'04 1.2, pedal pressed right to the floor will stay there, embarassing on a busy M25... Lift it and all is well unless I push too far, so I put an extra couple of mats under it to limit travel and carried on.

Please tell me it's the slave's plastic prodder failing! (I had one snap off on a Punto, so know that they're not exactly durable). Please do not tell me the fork's bending. Could be the master cylinder I guess. Anyone had the same?

Have you tried it with no mats in?

A couple of years ago I had a few occasions when the clutch got stuck to the floor. Pulled it back up, then it would do it again a little while later.

Turned out it was getting caught on the floor mat ??

Nope, no mats = stick, two mats = non stick!

I should have mentioned... there's a corresponding creaking noise from under the bonnet. I'll have a helper available later today, so should be able to see where it's coming from.

I had this problem on my 100hp. Much worse when warm, so watch out this week!

Changed slave cylinder, didn't help.
Replaced master - problem solved.

That's intriguing, certainly warm yesterday in nose to tail crawling mway traffic. Any idea what was actually happening inside it?

Might as well change both anyway. Many thanks.

Well it could be something else so get some expert advice but that was my experience! I think it may be something to do with a seal going and air getting into the system but don't quote me on it!

Had same problem, just changed slave cylinder and bled system. DOT 4 fluid. Problem solved good luck..

Do not bother changing slave cylinder (yet)

Bleed your hydraulics. You will notice while bleeding, that the pedal always sticks down.
I use a stick between pedal and driver's seat. Push pedal down; hold it with stick; open and close bleed nipple; lift pedal slowly and repeat.

If the clutch continues to work - job done....

More likely the clutch will soon start to drag again as the master cylinder sucks in air. When this happens replace the whole system. It is supplied pre-filled so no bleeding needed. There is no point in changing just the slave only as this is not where the air gets sucked in.

Thanks for all your comments. I've had a think and taken a slightly different route... I wondered if the 14 year old fluid might be the culprit on its own, - my theory being that the very high temperature that day (and as noted by buttonsandzips) would raise the likelihood of any water in the fluid boiling under pressure. I've drained the old fluid out, and by heck, the bottom of the reservoir looked like crunchy peanut butter but with white bits in. Flushed it through a couple of times with new fluid and we'll see what happens. Of course it's possible that water has caused corrosion in one or both ends, we shall see.

If I'm right then I'm a convert, having been slightly sceptical of the need for regular fluid change, although doing it anyway whenever brake work was needed. I suppose that I also don't really see the clutch as a safety critical item.

You are right that the fluid will be old and horrible. But it will never boil in a clutch and the parts are all plastic so corrosion wont be a problem.

Properly bleeding the system will flush new fluid through though I doubt it replaces stuff at the seal end of the slave cylinder (notice the bleed nipple location).

Good luck with bleeding it fully, but your symptoms show its pulling in air. That can only happen when the seals are worn or the cylinder has become scored.

Both master and slave cylinders are plastic bodied. When they wear, the pistons stick.

Ideally you need both cylinders.

Slaves are readily avialable from factors. Masters are a little more difficult, and expensive. The Panda one comes with reservoir and pipes, but the 500 one is a bare cylinder. Otherwise they are the same, and the 500 one is cheaper, significantly so.

Did mine a couple of years ago now. There's a thread somewhere. HAve a read through this: https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/451103-clutch-master-cylinder-2.html

The hydraulic pipe is plastic but flexible and easy enough to fit. There is a quick connector above the near side wheel arch which having stainless clips inside an aluminium block is prone to corrosion. Mine had seized solid. The clip was scrap so I zip tied the new pipe in place.

I chose to get the slave locally (£30) complete with pipe and half a QD connector. The master and it's pipe came via eBay example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-FIAT-500-PANDA-HYDRAULIC-CLUTCH-MASTER-CYLINDER-55187040/302793262301?epid=1125270542&hash=item467fe284dd:g9wAAOSwVxpbPJmE

After fitting I cut the old QD connector open. It was jammed solid with corrosion that had just about eaten under the O ring seal so a leak was imminent. Very glad I did not try to re-use it.

The pedal end is easy. A ball joint simply pops off the pedal and the cylinder unbolts.

