Fiat Panda - clutch

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Fri 16 Feb 2024 20:52
Fiat Panda - clutch - treax

clutch fails to engage , sat at junction in first gear , lift clutch to move off , does not engage engine acts like car is in neutral but is in first gear. after a few attempts acts normal again . no noises or anything unusal ,clutch pedal comes up as normal just does not engage gear

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 Feb 2024 21:58
Fiat Panda - clutch - elekie&a/c doctor
Sounds like a problem with the hydraulic clutch actuator/master cylinder system or the clutch itself . Have you checked level of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 Feb 2024 22:50
Fiat Panda - clutch - Big John

On Mrs BJ' Panda we had strange clutch issues similar to above and pedal stuck to the floor on a hot day stuck in traffic that were the clutch slave cylinder and rusty inline valve. Fortunately a cheap fix as the slave cylinder is external to the bell housing.

Another potential issue are the bushes on the clutch fork release arm - unfortunately that's a gearbox / bell housing off job. Try the slave cylinder first!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 Feb 2024 13:52
Fiat Panda - clutch - treax
Clutch does not stick it comes up normally but the clutch plate does not contact the engine to drive away eventually when I do get going all gears drive fine , does it in reverse as well sometimes, always from a standing start , am definitely in gear when clutch decides it does not want to work. No noises or anything out of normal
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 Feb 2024 14:06
Fiat Panda - clutch - elekie&a/c doctor
Think the gearbox will need to come out to check the friction and pressure plate .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 10 Mar 2024 09:35
Fiat Panda - clutch - Big John
Think the gearbox will need to come out to check the friction and pressure plate .

Yup, sounds like a gearbox off job then - as well as replacing the above replace clutch release fork bushes which are a known fail point and obviously a new release bearing. I'd still fit a new slave cylinder anyway whilst you are at it - cheap.

Edited by Big John on 10/03/2024 at 09:42

Reply | Report as offensive | Link