Hyundai I40 Clutch Problems

[nilrac52]

I purchased a Hyundai i40 last May when it was 6 months old. Shortly after the purchase I noticed problems putting the car into gear. At first it happened only occasionally but now it's very frequent. The most difficult gear is 1st. Although I push the clutch down to the floor it is awful. Can anyone advise as to the problem and what to do to resolve it. I like the car but I am seriously considering selling it. Thanks

[Fitzer]

Well since it's less than 2 years old then it should still be under manufacturer's warranty so just get them to sort it

[bhg481]

With a car still less than 12 months old I'd be back to the garage I bought it from.

[bhg481]

I got my sums wrong, but I'd still be back to the garage.

[nilrac52]

Thank you both very much. I actually forgot about the warranty. I will contact the garage immediately. So silly of me not to think. Once again. Thanks a million

[Buenchico]

A cautionary tale:
I had a similar problem when I had a Citroen BX. The garage said that I'd need to have the clutch replaced and, since that involved removing the whole of the suspension, it would involve 8½ hours labour and therefore cost a small fortune. However it was a good car and I agreed to have the work done.

A few days after the new clutch had been fitted however, I encountered further problems getting the car into gear. The garage made an adjustment and said that everything should be OK.

A few days later I was back at the garage with the same problem again. They eventually diagnosed the problem as a small L-shaped connector at the end of the clutch cable that had started to split (so that the two arms were no longer at 90 degrees to each other). They hammered it back into shape and welded it together, thus fixing the problem.

It was only when I was driving away from the garage that I realised I'd forked out hundreds of pounds to have a (totally unnecessary) new clutch fitted when all that been needed was a 5-minute job with a hammer and a welding torch! (That was the last time that I ever used that garage!).

So, please, please, please don't let anyone try to tell you that you need a new clutch until they've checked:
(a) the cable ; and
(b) the fittings at the end of it.

My guess is that your clutch cable has simply stretched and that fitting a new one (cheap part, minimal labour) will solve the problem.

[nilrac52]

Thank you Buenchico. Very informative and helpful answer. I will certainly proceed with caution as I don't want to pay a fortune for unnecessary work. Thanks again for the very useful details.

[gingejbee]

Isn't one of the main Hyundai selling-points it's 5-year warranty? I'd have gone back with the car as soon as I noticed the problem...this is often one of the terms of the manufacturers' warranty. So, I wouldn't tell the dealers' service department that you've had the trouble for months!

[derekpara]

Isn't clutch wear excluded from a new car warranty , the same as brake pad wear ?

Poor driving techniques ( riding /slipping the clutch etc) would cause rapid wear and wouldn't constitute a manufacturing fault.

Could be wrong.

D

[bhg481]

I think you're right derekpara but I still think I'd go back to the garage and se what they have to say about it with the car being so young.

[gingejbee]

Well, yes, normal clutch wear wouldn't be covered by the warranty....but a car showing clutch problems when just 6 to 7 months old is hardly normal.

[derekpara]

Gingejbee,
A car driven by someone who constantly slips the clutch will wear the friction plate out well before six months is up. This isn't 'normal' driving and hardly the fault of the dealer/manufacturer. And we haven't been told the mileage -another important factor.

D

[gingejbee]

....and we haven't been told if the car was affected with this "anomaly" when it was originally purchased at 6 months....and we haven't been told
if the OP constantly rides the clutch ....and we haven't been told much else. So, in the absence of this information, there's little point in guessing any more.

[derekpara]

True. So in view of the OPs lack of input of late I think I'll call it a day on this one.

D

[rdcrozier]

Just purchased a 2013 i40 Estate with one previous owner (Leasing company) with 60K on the clock and it had the same "clutch on the floor" problem. The selling garage said the master cylinder needed bleeding.... what rubbish. Visited the main Hyundai dealer and after describing the problem got no more than "clutch is like an on off switch" when they immediately booked it in to have new clutch fitted. Picked it up this morning and it is perfect. Nice one Hyundai and not a penny to pay as it is under their 5 year warranty. However, why wasn't there a general recall for this obvious design problem.