Technical Clutch

[RS65Panda]

I took on my late father's 2015 Panda in July 2024 after he passed away. It had 27K miles then, and now has 34.5K.

However I'm concerned that the clutch now seems to be quite high and might be approaching replacement.

When Dad drove it it was mostly used on country roads and between 2000 and 2024 he didn't use it a great deal owing to lockdown/shielding and illness.

Does 34.5K seem about right for needing to replace the clutch? I haven't had a car before so I don't know a great deal about these sort of things.

 

[Panda IIs]

I took on my late father's 2015 Panda in July 2024 after he passed away. It had 27K miles then, and now has 34.5K.

However I'm concerned that the clutch now seems to be quite high and might be approaching replacement.

When Dad drove it it was mostly used on country roads and between 2000 and 2024 he didn't use it a great deal owing to lockdown/shielding and illness.

Does 34.5K seem about right for needing to replace the clutch? I haven't had a car before so I don't know a great deal about these sort of things.

It would help to know the engine (TwinAir, MJ or 1,2 Fire) they each have differences that may be relevant. Another variable is of course the nature of the 34k miles driven and individual driver habits...

 

[RS65Panda]

It's the Panda Eco so I think that's the 1.2.

 

[The Panda Nut]

A 1.2 clutch will last a very long time. I would be disappointed to have to replace under 120,000 miles but it does depend on how its been driven over its entire life. Some people hold a car on the clutch on a hill when stopped at traffic lights. I would tear their heads off if they did it in my car but, each to their own. Try bleeding the clutch first as I have found this does make a difference.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

A 1.2 clutch will last a very long time. I would be disappointed to have to replace under 120,000 miles but it does depend on how its been driven over its entire life. Some people hold a car on the clutch on a hill when stopped at traffic lights. I would tear their heads off if they did it in my car but, each to their own. Try bleeding the clutch first as I have found this does make a difference.

I'd agree that bleeding it is a very good first step. Our clutch hydraulics are known to be a bit on the fragile side and prone to develop leaks and suffer seal problems. If the clutch action immediately improves after bleeding then it's a good pointer to something failing in that area. The actual friction plate is a robust piece of kit though so, unless abused by excessive slipping, should last a lot longer than yours at 35,000 miles.

You do mention though that it's "quite high". Can I take it that you mean the pedal is coming up a long way from the floor before it engages? If so this is the opposite of what you'd expect to experience if there's air in the system but would be a possible symptom of a very worn friction plate. The hydraulics should compensate as the linings wear so that the pedal "feel" doesn't alter much, but if very worn might not be able to compensate. I'm wondering if your Dad tended to sit with the clutch pedal pushed down when waiting at traffic lights etc? If so there may be damage to the release bearing and/or diaphragm spring fingers and that could give the symptoms you describe - although I'd tend to expect to hear "torchured" noises if that were the case? It may be that the only way you'll know for sure is to take the gearbox out and have a look. That costs money if you're not doing it yourself so it might be a good idea to ask a trusted professional for their opinion?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

You say it’s a Panda Eco. That’s not a model name I recognise. (They’re usually ‘Pop’, ‘Easy’ or ‘Lounge’). Do you have the registration paperwork (the V5 form)? On there it will tell you what the engine size is.

With the 1.2 petrol, as others have said, the clutch will last well over 100,000 miles (and the same for most cars). But, if it’s the Panda with the 0.9 litre TwinAir engine, they have something of a reputation for issues with the clutch, and more especially the dual mass flywheel failing. (part of the clutch system).

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

You say it’s a Panda Eco. That’s not a model name I recognise. (They’re usually ‘Pop’, ‘Easy’ or ‘Lounge’). Do you have the registration paperwork (the V5 form)? On there it will tell you what the engine size is.

With the 1.2 petrol, as others have said, the clutch will last well over 100,000 miles (and the same for most cars). But, if it’s the Panda with the 0.9 litre TwinAir engine, they have something of a reputation for issues with the clutch, and more especially the dual mass flywheel failing. (part of the clutch system).

My 2010 1.2 is a 169 model Dynamic ECO. Did they produce the later model in ECO guise? I've been looking at these as a possible replacement for ours and agree I've only ever seen them in Pop, Easy, Lounge trims unless they are the more unusual 4wd or "special" versions.

 

[Mike1alike]

You do mention though that it's "quite high". Can I take it that you mean the pedal is coming up a long way from the floor before it engages? If so this is the opposite of what you'd expect to experience if there's air in the system but would be a possible symptom of a very worn friction plate. The hydraulics should compensate as the linings wear so that the pedal "feel" doesn't alter much, but if very worn might not be able to compensate.

That should be checked as a starting point.
And it's easy to do. Check if slave cylinder rod comes out enough to push the clutch fork enough.
And it is possible that faulty hydraulic actuating system to behave like that, too. If top seal inside master cylinder is broken, pieces of it are in the fluid and can temporarily block the free flow of fluid when pedal is released.

 

[RS65Panda]

Quite correct - it is an Easy, not an Eco (my mistake, I must have misheard Dad).

Dad was very knowledgeable about how cars wear out and was always gentle with his cars. Unfortunately he didn't pass all that knowledge on to me, so I may have picked up some bad habits of my own!

 

[The Panda Nut]

Just a secondary thought. One of our Pandas PB3 which is 2016 has a different pedal feel to the other three. Clutch engagement is higher. Its been like it, and not changed since we bought it and its done 20,000 miles since then. It shows no signs of slipping and does not judder and take up is smooth. Even when quite worn it suprising how much further a car will go on a clutch with care. Our Seat went 5 years after O first thought the clutch would have benefitted for being changed.

PB2 had a horrid clutch when test driven and I said I wouldnt touch it. The gargae did something to it in about an hour or two and the judder was gone whe I collected it. Its deen fine for the last 6 years. I have always wondered what they did and if it was in fact replaced for the sale.

 

[RS65Panda]

Thanks for the advice.

I pumped the clutch this afternoon and the biting point now seems to be about halfway up the pedal movement, so I think that's fixed it.

Even before the pumping there wasn't any slipping so hopefully I can breathe easy for a while!

 

[Mike1alike]

so hopefully I can breathe easy for a while!

You can breathe easy but you need to put new master cylinder on. It's quite easy job. Much much easier job than putting new clutch.

 

[DaveMcT]

Bleed the clutch hydraulics you can do it alone with a stick between driver's seat back and pedal to hold the pedal down. If the problem returns, replace the master cylinder. Take care what you get because Fiat prices are silly. I have a Ford Ka master cylinder in mine its cast rather than fabricated steel tube and cost about £60.