Signs Your Clutch Is Slipping (and What to Do About It)

How to tell if your clutch is slipping

The clearest sign of a slipping clutch is the engine revs rising when you accelerate without the car speeding up to match. It is most noticeable in higher gears, when pulling uphill or when carrying a load. A good test is a steep hill — the climb up towards the Lickey Hills will show it up quickly. If the revs flare and the car hesitates, the clutch is not gripping properly.

Other signs to look out for

A burning smell, a bit like hot brakes, after hill starts or heavy traffic.

The biting point is much higher up the pedal travel than it used to be.

The pedal feels different — spongy, stiff, or it sticks to the floor.

Difficulty getting into gear, or crunching when changing gear.

Juddering as you pull away, or a noise that changes when you press the pedal.

What causes it

The clutch friction plate wears down with use, just like brake pads. How long it lasts depends heavily on how and where the car is driven — lots of stop-start traffic, hill starts and slipping the clutch in queues wear it faster. Oil contamination from a leaking seal, a worn pressure plate or a hydraulic fault can also cause slipping, as can a failing dual-mass flywheel on many diesels.

Can I keep driving on it?

A clutch that has started slipping will only get worse, and it can go from slipping to not driving at all quite suddenly. Carrying on also generates heat that can damage the flywheel, adding to the repair. If you notice the signs, get it checked soon rather than waiting for it to fail on the A38 in rush hour.

What we do

We road-test the car and check the hydraulics first, since a fault there can feel like a worn clutch and is a cheaper fix. If the clutch itself is worn, we quote for the full kit and tell you whether the flywheel needs replacing too, before any work starts. Call us on 0121 476 2287 or visit us on Bristol Road South, Northfield.