Last month, a customer brought in their 2005 Volvo S60 after noticing that it wasn’t accelerating correctly.
Ray, one of our technicians, took it for a test drive and could feel the clutch slipping when he went up hill.
After checking out the car, he determined that it needed a new one. A new pressure plate and flywheel had to be installed, as well.
When you push in the clutch, it releases the pressure plate and is able to spin. As you let go, it presses against the pressure plate, connecting the transmission and the engine.
The clutch, pressure plate and flywheel should be replaced at the same time. If you don’t replace the flywheel at the same time, it can leave heat marks and scratches.
This particular vehicle had a dual mass flywheel and a self adjusting pressure plate, meaning that it required a clutch that didn’t have spring dampeners.
A high release point — when the pedal has to go a really long travel to engage — is one sign that your clutch disc is going bad.
The problem can mask itself as something else.
Every day drivers become used to subtle changes over time and may suddenly feel the transmission is going bad because it’s not engaging all the way.
It can feel like it’s not staying in gear, that the engine is running rough, or the transmission isn’t shifting properly.
HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Michelin and BFGoodrich tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.