Hello, can anyone help! I have a kamiq and at 55,000 my car suddenly failed, teva burning smell and no power. Was told it needed a clutch replacement and brakes replacement. £2,500. I questioned this as I’ve been driving for 34 years and never burnt out a clutch. I was forced to pay. I had raised questions about the car having a fault. Was told it was driver error.

Fast forward 8 weeks and my clutch failed again - the same burning smell. Garage are unbelievably wanting £1,500 to replace again!!! How is this even possible. I do not drive any mad way and certainly don’t ’ride The clutch’.

Hello, welcome to the forum.

Not completely impossible to destroy a new clutch in 8 weeks - but would almost certainly be due to damage or incorrect fitting during replacement.

If your garage refuse warranty replacement, insist on having an independent inspection done.

@Alex707070 Welcome to the forum. What is your Kamiq, a 1.0 TSI? There are threads around this forum with cars under 10,000 miles with burnt out clutches, or 36,000 miles. Sometimes Ex Demonstrators. Some are soon after being bought and told 'drivers error'. I see your location is Scotland. Where are you and was it a main dealer that did the Clutch Replacement. Can you say where it was done?

Edited 13 April13 Apr by Evolution13

Yes that is my model and it was at an edinburgh dealership. Sighthill.

West End Skoda have a bit of a history of people having issues with replacement clutch issues. I know Clutches are a Wear & Tear issue. So does the 2 Years Parts & labour warranty count for nothing. Are you a RAC member for a Engineers Report. ????? How many miles were covered in that 8 weeks. Talk to the Dealer Principal and get in writing what they are saying about their technicians work carried out on your car and it being 'Driver error'. You might need a specialist engineers report. From now on maybe use http://autohausedinburgh.co.uk Proper Master Techs.

Edited 13 April13 Apr by Evolution13

PS. What was the Brake Replacement. Discs & Pads and Brake Fluid? Brake fluid is a service item, were the discs rusty and the pads worn out? Or was West End Skoda up-selling?

How soon after the clutch was replaced did it start to show signs of slippage again?

It just suddenly failed. No prior warning, no burning smell nothing until it just went. Was in 6th gear on the motorway and lost power, in trying to get off the motorway the lower gears would not engage. Huge burning smell, obvious loss of powers and rev counter going wild.

@Alex707070 How many miles covered in the 8 weeks since the work done?

In that circumstance, I'd say you have a good chance of a warranty claim - but it will almost certainly require an independent engineers inspection and report.

Where is the vehicle now?

3 thousand miles from one clutch to the next. The vehicle is in the dealership. I’ve written a letter. No call from then. They just sent a video and a bill. Unreal.

@Alex707070 Have you got that burned out clutch from them yet that came off the car ?

It’s still in the garage. We got a response to the letter to say if we get an independent report that states is not wear and tear they will repair it free. How easy is it to prove? I have no idea what parts they look at. I just know I didn’t drive like a mad clutch burner. I drive well. I certainly don’t sit in the wrong gear, accelerate in a high gear from stationary or ride the clutch.

You have me worried with the clutch woes, my Kamiq has 14000 on the clock and the clutch pedal didnt feel right with a biting point at the floorboards but strangely it improved through being driven the following few days, Arnold Clark immediately took the car back and replaced the clutch etc, so its fingers crossed now

@Alex707070 Have you had the failed clutch inspected by an independent engineer yet?

Trying to arrange that now. This whole thing is unreal.