Vibrating clutch pedal on TDi Golf - any advice?

**arthur picton** · 11-05-2007,01:41 PM

Hi,

My wife and I have just bought a '03 Tdi golf (not the fast versions, its either the 90, or 100 etc bhp)

The problem we're having is when you rest your foot on the clutch pedal, even very lightly, you can feel your whole left leg shaking slighty. It's becoming really annoying as we can't stop thinking about it now when we drive the car, which is a shame as we both like the car a lot otherwise.

I have a Tdi Passat company car, and have no such problems (it's an 04). I feel no vibration whatsoever.

Because we bought it second hand from a VW garage, it has a 12 month parts and labour warranty from them. I've taken it in for them to have a look but the guy told me that's just how they are, and that its a different car to my Passat so I can't compare them. He said nothing could be done. While I'm sure he's being honest and not lying to me, I can't help but think that after spending so much on the car, that it shouldn't be this uncomfortable to drive.

Having searched on Google, it looks like other people have had similar problems, and blamed it on a worn or mis-aligned release bearing on the clutch (actually found one instance of it on this forum for a Passat, but other references to Golfs around too (Honest John's agony column on Telegraph.co.uk)).

I'm in a bit of a dilema. The guy in the VW garage has told me that's how it should be and that there's nothing they can do about it, but now I'm led to believe by the internet that it could be fixed by replacing a release bearing on the clutch.

While I care more about about getting my car running ok than I do about upsetting the VW service guy, I don't want to go back there presenting the google info if you guys all know it's a common problem with these cars, and that we've just bought unwisely.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. There seems to be a great depth of knowledge on this forum.

Thanks,
AP

**Veedubber** · 16-05-2007,02:09 PM

Originally Posted by arthur picton

It's becoming really annoying as we can't stop thinking about it now when we drive the car, which is a shame as we both like the car a lot otherwise....While I'm sure he's being honest and not lying to me, I can't help but think that after spending so much on the car, that it shouldn't be this uncomfortable to drive.

Google is not always your friend - particularly when you are ill, I find...

I was also going to suggest asking the VW garage to give you a test drive in another one if they are all like that, just to put your mind at rest. Phone them up and blame the wife's non-stop nagging and you need to just shut her up and sorry, sorry I'm not saying you're not telling the truth but this would help a lot.

I think having spent money on a car, particularly from a dealership garage, you are entitled to keep going back and asking until you are happy. Regardless of how straightforward the answer actually is or what google says.

And

I ask all sorts of daft dimwit questions and so far have been welcome to do so here. It's all been very friendly!

Good luck finding the answer

**bora(ing) nick** · 16-05-2007,02:17 PM

I drive a Bora TDI PD 100, and the clutch pedal does vibrate a little. It's normal.... and its only noticeable right at the top of the "range".

It's just a characteristic of the hydraulic clutch that VW use....

Nick

**nel636** · 16-05-2007,03:20 PM

bora nick! - could this also be true for my golf gti? as when i pull away in first it feels like a gentle knocking when releasing the clutch. and whilst i am driving and if i put a my foot on it slightly i can feel that vibration again - not that i rest it on the clutch, i actually use the rest!

its just i would like to know because its peeing me off at times.

thanks lads

**bora(ing) nick** · 16-05-2007,03:32 PM

Originally Posted by nel636

bora nick! - could this also be true for my golf gti? as when i pull away in first it feels like a gentle knocking when releasing the clutch. and whilst i am driving and if i put a my foot on it slightly i can feel that vibration again - not that i rest it on the clutch, i actually use the rest!

its just i would like to know because its peeing me off at times.

thanks lads

Sounds the same but i'm never driven a golf GTI, so not sure.....

Does any1 else you know have a gti that you can compare?

Nick

**Veedubber** · 16-05-2007,03:50 PM

Hello!

I have a Golf GTi of which you speak, but my clutch does not vibrate or otherwise shudder. It does, however, creak slightly as I let it out - I only really notice when driving away in the morning and haven't paid attention to see if that's the only time it happens. But no, no knocking or vibrating.

ETA Maybe it's my car that's wrong? Where can I get something to make my clutch vibrate?

**onzarob** · 16-05-2007,09:32 PM

Originally Posted by arthur picton

Hi,

My wife and I have just bought a '03 Tdi golf (not the fast versions, its either the 90, or 100 etc bhp)

The problem we're having is when you rest your foot on the clutch pedal, even very lightly, you can feel your whole left leg shaking slighty. It's becoming really annoying as we can't stop thinking about it now when we drive the car, which is a shame as we both like the car a lot otherwise.

I have a Tdi Passat company car, and have no such problems (it's an 04). I feel no vibration whatsoever.

Because we bought it second hand from a VW garage, it has a 12 month parts and labour warranty from them. I've taken it in for them to have a look but the guy told me that's just how they are, and that its a different car to my Passat so I can't compare them. He said nothing could be done. While I'm sure he's being honest and not lying to me, I can't help but think that after spending so much on the car, that it shouldn't be this uncomfortable to drive.

Having searched on Google, it looks like other people have had similar problems, and blamed it on a worn or mis-aligned release bearing on the clutch (actually found one instance of it on this forum for a Passat, but other references to Golfs around too (Honest John's agony column on Telegraph.co.uk)).

I'm in a bit of a dilema. The guy in the VW garage has told me that's how it should be and that there's nothing they can do about it, but now I'm led to believe by the internet that it could be fixed by replacing a release bearing on the clutch.

While I care more about about getting my car running ok than I do about upsetting the VW service guy, I don't want to go back there presenting the google info if you guys all know it's a common problem with these cars, and that we've just bought unwisely.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. There seems to be a great depth of knowledge on this forum.

Thanks,
AP

My A4 has a little shake that can be detected through the clutch pedal, I don't expect it to be a serious problem.

Rob

**Eshrules** · 16-05-2007,11:44 PM

my golf also has a slight juddering, but only noticeable when at idle and you gently rest your foot on the clutch, once clutch is depressed, it stops. i've always assumed (i presume correctly) that this is simply the running of the engine.

n.b in regards to your warranty, if you want to cover your back against failure, ask the mechanic to give a written report on the state of the clutch, if he deems it without fault and it fails lets say 11 1/2 months down the line, they can't turn around and deem that to be fair wear and tear as it is an arguable point that the fault was reported nearly a year previous but was ignored. similar to having a survey done on a house.

**macdoc** · 17-05-2007,01:56 PM

I have 2 new VW, 1 Jetta & 1 Passat. The Jetta is a 6 spd manual and it had that slight vibration from the clutch pedal from new. Its now settled in after 10,000 Kms and now the vibration is all gone.

**arthur picton** · 18-05-2007,03:22 PM

Thanks everyone for your constructive comments.

Today I test drove a similar car to the one we bought and it had the same problem, just not nearly as severe. I asked the salesguy about it and he went to ask his VW service engneer. When he came back he said that its a common fault with most, if not all TDi Golfs and its caused by the 'double-mass fly wheel'.

Not being a car person at all (I love driving, but I'm not a mechanic!) I feel a bit like I've just been asked to go get a long-weight from the stores department on my first day in a new job! (i.e. what the hell's a double mass flywheel, and why does it make my left leg shake when I'm driving my new car!!!!).

Thanks again for all the advice. Still not sure what to do

.

If it's that common, I would have thought that I wouldn't be the only one on here complaining about it, considering how many TDi's you see on the road.

The only thing I can think is that I have a particularly bad one, but I still can't see why there's nothing anyone can do about it. How much is a new flywheel?!....