I have a 2017 67 plate Fabia 1.0 MPI 75SE which has done around 16,500 city miles. The last few days the clutch pedal has started squeaking almost like a rubber duck. I think it is from the pedal mechanism itself as it does when the engine is on or off.  It seems to be worse as the engine is warm, but this is probably because I tend to have the heater on a high setting when it is cold so the temperature of the cabin is a lot higher when the engine is warm. 
 

Would some lubricant help with this issue? If so what type and where should I put it? I am a bit concerned as I had this issue with my old Panda once, and the dealer changed the pedal box under warranty. 

 

Thanks for any help

Worth a try, cost next to nothing and pretty easy to do (depending on how mobile you and your body is (are?)).

 

Never bother with WD40 (Multi Use) it's not a good penetrate or long lasting lubricant go for GT85 (which used to be a British company until WD-40 Company took it over, WD-40 Company also own 3-IN-ONE).

 

You don't need to use much, use the straw to be more precise with where it's going, one spray on the pivot, er, wotever, and work it in, if that isn't enough another short spray and work it in should do it.

 

I think the cans are about £4 but look for special offers, and buy two, last cans I bought I got on special offer for £2 each.

 

GT85 -https://gt85.co.uk/

 

ETA: I see they're marketing it the same as WD-40 now which takes away how good it is as a penetrating, releasing and lubricating fluid,

 

Edited 6 November, 20214 yr by nta16

VW Group tend to apply some silicon grease to the pedal nylon pivot bush, and that would be what I'd use - probably there is WD40 options for that.

ETA: I should caution that obviously you don't want anything slippery spilling, dropping or otherwise getting on to the pedals that might end up on where your foot could slip off the pedal - hence the use of straw or brush and very small quantities of lubricant.

 

Fair enough . . .

 

but silicone grease is messy and you'd probably want to apply it with a small very cheap (set of) artist brush so it means even more contortions to see and apply to the pivot bush, a quick spray of GT85 with a straw is easier and faster and you have a can of penetrating, releasing and lubricating fluid that can be used for loads of other jobs on the car and around the home and garage.

 

Whereas if you have to buy silicone grease it's not cheap and you might not use it on much else.

 

A liquid spray may not last as long as grease - though that depends on what's causing the squeak, grease holds grit and fluff and liquid might wash those out.

 

Also some may prefer to use GT85 with PTFE rather than silicone, it doesn't bother me, I've tried different stuff over the years and still prefer GT85, I used to use it on my pushbike back in the 80s before going back to cars after. 

 

WD-40 Company will indeed do quite a few different cans of stuff that could be used (why so many varieties are needed is a matter of sales).

 

A choice of silicones below, you could brush on some silicone oil instead of grease.

 

Halfords, Screwfix slap their name on the cans too.

 

Edited 6 November, 20214 yr by nta16

I was meaning that the brand "WD40" do sell a silicon grease spray, like any grease packed into a spray can, when mixed up well, and applied, the propellant gasses off.

 

The smart move is always to cover the pedal area with an old towel etc before spraying directly into the pivot bush area, these bushes are nylon so silicon grease is perfect for using on them is an annoying squeak has started, typically they should/could dry unlub'd but in the real world, the bush moulding will not have been perfect and same for the pivot, so scuffing of surfaces begins and can squeaking.

 

The other issue, with an older car, can be that the "action" or "weight" of the clutch operation has increased with age, and that is forcing accelerated wear on the clutch pedal bush - plan A must be to spray grease on it though, and so silicon or "super" grease, ie silicon+PTFE.

Yes sorry my meaning was that the WD-40 Company sell loads of different greases and other lubricants, far too many of them, labelled as WD-40 Company, I might have some in the shed although I do tend to try to avoid these very invasive American companies if I can, they take over other brands to give the idea of choice, look at all the brands Coca-Cola and Mars own.

 

I was also thinking it's a lot easier to give the pivot a quick light spray to see if the squeak goes or decreases so that you know you're actually getting to the squeak, and most of the grease sprays I've used require clearing of the overspray which isn't always easy to get at and even the dry grease can hold grit,/crud/fluff/muck.

 

I find getting into footwells and getting my body, head and eyes to the right places can be difficult and regretful later so I do the very least I can now and quite honestly I'd leave the squeak a while and see if it went away by itself as they often can. 

 

But if whatever is used works that's all that matters, plenty of choice of lubricants thanks to our good friends at the WD-40 Company.

 

Edited 7 November, 20214 yr by nta16

The noise is not the pivot (which does not have bushes) but the spring loaded (very strong) button that rides on an arc shaped cam, this is a control loading device which is both a pedal return spring and a pedal assist spring, once over the centre unassisted part it helps push the pedal to the floor which is why it sticks there if air gets into the hydraulic circuit, in a correctly functioning system the clutch diaphragm spring pushes the master cylinder piston back (via the slave cylinder) and once it has got past the centre position it pushes the pedal back up.

 

A long description but that is where you should be directing the spray from your snake oil of choice.

 

A proper grease would be the best, its what is applied in the factory, any sprays like WD40 are likely to remove what little remains, a spray White Grease perhaps?

Edited 7 November, 20214 yr by J.R.

Now JR are you putting your house on this.  🙂  You could be right, even perhaps most likely, I don't know, but I've just had a look and the pedal bushes I'm thinking of are there (but they're not lubricated) so IF there's a squeak from there a small quick little spray of GT85 might sort it IF the squeak is from there, no need for grease or even dry grease there.

 

It looks like only the spring bracket area is lubricated so leaving the squeak to see if it goes away might work and if not a light spray around with GT85 may well do the trick of clearing the muck/crud/grit/fluff out and gentle PTFE lubricating, smells nice and cleans anyway if wiping overspray is needed.

 

WD-40 Multi Use again I'd not recommend for this or much else other than as their very small can of it in the boot or glovebox as a jack-of-all-trades on the road use.