When I went to drive the car to work this morning, I nearly launched the car into the wall because my clutch pedal was performing so differently.

Baiscally, the pedal all of a sudden has no effect until you depress it more than 2/3's of the way.

So, when shifting I push the pedal all the way down, put it in gear, and now , when releasing the pedal, the gear is fully engaged when the pedal is let out about a 1/3 of the way.

Since I was expecting it to engage much later than it did, it was almost like I was trying to launch the car at every light . Needless to say, it was a rough ride into work. Feels like it's my first time driving this car (or as if it's a new clutch....thats how easy the pedal goes in).

Any idea what is going on? I didn't really get a chance to look into it cause I had to run to a meeting.

 

Check the hydraulics for the clutch? Could be a part of the problem. Just an idea.

 

Thanks dig, I'll read up on that, it's def a possiblity.

bump....

 

Well check the fluid and the slave cylindar. Also mine engages really low, that is not bad but if it is suddenly differnt something must have changed. Not to sure though, but check your fluid.

 

So the 'release point' as it were is closer to the floor than normal?

Has the freeplay in the pedal changed at all? It didn't sound like it in your description, but....worth a shot.

How many miles on the clutch? Just curious - I don't think it's going out because it seems to be doing the opposite of what clutches that are wearing out do.

If it continues or continues changing a slight bit frequently, you might look into bleeding the hydraulics with some new fluid.

 

Thanks guys.

The clutch is fairly new, without looking it up I would say 15k miles.

The only difference in pedal "feel" is that for that first 2/3's the pedal drops down very easily....almost like when the clutch was brand new.

blizz, nice Mazda 3 btw, my gf got one not too long ago and I love it

 

Yup, you prolly let your resorvoir run low.....happened to me a few times cuz i got a tiny leak in the hose

 

Reservoir level is normal...first thing I checked because I once had that happen to me in my old Toyota

 

sounds like you slave cylinder is going out....I was having the same feeling with mine (mine was leaking fluid though). When visually checking my fluid levels everything looked fine until I took the top off and there was none in there....there was a mark from where fluid sat for so long I thought that that was the fluid level. Anyway I replaced the slave cylinder the other day and everything feels fine now. If you Dot 3 ever goes down in the slave cylinder resivor (sp?) then you have a leak because the fluid will not evaporate.

 

Good point about it maybe appearing full, but possibly not actually being full (due to the left over residue).....I'll pop the top off later today and make sure.

It was actually worse this morning...at certin points on the highway I had to double-clutch just to get it into the next gear...