Questions and Answers

Subaru Clutch Problem Q. Hello, I just purchased a 1998 Subaru Legacy Brighton Wagon last week. The second day I was driving it, there was this humming/rattling coming from the clutch pedal. I called the dealer and he told me that he had noticed that too when he test drove it (I never noticed this noise when I test drove it) and that it was coming from the throw out bearing because it was loose.

He said that the rest of the clutch is fine and that it wasn't anything you would replace the whole clutch over. He said that the clutch should last at least a year or two if I treat it well. I also noticed that when I am stopped and I push down on the clutch petal it makes a rumbling/rattle. I have had three manual cars and I have never heard or felt anything like this.

I do not think that this clutch is going to last - there is something definitely wrong! This week while I was driving it got so bad that I couldn't get the stick into 1st and whenever I put it in reverse the gears would grind. I took it to a transmission shop to have them tell me I'm not crazy and sure enough the guy told me that the clutch was not good and would probably not last for more than a couple of months.

He adjusted the clutch cable for me and now it's working better, the humming went away but it's starting to come back again. I finally got the dealer to give me a new clutch but I have to pay for parts; he's still not convinced that this clutch is going to go anytime soon.

What are your thoughts? What would cause a noise like that? From different sites I've been too I think it's the throw out bearing and the pressure plate that are bad. Either way, does this car need a new clutch?

Thanks,
Andrea

A. You went to other sites? Hmm... I must not be doing a good job here if you need to go looking somewhere else for information. I'll just have to work harder for you.

I'm with you Andrea, I think the clutch is shot as well. When you depress the clutch, you put pressure on the throw out bearing and that's when you notice they are bad. At any other time they just sit around until needed again.

The dealer obviously knew there was a problem with the clutch and he tried to blow you off because he did not want to spend the money out of his pocket to replace it. I don't know what kind of warranty the car came with. Usually a late model car like this comes with a half way decent one. You'll have to check the details and see what is covered.

Whenever you take the transmission out for any kind of clutch problem, the most sensible thing to do is to replace all the parts. That would include the clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing and pilot bushing, if applicable.

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