The clutch will get heavier as it wears down and usually the biting point of the clutch will raise towards your knee, this is because the lever ratio of the cover changes and the diaphragm fingers move outwards as the clutch plate gets thinner, also the clamping load increases of the cover. So naturally the pedal will become heavier as the clutch wears down, if you have noticed that the biting point relatively high and a heavy pedal it may be a good idea to consider changing the clutch in the near future rather than it letting you down with a failure which could occur when you least want it.

P.s LUK Clutches are OE on a lot of the Toyota range and available at most local factors, it is alway's best getting your garage to supply the clutch but worth asking them to buy LUK as it's the same as the Toyota dealers

Regards Geoff

Edited by mastertechGeoff on 16/04/2013 at 14:11

I have a petrol avensis and it also has a heavy clutch. I tested another avensis a few weeks ago and although that was better it was no way near as light as I have experienced in some of the older Toyotas. I have been told by a Toyota specialist that althoughn changing the clutch will make it lighter and easier to press, the avensis just has a heavier clutch then most comparable cars.

Mo