Clutch disk failure {non porsche content}, ever seen one do this ? Options

[gandalf_025]

Clutch is out of a 2009 Civic SI with 89,000 miles.
Nieces car, she took it to the Dealer because clutch sometimes wouldn't disengage completely. They took it apart and found the disk broken.. A piece of the metal that holds the spring in place broke loose.. Clutch never slipped.. Just intermittently didn't disengage completely.
Usual Dealership and Warranty Company issues now.. They say it is a wear item.

Anyone ever see a clutch disk come apart like this ???
I have an appointment with the Regional Honda Warranty Rep next week to show it to him.
Any idea's?

[SirAndy]

Clutch is out of a 2009 Civic SI with 89,000 miles.... They say it is a wear item....

I would tend to agree with them ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[edwin]

I replaced the clutch in my daily drive (Saab 900) and it looked similar. One of the springs fell out. Pretty common I'm told. Fast and hard changes are a big contributor

[ThePaintedMan]

I replaced the clutch in my daily drive (Saab 900) and it looked similar. One of the springs fell out. Pretty common I'm told. Fast and hard changes are a big contributor

Sounds like a good possibility. Maybe she was doing a lot of one-wheel-peels? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif)

[messix]

with that much material let on the clutch disk and it doesn't look to be abused I would push hard on product defect, it clearly hasn't "worn" out!

[gandalf_025]

Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing.. The entire assembly came out looking like new.
Even the Service Manager said he wouldn't have believed it came out of a car with that many miles if he didn't see it himself. Car has a lot of highway miles.
I looked on line and found a couple of Acura forums that show the exact same thing.
If the disk was worn out and slipping, I'd say worn out, case closed. But the disk looks good enough I'd have put back in if the metal hadn't broken.
I'll see next week when I show it to the Warranty Rep

[VaccaRabite]

Is it the original clutch?
89K miles is a lot, and the clutch is a wear item. Why would you fight this?
If it was new and failed, I'd see your point. But it sounds like the clutch is as old as the car.

[MrHyde]

I'd have to agree here.. looks like a few too many clutch dumps. IMHO ...
been there done that...

[gandalf_025]

Clutch is original to the car. Miles are mostly highway.. 100 miles a day.
Owner is a 32 year old woman.. She has only owned standard shift cars and has never had a clutch failure before. Disk shows no appreciable wear. If the lining was worn out, OK, wear and tear. If the springs were broken or weakened, OK, wear and tear.
If the pressure plate was worn out, OK .. But not the case.

The metal surrounding this 1 spring broke off. The other 3 are perfect. Absolutely no damage on the flywheel or pressure plate.
Why would I peruse this ? So far, 1800.00 bill to replace clutch on a 4 year old car. That's why.
No abuse, no dumping clutch.. Metal part of disk cracked and broke, no other signs of wear or damage on 3 other identical places.
I want the Honda Rep to show me how it is worn out and didn't fail. that's all

[jd74914]

For someone who knows how to drive, 89k miles really isn't that many on a clutch. We haven;t changed any clutches at my house with less than 160k miles.

As you know the wear part is the clutch surface, not the spring casing. It definitely looks like a defect to me, though at 89k I can see why they don't want to replace it. Does your warrantee extend to 100k?

[gandalf_025]

Last car she owned went 180,000 miles on original clutch and when removed at 180
the pressure plate springs were the problem. The disk itself looked good enough that the mechanic that took it out was shocked.
There is an extended warranty on the car to 100,000 miles, but that warranty is owned by the Dealer, not Honda. I'll start with Honda since they are supposed to
have Great Customer Service.. and then go for the Dealer if necessary.. They aren't known for having any customer service.
I'll just have to wait to talk to the Rep next week.

[Dave_Darling]

1990 CRX, the clutch disk had a spring that came out. Happened before I bought the car in 1993 with 30K miles on it. Made a metallic squeaking/rubbing noise when I let the clutch out, and the engagement point was not completely consistent.

Drove on it for a long time, as it got slowly worse. Finally had the clutch replaced, and found that the spring had come out. There were tabs on each side of the are where the springs lived, one tab on the hole with the detached spring was folded back. Weird stuff.

--DD

[914_teener]

The bent tab is suspect.

Could be the tooling or metal defect after the part is formed on the die.

Small cracks and with the vibration of the clutch.....poof.

IMO.....defective clutch disk.

[warpig]

No more drift racing for you little girl!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

[ThePaintedMan]

Drifting isn't racing! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

But I agree. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

All in all, you're right... probably just a defect. It happens I guess.

[charliew]

I also think it is a fracture that broke after it fatigued from the spring pushing on it. There is a difference in wear and broken metal parts. So what 90k, the metal should outlast the clutch linings. Also make sure if you do pay anything that you got all the parts that should go in when you replace the clutch like the throwout bearing and refaced flywheel and new pressure plate. Actually if they would warranty just the clutch disk if the pressure plate and flywheel look good just tell them you want a new clutch disk. And no charge.

[carr914]

My last Civic had the Original Clutch when I sold it @ 350,000 Miles. And I drive hard, but I do know how to Double Clutch & Shift properly - no Burn-outs! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Katmanken]

Good luck with that. From my personal experience Honda will never admit to any one of their fairly common defects, nor will they repair your car when they have a recall. That is why I will never own another.

I'm willing to bet that others have had the same problem, but they usually say "its just a fluke".

[Drums66]

Is it the original clutch?
89K miles is a lot, and the clutch is a wear item. Why would you fight this?
If it was new and failed, I'd see your point. But it sounds like the clutch is as old as the car.

.....ECHO!
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)