Yes, your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s clutch needs to be maintained every 6,000 miles. This increases the lifespan of the clutch. Generally, a clutch will last anywhere from 50,000 miles to 100,000 miles. The average lifespan is around 75,000 miles. AmeriFix can adjust your clutch every 6,000 miles to make sure it is operating as it should be. Once the clutch needs to be replaced, you will notice the following signs.
Burning Clutch
A burning clutch smells hot. When the clutch is burning, it is slipping. In other words, it is not staying engaged. If the clutch does not remain engaged until you release it, you will have the additional problems we are going to list below.
Constant Hesitation
One of these problems is constant acceleration hesitation. Engaging the clutch transfers the power from the engine to the transmission. If the clutch does not stay engaged to complete the power transfer, your vehicle will hesitate when you try to accelerate.
Gear Problems
You will also have difficulties shifting gears. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to get your car, truck, or utility vehicle into gear or if you are shifting through the gear cycle. If the clutch is slipping, you will not be able to change gears when you need to.
Grinding Noises
As a consequence, you might hear grinding noises when you shift the gears. This definitely indicates that the clutch is not staying engaged and that the transmission has all of the power. Rather, there is still power going to the engine and, as such, the transmission cannot shift the gears smoothly.
High Catch Point
As a clutch wears down, the catch or bite point gets higher. Adjusting the clutch helps keep the bite point in the same place. If adjusting the clutch does not return the bite point back to normal, you may need to have your clutch replaced as the internal mechanisms have worn out.
Spongy Resistance
Finally, you may notice that your clutch resistance has gotten spongy when you press down on the clutch. This is definitely an indication that there is a problem with the clutch that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. In fact, your clutch may sink all the way to the floor without engaging.
Call AmeriFix in Franklin, TN, today if you are having any of the issues discussed above. We will inspect your clutch to see if we can repair it or if it needs to be replaced.
