If you drive a manual transmission car, you know that one of the components you want to take the best care of is the car clutch. This component is integral to performance - without it, you're going nowhere fast. Your clutch enables you to change gears, which allows your car to accelerate and decelerate. It's important to extend the life of your car clutch and also to know when it's time to replace it. Toyota of Orlando is here with tips!
How to extend the life of your car clutch
As noted, your car clutch is a critical component of performance. That's why it's important to take care of it and do everything you can to extend its life. After all, replacing your car clutch is an expensive and time-consuming process. Here are some Orlando Toyota tips:
#1: Don't overheat the clutch. Heat is the enemy of your car clutch - it can severely damage this important part if you're not careful. Always monitor your coolant and cooling system to ensure that the engine, transmission, and clutch stay cool.
#2: Don't ride the clutch. If you're not using the car clutch to shift gears or start the car, you shouldn't be touching it with your foot. Overusing your clutch or resting your foot on it can cause the clutch to wear out more quickly. Keep your left foot on the floor if you're not using it to actively engage the clutch.
#3: Your clutch uses hydraulic fluid and over time, it may develop little bubbles in the fluid. When this happens, you'll notice that your car clutch feels "mushy" or less responsive. If this happens, you need to "bleed" the clutch to get all of the bubbles out - our Orlando Toyota service center can help you with that.
Signs you need to replace your car clutch
So how do you know if it's time to replace your car clutch? There are important signs to look out for and you should never ignore them - you can damage your gears and even have the clutch go out completely, which leaves your car totally unable to be driven. Here are some signs our Orlando auto service tech recommend looking out for:
- You hear weird noises, like squeaking, grinding, or rumbling, when you press the clutch
- Your clutch pedal starts to feel mushy or loose or contrastingly, gets stuck down when you press it
- Your car has a hard time accelerating and the engine is revving
- Your clutch "slips" - you feel a little loss of acceleration when changing gears before the clutch grabs and you can speed up
- You have a hard time changing gears in your car
Think you're having car clutch problems? Toyota of Orlando's service center can help. Call us today at (407) 298-0001 to talk to one of our techs and schedule an appointment. You can also swing by - we're at 3575 Vineland Road, just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall.
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