Clutch dropped to floor
07-19-2018, 06:57 PM
#1
Clutch dropped to floor
bary was going dead to drove to Orielly and swapped the battery. When I got in the car the clutch pedal was gone. It was on the floor. I pulled it up and it sprang back up but when I press it again it drops to floor. Car won’t start. Any ideas? Coincidence or is there some trick?
07-19-2018, 07:01 PM
#2
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bary was going dead to drove to Orielly and swapped the battery. When I got in the car the clutch pedal was gone. It was on the floor. I pulled it up and it sprang back up but when I press it again it drops to floor. Car won’t start. Any ideas? Coincidence or is there some trick?
What year is your car?
07-19-2018, 08:53 PM
#7
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TSB14717 from memory...it is a recall for replacement of the clutch master cylinder (I think with a ZR1 unit). Coverage is good for 10 years from in-service date, or 120,000 miles, whichever occurs first. I would run, not walk, to the nearest GM dealer with your VIN and ask the service department to print the VIS and build sheet (free) for your car. One, or both, will show the in-service date (with an '09 you could be getting close) and ask them about the TSB.
Let us know how it turns out.
Let us know how it turns out.
07-19-2018, 09:08 PM
#8
Will do. Had to have it towed to a local mechanic. Tow was free with my ins but will cost me $80 to have towed to GM dealer. The GM place has gates and does not allow after hours drop off. But if this is covered the $80 two to GM would be worth it.
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
07-19-2018, 09:47 PM
#9
Retired & lovin' it!
Will do. Had to have it towed to a local mechanic. Tow was free with my ins but will cost me $80 to have towed to GM dealer. The GM place has gates and does not allow after hours drop off. But if this is covered the $80 two to GM would be worth it.
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
07-19-2018, 09:49 PM
#10
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Will do. Had to have it towed to a local mechanic. Tow was free with my ins but will cost me $80 to have towed to GM dealer. The GM place has gates and does not allow after hours drop off. But if this is covered the $80 two to GM would be worth it.
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
I found the failure to be very disconcerting. Who would have thought changing the battery would result in such a failure!?
I knew new you guys would know! I posted from the parking lot while waiting for tow truck. Which I’d of posted earlier but thanks for the intel!
Sorry if I misled you...changing the battery had nothing to do with the clutch master failure.
Make sure of the in-service date and coverage before you have it towed to GM. Chat with the service writer after he prints the VIS and build sheet. Good news, if you are still covered, is you will be getting a last minute repair for free. Good luck.
07-19-2018, 09:57 PM
#11
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Good call on the dealer paying the tow. Worth a shot.
07-20-2018, 09:25 AM
#14
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07-20-2018, 11:44 AM
#15
happened to me, took the car in got a new master cylinder, although right after that i discovered i needed a new clutch as per the GM techs. did the clutch swap my self, as soon as the torque tube came out a bunch of little bearings came out! it was the slave cylinder that was bad. but yes the master cylinder was done free of charge to owner.
07-20-2018, 11:50 AM
#16
Called the Chevrolet service department. They were able to find the notice on the clutch master cylinder via my VIN. He said as long as that is the issue, it should be covered. Hope so. I asked him how much would it cost normally and he guessed about 6 or 7 hrs so about $750 in labor plus the part. I found the part on-line for about $100 so GM would probably charge me $250 for it. So, if this is covered, drinks on me boys! You guys saved me $1,000. Having the car towed from the shop I took it to yesterday to the Chevrolet place....that costing me $80. If I had known this sooner yesterday I would have had it towed to them.
So I've been thinking....why did it fail now....coincident with the battery dying? So let me back up. I had stopped at a store and when I got back in my car it almost didn't start and I knew the battery was dying. I was hoping like hell I didn't stall the car as I am not very good yet with a manual trans. Of course I choked! Taking off from a red light she died. It would not turn over. Battery just too weak. Fortunately I was on a slight incline so I put her in 2nd and rolled just enough that when I popped the clutch she started. I went straight to O'Rielly and got a new battery. So now I'm wondering if 'popping the clutch' on a roll-start was what caused the clutch master cylinder to fail? Maybe that was just enough to 'push it over the edge' if you will? But the clutch worked thru two more red lights before I got to the parts store. But perhaps I ruptured the line and then sitting there for an hour while I swapped batteries all the pressure bled off? It's a theory anyway.
Oh, and why did it take a hour to change batteries? They sold me a battery that would not fit! I put it in, greased the posts and put the cables back on but when I tried to put the tie-down back on, it wouldn't not fit. I realized the battery had too big of lip at the bottom to sit down in the tray. Arrrgh! So had to remove that and swap it out with a different model...all the while in the hot sun sweating like a pig in my dress/work clothes. I was so glad to be done with that.....and then got in and found the clutch on the floor. I was having a terrible, no good, very bad day! But I learned something! Frankly, I never knew there was such as thing as clutch master cylinder.
So I've been thinking....why did it fail now....coincident with the battery dying? So let me back up. I had stopped at a store and when I got back in my car it almost didn't start and I knew the battery was dying. I was hoping like hell I didn't stall the car as I am not very good yet with a manual trans. Of course I choked! Taking off from a red light she died. It would not turn over. Battery just too weak. Fortunately I was on a slight incline so I put her in 2nd and rolled just enough that when I popped the clutch she started. I went straight to O'Rielly and got a new battery. So now I'm wondering if 'popping the clutch' on a roll-start was what caused the clutch master cylinder to fail? Maybe that was just enough to 'push it over the edge' if you will? But the clutch worked thru two more red lights before I got to the parts store. But perhaps I ruptured the line and then sitting there for an hour while I swapped batteries all the pressure bled off? It's a theory anyway.
Oh, and why did it take a hour to change batteries? They sold me a battery that would not fit! I put it in, greased the posts and put the cables back on but when I tried to put the tie-down back on, it wouldn't not fit. I realized the battery had too big of lip at the bottom to sit down in the tray. Arrrgh! So had to remove that and swap it out with a different model...all the while in the hot sun sweating like a pig in my dress/work clothes. I was so glad to be done with that.....and then got in and found the clutch on the floor. I was having a terrible, no good, very bad day! But I learned something! Frankly, I never knew there was such as thing as clutch master cylinder.
Last edited by Rogillio; 07-20-2018 at 01:16 PM.
07-20-2018, 12:59 PM
#17
Advanced
I had the same problem back in May. Covered under the "special coverage". As I recall the notice said something about a pulse in the clutch hydraulic system can cause the failure. The push start may have given it a pulse. Mine failed on a 6K 1-2 shift, but I've read many others say it will fail under the most normal of conditions. Good news for us is they will install a supposedly better part so should not have any worries going forward of the same problem.
07-21-2018, 12:43 PM
#18
Pro
I had the towing covered with mine when it was done by calling GM Customer Assistance . I had the corvette towed to a dealer in a nearby town, 35 miles away, rather than the local Chevy dealer, as I wont do business with them. The local dealer doesn't have any certified corvette tech. Anyway, got ahold of GM, pled my case, and they sent me a Customer Reimbursement Request Form. Mailed back a copy of the receipt for $146.00 for the towing and got a check in the mail a few days later.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
07-21-2018, 06:24 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Go to post #3, it explains the issue with the clutch master cylinder.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-cylinder.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-cylinder.html
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Rogillio (07-23-2018)
07-24-2018, 01:28 PM
#20
Picked car up today. No charge for the repair. Called GM to see if I could get reimbursed for the towing. They said no, only parts and labor. I’m just happy I didn’t have to pay $1000 for the repair! And had I not posted here, I would have. Thanks all!
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leadfart (07-24-2018)