Clutch Replacement
The clutch is the friction link between the engine and a manual or dual-clutch gearbox, and it wears out with use. If the revs rise without the car speeding up, or the pedal feels wrong, the clutch kit needs inspection. Replacement means removing the gearbox, which is why the whole kit is done in one visit.
From AED 899Written quote after diagnosis, before work startsConvenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- Usually one day; two if the flywheel or gearbox needs further work
- Pickup and delivery from your door
- Convenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- Diagnosis free with repair
Signs you need clutch replacement
- Engine revs climb when you accelerate but the car does not keep up, particularly in higher gears or uphill
- The pedal bites very high up, close to the top of its travel
- Shuddering or juddering when pulling away from a stop
- A heavy, spongy or sticking pedal that does not return properly
- Grinding when selecting gears, or the car creeps forward with the pedal pressed
- A burning smell like hot toast after stop-start driving or a steep ramp
What usually causes it
Worn friction disc
The disc has friction material that wears down every time you pull away. When it is thin, the pressure plate can no longer clamp it hard enough to carry the engine torque, and the clutch slips.
Contamination by oil
A leaking rear engine seal or a gearbox input shaft seal puts oil on the disc. Oil makes the friction surface slick, so it slips and judders even when the material is not worn out.
Failed dual-mass flywheel
Many cars, especially diesels, use a flywheel with internal springs to damp vibration. When these wear it rattles at idle, shudders on take-off and can damage the new clutch, so it is checked at every replacement.
Hydraulic or release problems
A leaking master or slave cylinder lets the pedal sink, and a worn release bearing howls when the pedal is pressed. Neither is the friction disc, but they are replaced during the same job if worn.
How we do clutch replacement
- 1
Road test and pedal check
We drive the car to confirm slip, judder or drag and check pedal feel and fluid level. This separates a worn clutch from a hydraulic fault, which is a cheaper repair.
- 2
Remove the gearbox
The car is lifted and the exhaust parts, driveshafts, starter and linkage are disconnected, then the gearbox is supported and withdrawn. The flywheel and clutch cover are now exposed.
- 3
Inspect and replace the kit
The flywheel face is checked for heat marks and cracks and either resurfaced or replaced. A new disc, pressure plate and release bearing go in, and any leaking input or crank seal is renewed.
- 4
Refit, bleed and test
The gearbox is refitted with the splines lightly greased, then the hydraulic system is bled and the pedal travel checked. On dual-clutch gearboxes the control unit is told about the new clutch with a scan tool.
By make and model
Volkswagen / Audi
Several models with the seven-speed dry-clutch DSG gearbox have a reputation for clutch wear and control-unit trouble. A scan of the gearbox module tells us which it is before parts are ordered.
Ford
The PowerShift dual-clutch gearbox in some Focus and Fiesta models can shudder from a worn dry clutch. The software relearn after replacement is part of the work.
In Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman
Clutches get punished in the slow traffic, parking ramps and long queues of the Emirates, and resting a foot on the pedal wears the release bearing quickly. Hydraulic clutch fluid also absorbs moisture as it ages, so on cars with a hydraulic pedal the fluid is renewed when the system is bled.
Questions about clutch replacement
How long does a clutch last?
It depends on how and where the car is driven. City use with lots of slow pulls wears it faster than steady highway driving, so mileage alone is a poor guide.
Can I keep driving with a slipping clutch?
It will get worse, and the heat can mark the flywheel, which adds to the repair. If you feel slipping, book the inspection soon.
Do you replace the whole kit or just the disc?
The disc, pressure plate and release bearing are changed together, because they wear together and the gearbox has to come off again to reach any of them.
Does an automatic car have a clutch?
A conventional torque-converter automatic has no clutch pedal assembly like this. Dual-clutch gearboxes do have clutches, and we can inspect them, but a torque converter fault is a different job.
How will my car get to the workshop?
If it can still be driven, book online and we arrange pickup and delivery. Everything is on the written quote, which you approve before any work starts.
Last updated
Get a written quote
Tell us about your car. You get an itemised quote before any work starts, and you choose OEM, aftermarket or used parts.