so, why would they care?

Good point. Skoda have to meet sales of spares targets to

Dealer is still chasing Skoda Technical Dept and hopes to have an answer by the end of this week.

 

Another piccy showing the uneven wear. There is actually only ~36mm width of contact area, of which 15mm+ was barely contacting.

Edited 10 May, 201610 yr by Orville

You may want to engage a drive train specialist to look and write an engineer's report. Would be useful ammo to be armed with.

I am hopeful that Skoda will look at the pictures and see that there is a manufacturing fault. If not then this thread could last for months because I will not give it up. I know that the car and clutch have been treated nicely.

Something I've just noticed (after following a link on another tread) is Skoda offer fixed price clutch replacement for £539 - http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed/default/ It may be worth querying this as you may be able to get some money back regardless?

Something I've just noticed (after following a link on another tread) is Skoda offer fixed price clutch replacement for £539 - http://www.skoda.co.uk/owners/service-and-maintenance/simply-fixed/default/ It may be worth querying this as you may be able to get some money back regardless?

Thanks for that. My Dealer is listed within the "Participating Dealers" so strange that they charged me £850. Hopefully I will obtain the full £850 refund after Skoda sees the photos anyway.

Also says that they remove the wheels on a major service and they they do software updates on a minor service. ...hmm. Never saw any of that whilst I was working for them.

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The Skoda Muppet Show continues. I have spoken again with the Dealer who inform me that Skoda "Fixed Price" Servicing & Maintenance only covers cars between 3-years and 10-years of age. It seems the offer is designed to get customers to continue maintaining their cars at Official Dealers AFTER warranty has expired. They expect me to pay for a manufacturing-defect within warranty, plus expect me to pay 60% more for it because I have a (farcical) warranty on an almost new car.

 

What an absolute joke! To add to my feelings of poor-service and being ripped-off, I am now being discriminated against because of the age of my car.

Edited 11 May, 201610 yr by Orville

Time to start bringing out the big guns then - sale of goods act - I am 99.9% sure there is some legislation in there that states you have up to 6 years of cover for getting things fixed, the age of your car and the mileage it's covered should help on that front, plus the history as well. Something to do with being fit for purpose, remember there was an example in one of the trade publications a few months back

Fit for purpose. It's clearly not fit for purpose. Has it lasted a reasonable amount of time? Clearly not. Small claims court maybe.

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Fit for purpose. It's clearly not fit for purpose. Has it lasted a reasonable amount of time? Clearly not. Small claims court maybe.

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That would be my next step after talking to the service manager/dealer principle regarding the sale of goods coverage quietly in the office (better to be civil to start, rather than explode in reception - save that one for when the "see you in court" bomb is dropped in a full waiting room   Sometimes it can be better to start diplomatic and calm, more likely to get them on your side that way

This morning I took my clutch to a local Halfords Autocentre and asked one of the guys (Gary) to look at it. He said that there was an obvious fault. The disc has only worn around the outside, indicating that there was insufficient contact area to maintain traction. When I asked whether there were any signs of abuse he said no. There is some very slight glazing but this would have been caused as a result of the poor contact. He said that if the disc had been abused then the surface would be noticeably blue, show heat spots, and/or that the springs may show damage. He added that wear levels were actually very low (far too low for normal replacement), and that the problem was definitely contact-related rather than wear. The disc had not been gripping forcibly-enough over a wide-enough area, and as a result the car had only been running on quote: "half of a clutch". I asked about the high bite point and he said that he could not really speculate on that part without seeing/driving the car beforehand. When asked whether he had seen one like this before he said no. I know that Halfords Autocentre's are not the world's most highly-regarded clutch-specialists, but they at least know better than me and I appreciate all opinions.

 

edit: He didn't even bother with a straight-edge test because  he could see and feel that the plate was well-out.

Edited 12 May, 201610 yr by Orville

I do think you need to get a specialist to write an engineers report that would stand up in court (a quick google led to http://www.vehicleengineerassessors.co.uk/). Asking someone in Halfords isn't going to stand up unfortunately. 

 

If the report is favourable (which I can't imagine why it wouldn't looking at it) then considering taking them to small claims court. The threat should get the ball rolling. 

I do think you need to get a specialist to write an engineers report that would stand up in court (a quick google led to http://www.vehicleengineerassessors.co.uk/). Asking someone in Halfords isn't going to stand up unfortunately. 

 

If the report is favourable (which I can't imagine why it wouldn't looking at it) then considering taking them to small claims court. The threat should get the ball rolling. 

Halfords Autocentres replace clutches and happened to be the closest "clutch-specialist" to my home. Having someone with mechanical knowledge actually see the items and backup most of what has been said on here provides me with further incentive not to lay down and take it.

 

Skoda Tech Support are still examining the photos and will hopefully see things in my favor. If not then I will start writing letters, paying for professional opinions/reports, chasing small-claims etc.

Edited 12 May, 201610 yr by Orville

I will ask my boss Monday if i can do anything in the way of a diagnosis from the photos, even though we are LuK. Have done before for someone dealing with techniclutch.

I will ask my boss Monday if i can do anything in the way of a diagnosis from the photos, even though we are LuK. Have done before for someone dealing with techniclutch.

This would go beyond helpfulness and will be really appreciated (if permitted). My thanks to you octyal for advice given so far and the kind offer.

 

Skoda should get back to me soon with their assessment. Hopefully they will clear up this mess without me having to push things further.

I am still awaiting response from Skoda Technical Support department who are analysing the pictures I have sent them. It seems that the cogs move really slowly there.

Edited 18 May, 201610 yr by Orville

the wheels turn slowly at skoda tech support then......