Car sometimes feels like it's losing traction on the road, and will not accelerate

Basq

Am leaving my car into the dealers tomorrow to get a couple of things sorted as my car is still under warranty. There's a couple of things outstanding since I bought it and 2 failed NCT's for emissions. So I'm giving it to them and they're giving me a loaner, and not getting it back til they're sorted.

And this is a tough one to explain..

One thing I've noticed in the last fortnight or so is quite often, the car feels as if it's losing traction. When I'm in 3rd / 4th gear and I accelerate sharply.. it almost feels like the car is rocking slightly forward and back struggly, the wheels (though tyres are new) don't feel like they've good traction on the road. And one thing I noticed is that when it happened today, I was driving about 60km/h and I put the accelerator to the ground and it wouldn't go over 60km/h. Just stuck at that.

It doesn't happen the whole time.. maybe 2 - 3 times a week but awkward when I'm trying to accelerate to join a motorway and it happens.

Anyone any thoughts on what it might be?

pappyodaniel

Your clutch is on the way out.

Basq

D'ya think? Doesn't feel like it tbh. Would have expected the clutch to feel slightly "spongy".

Would probably like to get that done before my service agreement is up so.

pappyodaniel

Something similar happened my last car (Avensis), around 4th and 5th gear, when pressing down hard on the accelerator, the revs would shoot up but little or no acceleration would take place and a second or 2 later the revs would drop back down to the speed equivalent.

Basq

Would it slightly rock back and forth in the road, and feel like the car has lost traction though? The lack of acceleration is one thing but the rocking and sensation of lost traction could point at something else though.

pappyodaniel

Ya that too. Felt like I was driving over rumblestrips for a second. I got my mechanic friend to take her for a spin and he told me it was the clutch. I'm no mechanic so don't take my word for it. :cool:

Basq

Ta pappy.

Will make a note of that for the dealers so.

Testament1

If you floor it and the revs go up but the car doesnt accelerate then it means your clutch is slipping and needs to be replaced.

vectra

Clutch waving bye-bye;)

Matt Simis

Basq wrote: »

D'ya think? Doesn't feel like it tbh. Would have expected the clutch to feel slightly "spongy".

Clutches are self adjusting these days, so the pedal feel doesnt dramatically change as you would expect. It does change, but your driving style would be subconsciously changing to compensate too.

CiniO

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Something similar happened my last car (Avensis), around 4th and 5th gear, when pressing down hard on the accelerator, the revs would shoot up but little or no acceleration would take place and a second or 2 later the revs would drop back down to the speed equivalent.

That's typical example of slipping clutch.
It needs to be changed as it will get worse every day.

CiniO

Basq wrote: »

Would it slightly rock back and forth in the road, and feel like the car has lost traction though? The lack of acceleration is one thing but the rocking and sensation of lost traction could point at something else though.

1. What do you mean by saying that car loses traction?

2. Do you have the same effect as pappyodaniel described?
That when you accelerate your engine revs go up, but speed stays the same?

GERMAN ROCKS

either clutch.or could be an air mass meter if its down on power

davoxx

clutch i'd say ... what mileage is on it?

Basq

CiniO wrote: »

1. What do you mean by saying that car loses traction?

More the wheels feel like they're losing traction on the road, and it gets that rocking back and forth sensation.

CiniO wrote: »

2. Do you have the same effect as pappyodaniel described?
That when you accelerate your engine revs go up, but speed stays the same?

I'll have to check the rev's tomorrow.. never actually noticed the rev's - just the speed.

davoxx wrote: »

clutch i'd say ... what mileage is on it?

Just under 100,000km / 62,000m.

Nissan doctor

Almost definatly the clutch slipping. There is no mechanical defect that can cause the front wheels to loose traction when accelerating.

The feeling you have would be of the clutch gaining and loosing grip on the flywheel/pressure plate.

Basq

That's sounds exactly like it alright Nissan doctor.

pappyodaniel

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Almost definatly the clutch slipping. There is no mechanical defect that can cause the front wheels to loose traction when accelerating.

The feeling you have would be of the clutch gaining and loosing grip on the flywheel/pressure plate.

^^^
What he said.

Basq

Just an update on this. Car finally went into the garage last Tuesday.

There was a couple of issues with the car that I wanted fixed:

- seal on back window is dodgy
- both electric wing mirrors are not working (they replaced the motor.. they think it's a module)
- emissions too high (failed NCT twice, worse even after a cat replacement)
- engine not holding it's rev's
- and the problem described in the OP

With regards to the situation in the OP though, revs weren't increasing either so i'm not sure if it is the clutch.

I said I didn't want the car back til all those issues were sorted, and they'd to run it through the NCT too. Have a loaner car from them so I'm not bothered.

Tried to ring them on Friday but was busy til after 5 and there was no answer then.

R.O.R

What car is it?

Possibly coils if it's petrol?

Basq

R.O.R wrote: »

What car is it?

2003 1.2L VW Polo.

R.O.R wrote: »

Possibly coils if it's petrol?

Father thought it was possibly "kangaroo petrol", but I doubt it.