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What a nightmare!

Set of on Friday afternoon from Bradford heading for Settle (For anyone who knows the area, I decided not to go straight on Canal Road, as you have a sharp left turn at the Shipley T Junction, and then an uphill queue at the Junction pub lights - so I decided to turn left at the Kia garage & then right onto Manningham Lane)

Well what a mistake that was. I didn't realise how heavy the traffic would be at those lights, and ended up queuing for a good 5-10 minutes. 

Obviously I try to avoid holding the car/van on the clutch, but when you are moving forward slowly, as opposed to standing still 7 using the handbrake its really difficult.

ANYWAY....after a few minutes, I could tell that the clutch wasn't happy, as it didn't seem to stop revving even after I took my foot off it altogether - and as for the smell - wow!

The car was playing up so much I had to just pull over on Manningham Lane for a few minutes to wait for the rev counter to drop to normal.

When I press the clutch pedal, it feels "spongy" (only word I can think of!), and when I'm driving without the van on, it feels as though I'm driving with the clutch pressed in a little, which obviously I'm not.

Has anyone had any experience like this, or any clever mechanics got any ideas?

We've been toying with the idea of a 4x4 for a few weeks, but trying to avoid the expense! I've always felt that the Mondeo is a great towing car on the flat/slight hills, but on anything a bit steeper that that it seems to struggle - and as for hill starts - well, here's the evidence!

For the record, the car is a 2005 Mondeo Estate 2.0 16v Ghia, and the van is a 2007 Sprite Major 5 - according to whattowcar.com the cars kerbweight is 1540kg, and the caravans MIRO is 1100kg and MTPLM is 1338kg.

Thanks in advance!

Sound Like new clutch is required, what model year is it? Gary it is not just Ford car that is affected by the Dual mass flywheel. I just have a new clutch fiited on my car it has only done 75000 miles.

Have a look here: http://www.fordmondeo.org/index.php?

Hi,

I had exactly the same thing happen to us on our Audi. I was towing our caravan to the dealer for its first service and ended up stop start on a steep hill as someone had broken down at the top. Just made it but the clutch was spongy and there was quite a smell.

A few miles later. we had to pull over as clutch was slipping like crazy. Started off again after around 20 mins and all was well although the smell took a couple of days to disappear.

I'm not sure you need a new clutch though. This happened to us last year and we have towed the caravan several times since including some steep hills and have had no problems.

Good luck and hope this helps

Steve

Little update for you all - driving home this afternoon, and the clutch gave in. I did manage to change gear, but only by standing on the clutch pedal with 2 feet & all my body weight behind it!

Hopeing it can be a cheap repair, just until I part ex it!

I cannot understand why the engine was revving away of its own accord - that's nothing to do with the clutch.

The fact that you had to really stand on the clutch pedal to get it to disengage means there's something else is going on too.  If the clutch plate is worn out it shouldn't take extra pressure to operate it - it'll just slip.  I reckon there might also be a linkage/operating system problem.

Quote: Originally posted by daviddaw on 23/6/2008

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I cannot understand why the engine was revving away of its own accord - that's nothing to do with the clutch.

 

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Quote: Originally posted by daviddaw on 23/6/2008

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I cannot understand why the engine was revving away of its own accord - that's nothing to do with the clutch.

 

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Quote: Originally posted by daviddaw on 23/6/2008

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I cannot understand why the engine was revving away of its own accord - that's nothing to do with the clutch.

 

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Quote: Originally posted by bigsteve on 23/6/2008

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Little update for you all - driving home this afternoon, and the clutch gave in. I did manage to change gear, but only by standing on the clutch pedal with 2 feet & all my body weight behind it!

Hopeing it can be a cheap repair, just until I part ex it!

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It won't be cheap your are talking around £700 ~ £1000 denpending where you get done. this was the price of genuin ford part

Flywheel assembly £ 236.07

Kit-clutch  £ 146.71

Oil/bolt etc £42.28

+ Labour and vat