For nearly 12 months the clutch pedal on my 2002 Vectra C loses height overnight by about an inch, maybe more, it is quite difficult to guage accurately. The clutch operates Ok but if you don't get your toe under it and pull it up before driving, there is a tendency for the cruise control not to work.
The car has been examined twice by the local Vauxhall main dealer that supplied it 18 months ago with 13k on the clock (a genuine reason supplied for the low mileage) and have told me, on both occasions they can find nothing wrong. The independent garage I use for sevicing bled the clutch, which didn't resolve the problem and also say they can't find a fault.
Anybody got any ideas or am I being paranoid?
Other than this, I think it's a fine car.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 01/05/2008 at 11:17
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I would say it is a seal leaking or something? A while back I was driving a hired MK4 Golf GTI and the pedal stuck down at a roundabout, my foot just came up without the pedal. Anyway AA came and he just pulled pedal up with hand and that allowed me to get home. He did say a seal had turned inside out reversing the fluid pressure making pedal work otherway? I mentioned it to hire company, wether anything was done I done know.
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the cheapest thing to change will be the master cyl
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Thanks Tim but I don't think it can be a leaking seal as there has been no loss of clutch fluid. I suggested to the dealers that a broken clutch return spring might be the cause of the problem but they laughed this off saying that if that was the problem, the clutch wouldn't operate.
I can live with it as it is but I'm concerned that, long term, something nasty is going to happen!
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>>I suggested to the dealers that a broken clutch return spring might be the cause of the problem
I suppose they couldn't make the mental leap to a broken clutch pedal return spring. It wouldn't surprise me for a main dealer.
Does it have a clutch pedal return spring? He asks sheepishly.
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Does it have a clutch pedal return spring? He asks sheepishly.
It should do as there was a recall on them due to being too weak and causing the cruise control to disengage. Replaced with a stronger spring.
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Thanks for that Dave. Presumably the notice of recall on my car went to the original owner, an elderly guy who suffered from ill health, and understandably didn't bother to respond. Armed with the info that there was, indeed, a recall for the fault I'm complaining about, I'll take the matter forward with the main dealer.
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Presumably the notice of recall on my car went to the original owner
Perhaps 'recall' was the wrong word to use. An 'improvement modification' would be a better phrase to use. If the car were booked in to a main dealer for servicing, they look up on their database for any outstanding (but non critical) items that require doing. Something that generally gets overlooked if the car is serviced by an independant garage / mechanic as they won't necessarily know about 'improvement mods'
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The car was still under Network Q warranty when the fault originally manifested itself so, given there was , as you now put it, Dave, an "improvement modification" you would have thought the dealer might have checked the database when I reported it. Also the car was serviced by them just before the warranty ended, giving them another chance to do the check. Clearly they didn't. My impression is that the outfit is run and staffed by people who want to sell cars but aren't really interested in providing a "sharp" after sales service. Anyway, you and the rest of the forum have been very helpful and I now hope to get the problem sorted once and for all.
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get a clutch return spring.. i got one and now all is good
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Info below on the part number and how to change the spring.
forum.vectra-c.com/showthread.php?t=33621
(not sure if you have to be a member to view or not? Some of the items on vectra-c you have to be. Worth joining (for free) though. Lots of useful information and helpful contributors over there.
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Thanks again Dave. Just done the link and got a set of pictures, along with the part number. Appears you don't have to be a member of the site to download the ifo. Think I'll sideline the main dealer and just take the printouts to my independent chappies and ask them to sort it out. I really am quite fed up with having to remember to get my big toe under the pedal every morning and, of course, if anyone but me drives the car, they just don't know to do it.
Anyone know if the lack of this return spring can eventually knacker the clutch? I'll get it fixed but just curious.
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iv got same problem with my vectra... overnight pedal dropped an inch...
iv bn told its clutch + slave cylinder leaking...
bought clutch kit for £250
now just wondering does the subframe gotaa be dropt?
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