clutch pedal broke??

[tdi31]

Ok only just bought the car and it looks like something has broke on the clutch pedal. Basically I can pull the clutch pedal to normal position with my foot but straight away i go to press clutch it drops about an inch still is driveable but just really low. I have had a look under dash and it looks like something has been welded previously on pedal and it had like a tie wrap cover thing covering it.

I have pictures but I can't put links until I have posted 15 times

I know a guy that can do welding is this a big fix? I went to mr clutch near me and he said I will need a new clutch pedal and master cyclinder

any help.

 

[tdi31]

mr clutch quoted me rougly £200 new pedal, master cyclinder and fitted, does this sound a lot?

 

[TrisLC]

I dont think getting it welded again will be worth it, I would bite the bullet and get a new part which will last alot longer.

I have just replaced the master cyclinder in mine, and it was at least a couple of hours work, with removing dash, piping and pedal. Then putting it all back togeather and reflushing the system.

I paid £50 for the cyclinder without the pedal etc. However if your pedal is cream crackered then its worth doing it all.

Maybe worth ringing a few other places for some quotes, but £200 all in is not that bad.

 

[GlanzaV]

I dont think getting it welded again will be worth it, I would bite the bullet and get a new part which will last alot longer.

This was a common problem on the mk3 Ibiza cupra! Mine my mates and about a gazillion people on the forum have had it happen. The previous owner on my car welded it up and It never broke again - perhaps the person welding yours made a bit of a hash job? It's due to a plastic clip breaking... so really replacing it with new OEM parts will still run the risk of it breaking again!

 

[GlanzaV]

P.S.

A quick search revealed thi:

There is a known issue with sheet metal pedals where the little folded-and-spot-welded metal box fails, allowing the flap at the rear of the box to pop open under pressure from the master cylinder pushrod as you depress the clutch. The pushrod propels the little white plastic clip back through the now-open box, breaking it on its way out, and in bad cases also bending the pushrod. The pedal now can't operate the clutch master cylinder, so you are left without clutch control.

The clip is there to center the pushrod in the metal box on the pedal, but the incipient failure is of the spot welds on the little box. If you can see any movement of the flaps that make up the box, get it fixed before it fails.

A Seat dealer will replace the pedal, taking out the front seat to get enough room to work. If you have the facilities, the pedal can be repaired by redoing the welds, and making them good ones not little spots.


To sum up: The failure is of the sheet metal pedal construction itself. The plastic clip breaks as a side-effect but replacing the clip won't help on its own, the pedal must be made good or replaced.

EDIT: Downthread, Dre included a link to a good description, with photos, on the UK-MkIV's forum, so I've copied it here. hope he doesn't mind . . .

The impact of the clutch master cylinder piston hitting the back of the cylinder can cause the seals to fail, leading to hydraulic fluid leaking into the footwell, and a slow, repeated failure of the clutch due to lack of fluid - you fill it up thinking you've solved the problem only for it to leak away again. This can only be solved by a new master cylinder, I believe, as the seal kits aren't availabile?

 

[csd_19]

My clutch pedal broke earlier in the year, so I just went to SEAT, ordered a new pedal and plastic clip bit and swapped it out. It was under £20 for the bits and its sorted

**edit** it was £25 including a new brake light switch cover as well as the pedal and white plastic clip.

 

[evokid]

I personally think 200 is daylight robbery!!! Just doing mine at present took 5 mins to remove lower trim, 5 mins to disconnect 2 pipes to master cylinder and just undo all 3 bolts on cluth pedal box and you have the whole thing out ready to dismantle!!! Make sure to remove clutch switch if fitted first as mine broke...

 

[LEE69]

This is in the FAQ's
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=202318

 

[tdi31]

it sounds too much of a pain in the ass to me! I took it to a guy I know at a garage today had a look and said its the plastic bit thats just broke on mine he is gonna order a new one from VW and fit it next week for me won't charge a lot said around £30

 

[csd_19]

The wee clip only costs about a quid or so!!

 

[tdi31]

is it hard just to replace this white plastic clip? where would I see it broke if I looked under the dash, anyone show us pics?

cheers.

 

[Muttley]

GlanzaV wrote

It's due to a plastic clip breaking... so really replacing it with new OEM parts will still run the risk of it breaking again

Noooooooooo

No no no no no

The failure is in the spotwelded box on the pedal. The plastic clip only breaks when it is forced out of the failed back flap of that box.

 

[csd_19]

GlanzaV wrote

It's due to a plastic clip breaking... so really replacing it with new OEM parts will still run the risk of it breaking again

Noooooooooo

No no no no no

The failure is in the spotwelded box on the pedal. The plastic clip only breaks when it is forced out of the failed back flap of that box.

Exactly what happened to mine. I just fitted a new OEM without any mods because I didn't have the time to get it welded. God knows why they use that wee box with tiny welds on it!

 

[Neil_Ireland]

My clutch pedal broke earlier in the year, so I just went to SEAT, ordered a new pedal and plastic clip bit and swapped it out. It was under £20 for the bits and its sorted

**edit** it was £25 including a new brake light switch cover as well as the pedal and white plastic clip.

Any part numbers for the bits needed?

 

[SalSheikh]

GlanzaV wrote



The failure is in the spotwelded box on the pedal. The plastic clip only breaks when it is forced out of the failed back flap of that box.

i managed to get a spare pedal and had it welded by my dad

just need to get it changed now...service due imminently so will probably get it done then.

 

[Brettyboy]

My clutch pedal went to the floor tonite coming out of work,rac bloke has done a temp fix on it to get me home so will be sorting it out tomorrow,how easy is the clutch pedal to take out ?
Mate is going to weld it for me