Hi all.

I can't pull away from stationary in my 1.9TDi without a small judder as the clutch bites. It's not major and probably just how the car is, but.....

I having nagging doubt that the dual-mass flywheel (it does have one doesn't it?) might be at fault.

Having had one replaced under warranty on the wife's RAV4 I wouldn't want this one to fail after it's out of warranty (18 months away but that's not the point)

Thoughts on this you expert guys?

Cheers

Steve

It does sound like a clutch issue. If you've still got warranty on the car i'd say get it sorted sooner rather than later!

Agree as above get it into the dealers to check it

Does it judder less when the car is warm?

I Also am having this issue with a Fabia Vrs, and yes it seems to be fine when warm. I have had the dealers look and after their extensive (3 mile road test) they couldnt fault the car. Its really starting to annoy me now.

Does anybody know why it would only judder when cold and pulling away in first. No clutch slip when moving, i have had the car from new so i know its not been abused.

Cheers

Matt

I think I know what you mean, its kinda like the brakes are stuck on "thud" isnt it?

^ I'm not sure that is what he means, but I do get that when its been raining, pull away and the back brakes make a thud noise.

I find if I let off the handbrake, reapply it, pump the pedal 3-4 times, then disengage and set off they dont stick.

^ I'm not sure that is what he means, but I do get that when its been raining, pull away and the back brakes make a thud noise.

I find if I let off the handbrake, reapply it, pump the pedal 3-4 times, then disengage and set off they dont stick.

No no no, I was comparing the thud, to the the sound of the brakes sticking. If you get me

I know what you mean, yeh its a thud/ and a slipping kind of judder. It can be worse if trying to hold the car on a biting point on an incline. its only ever in first gear, as mentioned no slip when hte car is moving

it only seems to do it when the car has not warmed up, i was wondering whether it was a glazed clutch plate, but the more it happens i'm doubting it.

The clutch seems to feel vague almost as if its on or off giving a jerk when the clutch engages.

not to good at providing descriptions

Matt

If a clutch judders even when it's only cold then it's almost always the clutch assy and/or flywheel. On rare occasions it can be the gearbox input splines rusting but that's not too much of an issue nowadays. If I ever get complaints of clutch judder then it's new clutch and flywheel as a pair, though of course under warranty they want measurements galore and if the factory measure it and everything is within limits they will reject the claim even though a new clutch and flywheel will sort problem. This is why garages are carefull rather than reluctant when it comes to clutch judder as it can cost them a fair bit of money if the factory man is not having a good day!

Phil

If a clutch judders even when it's only cold then it's almost always the clutch assy and/or flywheel. On rare occasions it can be the gearbox input splines rusting but that's not too much of an issue nowadays. If I ever get complaints of clutch judder then it's new clutch and flywheel as a pair, though of course under warranty they want measurements galore and if the factory measure it and everything is within limits they will reject the claim even though a new clutch and flywheel will sort problem. This is why garages are carefull rather than reluctant when it comes to clutch judder as it can cost them a fair bit of money if the factory man is not having a good day!

Phil

Im with you.

If a motor comes into the garage with a judder when pulling away it WILL be the flywheel.

Boy on the ramp next to me changed one yesterday on a PD TDI Golf.

What happned is the duel mass flywheel slips and has excess play.

This causing it to slip round on the take up of drive giving you the juddering effect, taking into cosideration it will be moveing at 1500ish rpm.

It would probably be best to change the flywheel and clutch assembly.

If the clutch and plte dont get changed aswell i'd be questioning.

The friction part of the clutch will also be moving/juddering as the flywheel will be causing the clutch damage also.

Ive seen people with this fault leave it too late and end up with the springs in the DMF snapping and puncuring a hole. This causing the bellhousing of the gearbox itself damage.

Well that all ive got to say.

Get it into the garage!

Thanks thats very helpful. I will call the garage tomorrow and see what they say. Its just frustrating because every morning without fail it will judder and then learch forwards making roundabouts difficult.

Guess will have to see what they. Do you have any advice if again they turn around and say they "cant fault the car"

Cheers

Matt

Do you have any advice if again they turn around and say they "cant fault the car"

Insist theres something wrong, and ask to take out a mechanic so you can show him there is definitely a problem?

If that fails take it somewhere else

I get a clutch-like judder the first time I pull away in my car and get above a certain speed (maybe only 5mph) be that in first or reverse. It only happens in the first pull away from starting the ignition so I can stop start as much as I like afterwards within a journey fine. Is this just a design feature or a sign of the above mentioned problems?

Hello, yep I get this on my fab vrs (53-plate). It's usually first thing in the morning when cold. I always thought it felt like 'overrun' like when you had a carburettor and the mixture was rich. You would get a 'surge' of forward movement almost as though the car was pulling you.

This happens on mine and just figured it was a keen engine or maybe just one of those things??

I get this clutch judder too, ('06 VRS) when the car is cold and trying to come out of our road, slight up hill grade.

But annoyingly doesn't happen all the time so if they take it for a test drive that it is garaunteed not to happen:mad:..

Was wondering what exactly it was.... (these posts have been helpful.) May give the garage a call anyhoo, to see if they have heard of it, and what they think it is...

Matt

On my way home from work i did a couple of quick starts off some roundabout and when i got home seconds later there is now definate burning clutch smell.

Its def getting worse. Do you think a car with less than 40K and three years old in two months would still get repaired under warranty if required????

Matt

Is it remapped now matt?

Is it remapped now matt?

No decided to wait until the insurance was up for renewal. Although i have just changed my job and considering a Honda s2000 as i do next to no miles and want something different.

Matt:thumbup:

I had this kind of judder when I had my Vrs.

It did not go into the dealer for it looking at but after I had the brake fluid changed and the system bled, it went. The clutch pedal felt much better too after this work was done.

In fact I posted something up at the time.

Thats very interesting because i had the brake fluid changed about 6 months ago and i dont ever remember this problem before the fluid was changed.

I wonder, maybe i will get the fluid changed again and see what happens. Is this a possible answer because the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir???

Matt

I seem to think I got air in the system somehow and change of brake fluid purged the system of air which made the clutch and the brake pedal feel much better afterwards.

Zebra

Were you just getting a slightly sluggish/judder feel to the clutch for the first couple of roundabout get aways when the engine was cold.

Mine runs perfect when the engine is warm, bite is really sharp. which makes me think it could now be the fluid.

Matt

Yes.

It only happened when cold. Perhaps the first couple of times I moved off in 1st gear on a morning.

Mine was perfect when it was warm too, it never juddered, had no complaint with it.

Those first times it juddered were when the car pulled away from junctions, of which the first is a very slight incline. The second is much steeper. I thought I had not got enough revs on or that the tyres were too hard.

Tried the same junctions when warm - no problems.

You can imagine my delight when after a £30 brake fluid purge and change I get it back and its like new again.

Ok will get the fluid changed next week and see what happens, cant do any harm for 40 quid and if it fixes the problem then brilliant

Cheers

Great help

Matt