Clutch Problem

[BuckChoklit]

How serious/widespread is this clutch problem? I've been reading and reading about it. Some people only getting 12k or so out of the clutches, clutches costing an arm and a leg + labor does not sound like something I'd want. I'm really looking at getting one of these cars, but this problem is shying me away. One thing getting my hope up is reading about one guy with 80k + 4 autocross events on his stock clutch.

 

[SVT_ME]

My SVTf had 70K before it started slipping. My truck (Which I have had since new) currently has 125K on the stock clutch, and still grabs strong.

It's all in the driver. MY SVTf is for sale (With newish clutch ~9k on it) if you are near annapolis.

 

[Hotrod Tommy]

Mine has about 80K, clutch slips a little in the morning when it's cold, but that's not really a problem. Works fine other than that. Aside from a few small issues, this car has been pretty reliable.

 

[BuckChoklit]

I'd like to pick one up, but any time I read on Focus Fanatics or somewhere else, all I hear about is the clutch problems with them. People spending upwards of $450-700 for a stock clutch (and yes, I do realize these clutches/flywheels are expensive) and only getting a few hundred to sometimes 15k out of them.

I'd like to get the car, but allocating money for a problem like that is not in my budget.

 

[ucntseemeee]

i just ordered my clutch kit today from clutchcity.com and paid 595 for the kit(oem) with dual mass flywheel. added the Clutch master cylinder to the order for 65 bux cuz mine is leaking. the labor is what kills you, in my case im getting 595 labor charge too. but not bad considering 2 other places i found were well over 800 for labor.

 

[wjrountree]

I've got 83,xxx miles on mine and the clutch was replaced around 30,xxx

It wasnt' replaced due to slipping...it was making a noise that the dealer linked to premature wear.....

Most of the time when you see a clutch shot in a short time it's the factory one....which is covered under the warranty most times ...

Or it's a bad driver....Like i said i've got 50,XXX on the clutch that's in there and i can feel a slight difference in the pedal versus the day it was brand new...but it's been the same for a year or so....

And i'm not the easiest person on a clutch sometimes....I do quite a bit of intown stop and go driving...which equals more wear and tear than highway....

 

[Stevarino8]

I have 34K on my '04 SVTF, no clutch issues at all as you would suspect! My Ford mechanic babys my ride when he works on it. He has a SVT F-150 and takes interest in any SVT he works on.

 

[fiesta346]

i have a 04 not even 52,000 i am on my 3rd allready but everyone has been under warranty

 

[ucntseemeee]

i have a 04 not even 52,000 i am on my 3rd allready but everyone has been under warranty

lucky ****er! mine ****ed up tonite, soon as i turned on my street coming home.. the clip on the hydrolic line the runs to the bell housing broke, all the fluid shot out..having her towed in to get it fixed in the am

 

[SVT_Trout]

Every clutch in every car was bad from the factory. It was a recall item. I found out about it and has mine changed at 7,500 miles. My clutch is still super tight today with 100,000 on it.

Nice Drinky Crow Avatar

 

[shlbygt]

Every clutch in every car was bad from the factory. It was a recall item. I found out about it and has mine changed at 7,500 miles. My clutch is still super tight today with 100,000 on it.

Nice Drinky Crow Avatar

Wrong Wrong Wrong.
It was a TSB, not a recall, look up the difference as it has been rehashed hundreds of times on various Focus boards...
Not "every" car had a bad clutch. I have an 04 with 46k miles including 2 dozen track events and
a JRSC’ed 03 with 75k and at least a dozen track events, both cars have original clutches with no issues.
I'm going to say the driver has more to do with clutch issues than the design or manufacture of the clutch.

 

[SVT_Trout]

TSB or recall,so what. Nice job splitting hairs because I did not say TSB. Same thing in my book. No questions asked, you take your car in for an admitted problem from Ford.

You are wrong to call out people for bad driving when there is a factory "TSB". I have been driving manual all of my "driving" life and yet you question the drivers when it was an obvious problem with the vehicle.

You are right about one thing...Not all cars had to go in for service. If you clutch did not slip early, odds are it was fine. However, every car was included in the "TSB"

Nice job welcoming the new guy. Glad to be here. Do you tell all of the new guys they are wrong and are bad drivers?

