How to know if the clutch skids
Cars are machines that, no matter how much they care for themselves, sooner or later end up giving problems. The clutch of the car, as you have surely experienced once, is one of these classics.
However, we must bear in mind that the more you take care of a car and the sooner a possible breakdown is solved, the more chances we will have that the damages are minor and these do not affect the mechanism of the car. Bearing this in mind, if we notice any change in the feel of the clutch, as well as other possible problems with this pedal, it is possible that the time has come to go through the workshop so that they carry out a review and thus avoid any unforeseen event .
Think that it will always be better to take it to the workshop for this reason than to wait for the car to leave us lying in the middle of the road. If you want to discover how to know if the clutch skids, read on. We tell you everything!
Slip and lack of power in the car's clutch
One of the clearest symptoms that you have the car clutch broken, are the problems with acceleration. You change to long gears, demands more speed to the car but the car does not accelerate in the proportion that it should. If you have encountered this situation, it is very likely that you are facing a clear example of a clutch that skids. If this happens, the most common is that the clutch action does not reach the rest of the engine, which causes the feeling that "skids" by not getting the vehicle to respond to what we ask.
This problem is noticed during the whole driving but, more clearly, in slopes or overtaking, which is when you need more power from the car. If you are in this situation, it is important that you reduce the speed to one in which the car moves freely and shows no signs of problems.
In general, it is recommended to drive below 100 kilometers per hour, as well as to go to a workshop as soon as possible to carry out a review of the vehicle's condition.
The car smells burnt
Another symptom that may indicate that you are facing a clutch case that skids is the smell of burning .
This smell can be manifested both when you keep the clutch pressed for a long time and when you force it too much in different terrains. This entails a greater friction of the internal parts of the car, including the clutch mechanism. This friction is what causes this characteristic burning smell.
If this problem is not solved, it can damage other parts of the vehicle or cause the clutch to skid more easily.
You may also be interested in this article on Why my car smells like burned oil.
Problems with changing gears
On the other hand, it can not be ignored that the main function of the clutch is to change the gears of the vehicle. If, when you change from one gear to another, the clutch does not respond as it should, that is, the gear does not change easily or that, even when it does, the vehicle accelerates and makes strange noises, it is likely that the clutch is damaged .
These damages can be of different types. One of the most common cases is that the sprockets inside the mechanism have been broken or deformed as a result of forcing the clutch. In these cases, it will be necessary to go through the workshop so that they carry out a review and can repair the vehicle.
Annoying and strange noises in the car
Finally, another symptom that can help you to know if the clutch of the car skids or is damaged is the presence of noises that should not be there.
In fact, although the presence of noises such as squeaks and forced friction can occur at the moment of changing gears, these noises can appear, also, during the use of continuous gears, that is, when the clutch is not being used. In these cases, it is important to be aware of the sounds and possible strange noises made by the vehicle, as well as the moments when they are heard most clearly. Some examples are:
- Annoying noises when the car climbs a hill
- Annoying noises when the car goes down a hill
- Strange noises when the car accelerates
- Strange noises when the car is slowing down
If the noises are maintained over time and there is no apparent cause, it is also possible that it is a clutch problem, regardless of whether the noise manifests when this pedal is used or not.
If this article has been useful to you and you want to discover more about your vehicle, do not miss this text about when I should change the clutch of my car.
