I bought a new Hyundai Tiburon 07 last year and during the first month I had a problem with a clutch, the pedal got stuck at the bottom and the gears would not move. After I pulled the clutch pedal out physically I was able to drive. The problem has not happened and again and, of course, Hyundai technicians were not able to reproduce the problem.
This made me research clutch issues and to my surprise several generations of Tiburons have had many problems with their clutches (Edmunds forum), in particular flywheels that need replacement far too early.
Could somebody tell me what is the normal life expectancy clutches and their various parts if you are a driver who does not abuse the clutch?
I have a stick shift Jaguar that averages around 60 / 70,000 miles on a clutch…but it does get brutalized sometimes.
I’m a Brit, most Euro boxes are stick shift, I’ve averaged 80 / 90,000 miles on most clutches but didn’t generally drive in heavy stop / go traffic.
I got 240,000 miles out of the clutch on a 87 Camry I used to own.
Tester
My 98 Civic still has the original clutch at 177,000 miles. It is showing signs of wear but it doesn’t need replaced yet.
I have been driving the same car for 11 years with the same clutch. My previous car went through three clutches, but only because two different people drove my car, neither of whom knew how to drive a stick.
My 1992 Honda Accord has 231,000 miles on the original clutch. No signs of wear. I bught the car new and have been the only driver.
It depends on the first gear ratio and to some degree, the axle ratio. If you notice that you have to be on the clutch for a long time to get the car moving, the clutch won’t last long. For your type of problem, the pedal linkage overcammed a bit. If you could put a block under the pedal, you may be able to stop it from happening again because you know it is likely to happen again.
I have had a number of cars and usually over 100,000 miles on each and with two exceptions (one I bought used and one I damaged the clutch)I have never replaced a clutch.It really depends on the vehicle. Usually a small light car if driven properly the clutch should last 150k miles…On mid-size trucks…maybe 100…if you tow or haul a lot…then less.
The clutch on my 1988 Chevy Beretta wore out at 67k, but I was pretty brutal with it.
Ed B.
It sounds more like the throw out bearing in sticking or a problem with the fluid pressue in line. see if it needs air taken out of line.
to keep the clutch longer let the pedal out in nuteral and red lights when you have to set for a few minutes. this keeps the place from and bearing from spinning freely there is a little pressure against the places even with the pedal all the way to the floor. if you live in city with steep hills. put on the emg brake and as soo as you feel the clutch engage let the emg brake go. this will help keep the clutch from burning up the car does not start backwards causing the clutch from a hard pull forward. remember not to go from 5th gear to first gear just to keep away from shifting down from third and second. each gear has a speed rating. use out the gears. it will help save your brakes and keep you ripping out first gear. or ujoints. good shifting. please do not let any one drive your car unless you know they how they drive a stick.
it only takes 10 minutes for some one to burn the plates. my brother and I both drive sticks he has 1995 geo same clutch . on PA town and county roads with high hills.
Thanks for the suggestions, however I was told by the Hyundai technicians it was a close system and there was no need to have air taken out. Your advice in regards how to drive a manual is good, that is the way I have driven all my life, I am from Europe and only drive namual cars. Nobody else drives my car other than my husband who also drives only manual.
It seems from the other responses than generally clutches last a good while, minimum 70k. However the Hyundai Tiburons of latest generation have a lot of issues, anybody knows about life expectancy clutches for Hyundai’s? (specially Tiburons)
This sounds like a problem with either the hydraulics or the release bearing (throwout bearing), or possibly the pressure plate assembly itself. I don’t think this is a “clutch life” problem.
I got 295,000 miles out of my Toyota pickup clutch, and I taught two kids how to drive on it. Actually, it was my daughter’s daily driver by the time the clutch started to slip. While 295K is certainly an accomplishment, when the clutch did wear out I wondered if it could have gone longer. Perhaps.