clutch slipping at 19K mi?

[Oscar LaVista]

Hey y'all--

My 2018 GTI SE has 19K miles. I bought it new with 100 miles. I'm almost 52 years old and for the last 35 years I've operated manual transmissions in everything from a 125cc motorcycle to a tractor trailer. My car has NO power mods and never has. Stone stock except wheels/tires and rear headrests. I drive it enthusiastically but not stupidly. I don't have heavy stop-and-go or city traffic.

If I floor the throttle in 4th or 5th gear around 2500 RPM, the revs quickly pick up a few hundred and then the rate of increase slows down and the car accelerates. IOW, nail it, the clutch slips a bit, then starts to grip again and the car goes. I started to suspect something a week or so ago, and today I made it happen on purpose several times. Could there be anything else happening that isn't clutch slip but feels like it?

What am I up against trying to get it fixed under warranty?

If I can't get it warranteed, what's a good (better than stock) clutch for a stock car? I don't want thrust bearing problems or a heavy pedal, I don't need to handle an extra 100 HP. I also don't want to replace the clutch more than once.

Thanks
kevin

 

[jimlloyd40]

Just take it to the dealer and have a tech ride with you. If it's slipping they'll warranty it. How did you make it happen on purpose? When it slips your foot is not touching the clutch right?

 

[777-300ER]

Just take it to the dealer and have a tech ride with you. If it's slipping they'll warranty it. How did you make it happen on purpose? When it slips your foot is not touching the clutch right?

That's like a dealership warrantying brakes... It really doesn't happen.

 

[jimlloyd40]

That's like a dealership warrantying brakes... It really doesn't happen.

So the clutch doesn't have any warranty?

 

[mk7_bk]

Interesting topic as everyone always mods and it slips. Will be following, sorry I cant help have no xp in this area. Fwiw, i went sb stg 3 daily and the clutch push after break in feels good like 15% more and is not a problem at all. But if your older as you say there are other options, maybe sachs, ttrs, i think there is like a mxb250 or something, if you want less push then twin disk. Dkm low stage ?! Good luck with warranty, usually dealers dont warranty wear and tear items so im interested to see what happens


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[jimlloyd40]

Interesting topic as everyone always mods and it slips. Will be following, sorry I cant help have no xp in this area. Fwiw, i went sb stg 3 daily and the clutch push after break in feels good like 15% more and is not a problem at all. But if your older as you say there are other options, maybe sachs, ttrs, i think there is like a mxb250 or something, if you want less push then twin disk. Dkm low stage ?! Good luck with warranty, usually dealers dont warranty wear and tear items so im interested to see what happens


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I agree with you but he is completely stock and only has 19,000 miles.

 

[777-300ER]

So the clutch doesn't have any warranty?

It's considered a wear item so probably not. May help you out a little with it.

 

[SRGTD]

In the UK, components that can be influenced by driving style or ‘external factors’ (VW don’t define what they consider to be ‘external factors) are only warranted for six months / 6,500 miles. After that any defects are classified as wear and tear and not covered under warranty, unless a clear manufacturing defect is identified.

Clutch release bearings, clutch pressure plates and centre plates are specifically listed under this section of the warranty terms and conditions, so only covered for the first 6 months / 6,500 miles under the warranty in the UK.

 

[JC_451]

Clutch is warrantied for 12k or 1 year.

You're probably not going to have any luck with a warranty claim.

Also, stop the behaviors that are making it slip. Flooring it in 4th and 5th from low RPM is a bad habit. Not sure if you've been doing this all along or just started doing it to "check for slip." Either way that's definitely not helping.

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[vbrad26]

Yeah I have adjusted my driving habits based on this clutch.
I have a '15 that I bought new and at around 25-30k miles I noticed that while trying to pass people at highway speeds (so usually in 5th or 6th gear anywhere around 50-65 mph) the same thing you described would happen to me.
I would maybe be at half throttle or a little more, but never floored it, and it would still slip.
Clutch feels fine everywhere else.
But now I will make sure to shift down a gear or 2 when passing at highway speeds.
Everything has been fine and I'm still driving on it no problem, I'm at 52k miles now.
However if you think you want to upgrade, but keep a "stock" feel, look into the TTRS clutch kit.

 

[mk7_bk]

I agree with you but he is completely stock and only has 19,000 miles.

being stock helps his case clearly, but wear and tear items are the hardest to get warrantied. I.E. springs/shocks creak after 25k miles well user has used item for 25k miles they wont want to warranty. Now, if the clutch totally blew up, I would think there is a case to warranty as it shouldn't do that.

I would think dealer would be more acceptable to replacing a broken clutch on a stock car vs a car with some slippage as thats maybe wear and tear/ or they will blame it on user error

there probably gonna blame it on user error.

But who knows, maybe go to a cool dealer and they will do it no questions asked

 

[akimmel]

Here's a hopefully relevant question,

My experience matches the comment above by vbrad almost to a t. Bought a '15 with 27k, now at 45k and still under warranty but I have noticed some hints of slip here and there, most recently at like 4k in 4th while going up a pretty decent hill on a cold night. At the moment I dont have the money for a new clutch which is okay because it only slips if you're doing something that probably isn't the best for it in the first place. Now if the slip gets much worse and I have the cash to fix it before I hit 60k, is my only option another stock clutch to keep the warranty? If it is but I am at like 55k when it needs replacing I'd probably just say screw it and put an upgraded one in and then tune it, which is what I want to do after 60k anyway.

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[vbrad26]

Yes, to add, I noticed it a few times at highway speeds when I would floor it in 4th (you know, to get around the jacka** going 5 under the speed limit in the fast lane) and it, on occasion, would slip as well.
But it is not every time either, it all only happens sometimes.
But under normal driving it is totally fine which is why I have had no motivation to replace it.
I figured I would just keep it till it totally gives up, and then replace with the TTRS clutch or something similar.


akimmel, you ask about an aftermarket clutch and warranty...
What warranty are we talking about? Bumper to bumper? Powertrain?
Just because you have an aftermarket part does not mean your entire warranty is shot.

 

[blaqsheep]

This was my first MT car with a good amount of power, even more so once modded. You really have to adjust your driving style so you don't slip your clutch in low rpm/high gear situations. Drop a gear or roll into the throttle.

Keep in mind the clutch is considered a wear and tear item so you may be hard pressed by your dealer to get it replaced under warranty. Shoot your shot though.

I replaced my clutch and pressure plate with the TTRS kit for peace of mind but reused my flywheel. Now after 10,000 km or so it is slipping again, so lesson learned about reusing the flywheel. The clutch and pressure plate have a lifetime replacement warranty through FCP Euro, so once it gets bad I will put a fresh Sachs flywheel in and re-order the kit and hope for the best.

 

[mk7_bk]

sadly, these car have shit clutches imo, like stock 210-230hp should be able to hold up to 300hp but it barley hold 230 without slip

I probably should have said TQ but its easier to understand for me in HP