04 Fiesta - dodgy clutch

Cartman78

Hi all,

First time posting on this forum so apologies if this has been covered before.

Basically, the clutch has 'gone' twice this year on my non-beloved 04 Fiesta. My mechanic reckons this is a flaw with this particular model and one of the tow truck guys said the same thing. Had to get a part replaced twice - cost around €100 both times. The mechanic said that it's a cheap plastic part that's the problem but there's no other option.

Decided to get a 2nd opinion of another highly rated (by everyone I know) mechanic and he's never heard anything about dodgy clutches.

So, have I just got a dud Fiesta or is this a wider scale issue?

Jagle

use to have a 04 fiesta, you know ford recalled them for a clutch problem, had a clutch problem bought mine back to dealer dealer said jesus that should have replaced a few years ago, brand new one no cost, check it out

Cartman78

Tom Slick wrote: »

Which particular model Fiesta is it. Is it a 1.4 TDCi by any chance?

No..it's a 1.2 LX

It's been ok-ish now for a few weeks but felt a bit iffy after a long drive at the weekend (Lim-Dub)

Plug

Cartman78 wrote: »

No..it's a 1.2 LX

It's been ok-ish now for a few weeks but felt a bit iffy after a long drive at the weekend (Lim-Dub)

Master cylinder? When you press the clutch pedal your foot goes down a bit before you feel any pressure?

Cartman78

I think it's the cylinder that's causing the problem alright - the first time it went they just tightened the clip (which lasted for about 10 days) - since then the cylinder has been replaced twice.

The mechanic says that the clutch itself is ok

Plug

Yeah your clutch system is made up of 3 main parts, the clutch itself, the release bearing/slave cylinder and the clutch pedal/master cylinder. Your problem is the master cylinder, just get a genuine ford part.HERE

Cartman78

Cheers Plug - I'm pretty certain that's the part that's already been replaced twice this year :mad:. It cost €35 on the bill where the mechanic bought it from the nearest Ford dealer.

Spoke to another mechanic over the weekend about it - he reckoned this is the kind of thing should only ever happen once in the lifetime of a car.
It's ok again at the moment but I can't really rely on it at all

swx22000

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/142069623042

This is a Ring to lock the clutch pinion rod in place. it goes on the clutch pedal to hold the rod in place

I had the exact same problem...the pinion rod keeps slipping off its connector. the ring will hold it in place

martinr5232

The rod for the master cylinder comes off the clutch pedal sounds like your problem.
There is a clip to hold it on but once it comes off once it wont stay on.
We drill a small hole in the pin on the pedal and put a split pin through it never have a problem again.

jimmyw

Oh yeah, we have replaced the master in about three of them since the car was bought about 7 years ago.What actually happens is that the pivot nut on the pedal loosens over time, and this throws off the silly plastic rod that operates it and it puts strain on it and it snaps, or just comes off.

It happened one day while it was raining, and I had to fiddle up under the dash to try to put back the bolt which was a bloody fiddle and a half. Luckily I managed it without anything breaking. I give the nut and bolt a slight squeeze now every so often.