Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed?

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Sun 6 Nov 2022 17:25
Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed? - Xileno

Now here's one for the knowledgeable panel to think about. For about the last six years my old Focus (2007 1,6 petrol) has had a minor but irritating clutch judder when cold. It would only be for the first few applications of the clutch and then all would be well.

I spoke to a mechanic I know and have used for the last thirty years with various cars. He said it's probably glazed so just slip it for a while which should burn it off. I never felt happy doing that, clutch abuse is just against how I was taught to drive so I left it. In any case the juddering wasn't bad and it was possible to compensate for it by dipping the clutch just as you could feel through the pedal it was about to judder.

Anyway, my recent trip to Devon involved staying at a property on a steep lane and an awkward reverse onto the drive. Plenty of clutch needed whether you liked it or not. Anyway since that holiday the clutch has been absolutely fine so I think the mechanic was right. I think I owe him a drink!

There have been a few cases of clutch juddering reported on the forum with various makes so it might be worth remembering this tale before getting the clutch changed and save yourself quite a bit of money.

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Mon 7 Nov 2022 09:26
Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed? - craig-pd130

It's a good tip. Our 2015 Corsa petrol with 54,000 miles had a similar annoying clutch judder when cold. On our recent holiday in Wales, we went up the steep road in Harlech from the beach to the town centre next to the castle, which involved a LOT of hill starts because of traffic. No judder since.

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Mon 7 Nov 2022 09:58
Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed? - Mike H

Hondas seem to suffer from clutch judder when cold, same symptoms as yours, but it's generally reckoned to be due to overnight condensation. Our 2015 CR-V diesel did it virtually from new. The dealer advised me to use a few more revs and slip the clutch when the engine was cold - as you say, counter-intuitive and not what I would call best practice, but it did the trick.

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Mon 7 Nov 2022 10:40
Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed? - Bolt

Hondas seem to suffer from clutch judder when cold, same symptoms as yours, but it's generally reckoned to be due to overnight condensation. Our 2015 CR-V diesel did it virtually from new. The dealer advised me to use a few more revs and slip the clutch when the engine was cold - as you say, counter-intuitive and not what I would call best practice, but it did the trick.

Yes I`ve had 5 civics since 2010 and not one didn`t suffer clutch judder, so I had to do the same on first start, raise the revs a bit more than I normally would and that does the trick, only ever replaced one clutch but that was caused by DMF failure 2.2 diesel, clutch itself was perfectly ok except for the judder, but was still there after new one installed.

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Mon 7 Nov 2022 14:34
Ford Focus clutch juddering - fixed? - John F

I think the mechanic was right.

Indeed so. My TR7 has had a slight gearbox oil leak for decades, some of which I think occasionally gets onto the clutch plate, causing judder. A few episodes of clutch abuse cures it.

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