 

[shlbygt]

TSB or recall,so what. Nice job splitting hairs because I did not say TSB. Same thing in my book. No questions asked, you take your car in for an admitted problem from Ford.

A recall is different from a TSB. "Your book" is wrong. If you don't know the differences or do not care, do not assume that others share your beliefs.
The TSB , which I have sitting in front of me states, “ Some 2002-2004 SVT Focus vehicles may exhibit premature clutch wear, or a clunking and rattling noise in the transaxle, mainly at idle in neutral.” If the car did not exhibit the noise or show indications of premature wear the clutch was not replaced.
The two important words in the TSB are "some" and "may", not “All” and “will”. A TSB is not an admission of anything but rather a procedure on how to diagnose or repair an issue that has been documented before. That way a tech doen't need to reinvent the wheel to repair a car.
A similar clutch issue occurred with the GT500’s. Some people have issues others don’t. Some have tried to get the updated clutch using the TSB but if the car doesn’t exhibit the symptoms, you are sent packing.

You are wrong to call out people for bad driving when there is a factory "TSB". I have been driving manual all of my "driving" life and yet you question the drivers when it was an obvious problem with the vehicle.

Again if you understood what a TSB is and is not. It is an informational tool used by Ford to alert techs of an issue that has occurred previously on other cars. In this case, if an owner complained of a rattling noise in the transmission at idle, the tech could look for a TSB that mentioned a similar complaint instead of tearing into the car looking for clues. A TSB is a time saving tool and it does not always indicate a poorly performing part.
As for the bad drivers, I see bad clutch posts falling into these categories.
1. Clutches that were truly defective, discovered early on and replaced with the revised part.
2. Clutch issues from people who previously posted about performing burnouts and the accompanying “how to disable the traction control” to perform better burnouts.
3. Clutch issues after drag racing the vehicle either on the street or track and the accompanying “how to disable the traction control” to get better 60’ times.
4. Clutch issues from people who have little driving experience where the SVT is their first vehicle or first manual transmission vehicle.
5. Clutch issues by from people who have replaced their clutches multiple times after very few miles. I’ll give you the original may have had issues but what about the revised part or the numerous aftermarket clutches that people still have issues with? Some clutch issues may be the result of poor mechanical skills coupled with an inability to drive a manual.
6. Clutch issues from 2nd and 3rd owners who have no idea how badly their car was abused before they purchased it and may also fall into categories 2, 3 & 4 above.
Just the other day I met someone who had just purchased an SVT and lost all forward motion while in third gear at a low steady speed. Come to find out the car was wrecked in the front and looked to be improperly repaired. It sounded like the clutch had come apart when the engine was running and the clutch cycled. Now was it a simply a bad clutch, accident damage or abuse from the previous owner that caused the problem??
These cars are now 5 to 7 model years old and can have on average 60k+ miles on them. To piss and moan about an original clutch after that time period is silly. If the original clutch was bad it most likely would have failed years ago.

Nice job welcoming the new guy. Glad to be here. Do you tell all of the new guys they are wrong and are bad drivers?

When someone states blatant misinformation it should be pointed out. The original poster wanted to know how wide spread the clutch issue was. You stated all cars had bad clutches and were covered by a recall. Neither of which you now admit is a fact. So were you intentionally trying to mislead the OP or did you just feel then need to post anything that popped into your head?

 

[SVT_Trout]

I am pretty humored at how worked up you are to make yourself feel cool. I guess you sure showed everyone that read this thread how knowledgeable your brain is.

FYI, reading your response is not worth my time.

 

[shlbygt]

I guess you sure showed everyone that read this thread how knowledgeable your brain is.

FYI, reading your response is not worth my time.

I'm sorry; I forgot that boards such as this are not to inform or have rational discussion based on factual information on a topic, but rather to post anything that spews from the keyboard.
Ahh, they say ignorance is bliss. You must be the happiest guy around....

 

[bluesvt420]

my clutch lasted up to 60k i t is smoked now but i race it and beat on it alot. my guess is if you baby it as ur everyday driver you should be able to get 100k on it