Car Clutch Plate Usage Life with Problems and Replacement Costs in India

Car Clutch Disc Plate Usage Life in India. Replacement Costs of Clutch Disc, Pressure Plate, Flywheel with Prices along with Best Way for 1 Lakh Kms

Car Clutch System

Although the world shifting towards Automatic Cars - but Indian Car Market with a size of close to 3 crore Passenger Cars - still accounts for over 90% of them in Manual Transmission, and Clutch related issues are faced by one or more of them during the course of vehicle ownership.

How Important is Clutch

When a Driver presses clutch The Engine Speed is disengaged with the Wheel of Car. What it implies - if you press clutch and simultaneously keep pressing acclerator - even though Car Engine Speed will increase but will not transmit Power to the Wheels of the Car. 

So to transmit Engine Power to the Wheels is what Clutch used and Gears are Changed using Clutch.

So in layman terms can say that a Clutch is essentially used to control vehicle speed and perform gear Shift Movement. In Case - Clutch Pedal is pressed Partially - then only a small amount of Power is sent from Engine to Wheels

Car Clutch Problems

Some Common Clutch Problem Symptoms

• Clutch Slippage : Probably most common, it effectively means that you will start observing drop in acceleration pickup as if will feel like driving Car on low speed on high Gear. with slight loss of Power to Wheels on low speed too. Ride will turn out to be Jittery with or without RPM Fluctuation

• Clutch Play: If the Clutch becomes too light - wherein a slight pressure lets on press Clutch move more than 1/2 Inch (there's a free play upto 1/2 Inch in Clutch Pedal) - it implies that Flywheel and Disc are not getting Separated completely on pressing Clutch. Will feel kind of sponginess in Clutch

• Clutch Pedal Turns Harder: The Clutch may turn out to be harder due to Worn out Seals or Blockage in Car Hydraulic System which will effectively damage the bearings on making too much attempt to press clutch or Clutch Pedal Sticks to Floor or Worse find a Burning Smell more than often.

• Gears not Changed Effectively on Pressing Clutch : Sometimes you will press the Clutch Completely and Often find issue in Changing Gears. In that Case - there could be Problem as simple as Air in Hydraulic Lines or Worn out Bushes to Clutch Assembly needs complete replacement

• Car Suddenly Stops and Not Moving at all Despite Changing Gear: It essentially is the final step where means your Car Clutch Plate, Pressure Plate needs immediate replacement. You need to tow Car to Workshop and in some cases even expensive Flywheel may also needs replacement. 

 all Indicates an issue with Clutch Mechanism and needs immediate check at Service Center. If you find that your Car not moving at all even after changing gears - it indicates that car clutch system is failed and needs to be towed for clutch kit assembly replacement.

Been Clutch is considered Wear and Tear Item. There's no definite life of Clutch Plate. Some People have observed Worn out Clutch Plate in even 10000 Kms and some are having no issues even after driving more than 1 Lakh Kms without any need to replace Clutch.

Clutch Disc & Pressure Plates Life is based on Driving Style and is not considered under replacement Warranty - even if replaced within 1st Year of Purchase due to Worn out Disc.

How to Extend Life of Clutch

If you want to extend life of Clutch - you need to follow the Basics. Some way which can extend Life of Clutch by avoiding Unnecessary Wear & Tear of Clutch

• Never Ever Drive Car with Handbrake Up. It Leads to much faster Wear & Tear of Clutch. Its also possible that in a brand new car - you may completely worn your Clutch Disc in even few kms - if driven with Handbrake up.

• Pressing Clutch along with Pressing Accelerator - Riding Your Clutch is not good for life of Clutch Plate. It will lead to Much Faster Wear & Tear and may end up Clutch Plate even before you finish off 5000 Kms

• Do not use Clutch Pedal as Footrest. If you are among one of those who always keep Left Foot on Clutch Pedal while on the move or even Partially while Driving - you are allowing much your Clutch Plate to Burn in for much quicker Wear & Tear

• Depress the Clutch Fully while Changing Gears. Always Start Car on 1st Gear. Pressing Clutch and Starting Car on 2nd Gear leads again to Quicker Wear of Clutch System. Even, Pressing Clutch Partially most of the times wont do any good.

Follow the Basics - and may end up with even Niggle Free Clutch till 1 Lakh Kms too

Car Clutch Overhaul Costing

In terms of Clutch Overhaul Costing - Indicative Cost as what charged at most of the Company Outlets

A) Part - 1 (Clutch Disc Plate, Pressure Plate and Clutch Release Bearings along with Fluid Replacement ) - combined is in range

• Petrol Hatchback Cars - Rs 6000 to 8000 
• Mid Sedan / SUV Cars in Petrol - 7000 to 10,000 (Mid Sedan)
• Diesel Hatchback Cars - Rs 7500 to 12,000 
• Mid Sedan / SUV Cars in Diesel - Rs 12000 to 20,000

Additional: Would be Labor Charge in range of Rs 2500 to 4000

B) Flywheel as another part which generally is not required for replacement in most of cases if Clutch fails too early. Its important to note that Flywheel is a significant costing part as it connects to Engine and its to be examined separately basis its condition - whether to call for replacement or not, while Clutch Disc Plate connects to Transmission System.

Flywheel, 2nd Part if also required to be replaced alone costs in

• Petrol Hatchback Cars - Rs 5000 to 8000 
• Mid Sedan / SUV Cars in Petrol - 7000 to 13,000 (Mid Sedan)
• Diesel Cars - Rs 10,000 to 20,0000