Your clutch smells like it’s burning because it is slipping and needs to be replaced. The average lifespan of a clutch ranges from 60,000 miles to 100,000 miles. If you take good care of the clutch, it will last longer. When the clutch slips, however, this is a sign that the internal mechanisms have worn out and the clutch needs to be replaced. Texan Auto Repair & Collision can replace or adjust your clutch if it is acting up. Aside from burning, here are other signs that your clutch is going out.
Acceleration Lag
Your acceleration will lag with a bad clutch because the wheels are not engaged or the vehicle is not in gear. When you press down on the clutch, you do so to cut the power going to the engine. This power is then transferred to the transmission so the drivetrain can turn the wheels. If your clutch has slipped and your vehicle did not go into gear, you will be unable to accelerate and pick up speed.
Grinding Noises
Another sign that your clutch is slipping is if you hear grinding noises when you shift gears. Sure, you ground the gears when you first learned how to drive with a clutch, but you are a master now. If your gears begin to grind again, the clutch is not fully engaging and disengaging when you change the gears throughout the gear cycle. It’s important you get the clutch looked at right away because the grinding can damage your transmission gears.
Slipping Gears
Another thing that can happen is your vehicle can slip out of gear and end up back in neutral if your clutch is going bad. You may also find that you are having problems shifting through each year in the gear cycle. Another sign your clutch is going out is if you cannot get your car, truck, or utility vehicle into gear from Neutral. Any strange goings on with your gears can point back to the clutch.
Spongy Pedal
Finally, if your clutch pedal feels strange underneath your foot, this is a sign that it needs to be repaired or replaced. The pedal may feel spongy or soft, or it may feel harder than normal. The clutch pedal should always give you the same resistance and the bite point shouldn’t change. If it does, your clutch needs some TLC.
Texan Auto Repair & Collision in Sugar Land, TX, can help. Call our shop today to schedule an appointment for a clutch inspection.
