Megane Clutch

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 16:22
Megane Clutch - TheOilBurner
I've got a 55 plate Megane (pre-facelift) with a 2.0 VVT petrol engine. Had it about a week and the clutch is very heavy IMO. The Renault dealer we bought it from had a mechanic check it out and says there is no problem, and my own personal experiments from hopping into several other new and nearly new Meganes show that the 2.0 petrols tend to be a mixed bag, some light, some heavy.

To be honest, I can't believe I didn't notice it on the test drive, although it's only unbearable in heavy traffic. It's so bad I dread driving the car and the sole of my left foot is developing a dull ache already.

Do I have grounds to reject the car under the Sale of Goods Act? Bear in mind that the clutch weight on the 2.0 petrols appears very inconsistent, even on showroom cars. One I tried was about the same as my car, others much lighter.

Or, do I have to grin and bear it, sell the car and put it down to experience?
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 21:34
Megane Clutch - TheOilBurner
OK - to make more sense of that mess, is there anything obvious that could cause a heavy clutch that can be fixed, or is it likely to be a design flaw?
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 21:41
Megane Clutch - Aprilia
Pressure plate fault is what usually makes a clutch go heavy. The only solution is to replace. There is a possibility that they are using different suppliers, hence the different loads - best place to find out would be a Renault enthusiasts (can there be such a thing?) forum/website.
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 22:20
Megane Clutch - bell boy
you cant reject the car
you could have a quality clutch fitted at your expense to improve matters
sorry bro
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 23:37
Megane Clutch - dan_b
i takt it thast it is a hydrulic clutch it could b the selinoid that operates the clutch plate is a bit stiff i'm not sure but it could b your best bet is to hav a look take the box off and look at the clutch and the pressure plate and check the selinoid
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Tue 3 Apr 2007 00:17
Megane Clutch - Galaxy
You could have a read or try posting your question here:

www.meganeownersclub.co.uk/

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Tue 3 Apr 2007 00:20
Megane Clutch - Galaxy
Sorry, Oilburner, I've just had a look and you already have!

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Tue 3 Apr 2007 10:23
Megane Clutch - TheOilBurner
LOL @ Galaxy ;) Thanks for the replies all!

It sounds very much like if there is a fix, my best bet would be to get a clutch specialist to have a play and see if they could fit a replacement of a better design.

It seems like it would be difficult to prove it's faulty, if it is at all.

Next time I'll insist I test drive in the conditions that I normally drive in, and not some quiet, pleasant country lanes! D'oh!

Cheers!
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