My Alessi's pedal is sticking, it never stays down. But it doesn't like to come up without squeaking and it seems to come up in stages and not smoothly.


Is it ever the pedal? Or is it always the slave cylinder?

Aston Martin said:

My Alessi's pedal is sticking, it never stays down. But it doesn't like to come up without squeaking and it seems to come up in stages and not smoothly.


Is it ever the pedal? Or is it always the slave cylinder?

Click to expand...

I haven't got to the bottom of the problem yet, but a juddery return is definitely what I have.

Note. Changing the fluid has made no difference, and tomorrow's job is to try lubricating the pedal mechanism. You're all thinking 'why doesn't he just listen and change the cylinders?'. To which I say 'This is a £400 Panda, and I'm too tight'! Rusty pistons in plastic cylinders would certainly make a lot of sense though, so I dare say that I'll be using the tips above to minimise the cost when you're all proved right...

Aston Martin said:

My Alessi's pedal is sticking, it never stays down. But it doesn't like to come up without squeaking and it seems to come up in stages and not smoothly.


Is it ever the pedal? Or is it always the slave cylinder?

Click to expand...

Not the slave, although that will be well worn. It'll be the master. If not replaced, it will one day stay down, it will return if you put a foot under and lift, but still potentially frightening in the middle of a busy junction.

boguing said:

I haven't got to the bottom of the problem yet, but a juddery return is definitely what I have.

Note. Changing the fluid has made no difference, and tomorrow's job is to try lubricating the pedal mechanism. You're all thinking 'why doesn't he just listen and change the cylinders?'. To which I say 'This is a £400 Panda, and I'm too tight'! Rusty pistons in plastic cylinders would certainly make a lot of sense though, so I dare say that I'll be using the tips above to minimise the cost when you're all proved right...

Click to expand...

The piston on mine did not rust, but as the plastic cylinder seems to get somehow 'sticky' as it wears.

It's a simple choice. Scrap it or replace the parts.

I decide by working out the cost of a newer car on monthly payment terms. For the sake of argument, let's say that's £200 per month. A £200 clutch repair means I'm driving rent free after 1 month. A new clutch and hydraulics wound be a three month repayment period but after that I'm rent free again.

Brakes and wearing parts really come outside those figures as they are running costs on any car. Though to be fair, a failed clutch would be a blow on a 25K miles car.


I never consider any car an "investment". They are all a cost it just depends how much you value the style and pzazz of a newer car against the trusty old Panda.

The sticking clutch pedal will not be the pedal itself. You can test it by popping off the master cylinder ball joint from the pedal arm.

For reference it cost me £290 for the slave and master to be replaced on my 100hp this time last year when I had exactly this issue.

This is the correct part?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-500...270542&hash=item215d7832a7:g:OLoAAOSwOmtdC4tT


Can it be disconnected from here to save replacing the pipe?

Aston Martin said:

This is the correct part?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-500...270542&hash=item215d7832a7:g:OLoAAOSwOmtdC4tT


Can it be disconnected from here to save replacing the pipe?

Click to expand...

Yes, that is the correct part.

Yes, it can be disconnected from the pipe, but carefully inspect your old pipe, you will have a new one, might as well use it. At the other end there is a simple clip to be pulled out to rlease the pipe, careful you don't lose it if it 'pings'.

I'm puzzled that the pic shows the reservoir with fluid in it. If it does come with fluid in, replace that fluid with new.

They are quite easy and quick to replace.

THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. I did mine this way and regretted it.

If the piston seal at one end is shot the other end will be the same. The slave cylinder is under £30 and comes with the other half of the QD connector.

The QD connector often corrodes internally so you cannot disconnect it. As said above, mine was seized solid. I cut it open to look inside and the O-ring seal was about to start leaking. Not replacing would have been false economy.

The master and slave are supplied sealed and filled with brake fluid. Remove the old parts and pipes. Fit new parts to the car and plug in the QD connector. Job done.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LuK-CLUTCH-SLAVE-CYLINDER-FIAT-PANDA-1-1-1-2-1-4-03-500-1-2-1-4-07-512004510/352347108213?fits=Car+Make%3AFiat%7CModel%3APanda&epid=248487981&hash=item5209863375:g:-98AAOSwSXFa7YN8

LuK are original equipment suppliers to Fiat.