Tag: clutches

Hugh's newish Hyundai has a clutch that doesn't work on cold mornings. What's the connection between the temperature and his shifting woes?

Poke's new Subaru Forester wants to roll away on hills. Is the engine, clutch, or parking brake the culprit?

John's 2014 Ford Focus shudders into second gear, but the dealer told him it was "normal". What does Car Talk suggest? 

Tom has 265K miles on his Honda Civic, with an original engine and clutch. The clutch is acting up but his mechanic can't seem to find anything wrong with it. Car Talk says he had a good run, but it's time to bite the bullet and replace the clutch. 

Matthew's '92 Honda Civic is leaking fluids. His grandfather, who gave him the car, has already had the clutch master and slave cylinders replaced, and has enlisted Tom and Ray to help him find this leak. Find out what they recommend, right here. 

Joe's a self-proclaimed old-timer who's driven manuals his whole life, always taking care never to keep the clutch depressed at stoplights. Now he has a newish Mini Cooper and he's wondering if the wisdom is still true. Tom and Ray say nothing's changed and he should keep up the good work. Find out how this will prolong the life of both the clutch and the release bearing, right here.

Jill's manual transmission Celica is a pain in the back. She wants to adjust the clutch so that it's easier to manage with her sciatica. Read Tom and Ray's car advice, plus their unsolicited and unvetted medical opinions, right here.

Tesa has been driving stick for years but still harbors traumatic memories of learning to drive with her dad. She recently moved back to her home town and her dad thinks he's still obligated to remind her not to ride the clutch (which she wasn't doing anyway, thank you very much.) Is her dad right, or is he just being a pain in the tuchus? Find out what Tom and Ray think.

Trudy went in to have her clutch adjusted but her mechanic said it wasn't possible on her 2007 Toyota Matrix. Tom and Ray explain that most new clutches are "self-adjusting". Find out more about these hydraulic, self-adjusting clutches right here.