Just had to rescue my poor wife and a poorly A500.

She was happily driving around, pulled away from a junction in 1st, went to select second and the pedal went to the floor.

I've driven it back, crash-box style (and got stopped at every set of traffic lights on the way), to the local dealer to fix but can't find anything to indicate why it lost the clutch. Best guess is that the master cylinder has blown a seal as there are no signs of leakage anywhere.

Anyone else had problems with the clutch release failing?

Had to fix two Trofeo cars with this issue due to leak from join where hose goes into the gearbox. Was on the Trofeo's down to the rubber 'O' ring becoming squashed. Pedal drops to floor & you have to lift it up with your foot.

Took a pressure bleed system to get a firm pedal after air gets into gearbox iirc

jimbro1000 said:

Just had to rescue my poor wife and a poorly A500.

She was happily driving around, pulled away from a junction in 1st, went to select second and the pedal went to the floor.

I've driven it back, crash-box style (and got stopped at every set of traffic lights on the way), to the local dealer to fix but can't find anything to indicate why it lost the clutch. Best guess is that the master cylinder has blown a seal as there are no signs of leakage anywhere.

Anyone else had problems with the clutch release failing?

Click to expand...

Not had any problems with the A500 per se but have twice had similar problems with two other vehicles and both times it turned out to be the clutch master cylinder.

The real point to my question is that the dealer was *very* quick to diagnose the problem without looking at the car (still not heard back from them yet as to what it actually is).

ok - I came to the same conclusion pretty quickly too once I noticed there was no fluid loss but they hadn't been given that piece of information.

As soon as I hear back from the dealer I'll post the outcome here - should be later today

Spoken to the dealer - new clutch master cylinder should be arriving tomorrow with repairs following soon after.

A500 is now home again with a new master cylinder - all is well and amazingly the gear shift is back to the same old slick self it was when I got the car. I suspect the MC has been on the way out for well over 12 months... I seem to remember raising it as an issue at the first service.

Glad you got it sorted quickly.

Very glad for that myself - just a shame that the last six months have been so hard on the poor car.

jimbro1000 said:

Very glad for that myself - just a shame that the last six months have been so hard on the poor car.

Click to expand...

Gives it character

my car a 1.2 elx has just done the same thing one person saying slave cylinder and one saying slave cylinder with new clutch replacement also:bang: do you think a clutch is neccesary ? thank you

spinelly123 said:

my car a 1.2 elx has just done the same thing one person saying slave cylinder and one saying slave cylinder with new clutch replacement also:bang: do you think a clutch is neccesary ? thank you

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Spinelly, I would imagine that the problem would be the master cylinder but you really need to get a trustworthy garage to confirm. Don't go for the clutch + slave cylinder or even the slave cylinder options until you have done this.

I have asked for your other thread in LTF be moved to the Punto section so that you will receive some suggestions from forum members with the same vehicle as you.

Hope it gets sorted soon.

The problem with the clutch hydraulics failing is that if it happens slowly it *will* trash the clutch and release bearing as it will spend a lot of time slipping the clutch instead of properly releasing.

If it failed slowly then the clutch may well be heavily worn but until the hydraulics are restored or the clutch itself properly inspected then it is a shot in the dark to go ahead and change it just on a chance.

The only other reason for needing to do so is if the slave cylinder is actually a hydraulic release bearing (all in one) in which case a leak can easily wreck the clutch plate.

Above advise is correct though - it needs correct diagnosis