A year and a half ago on our manual 2001 Nissan Maxima, we started having a problem when there was little/no resistance when depressing the clutch. The clutch would stay to the floor for a few seconds before it felt like the resistance return and it sprung back to the resting position. During this time, we could not shift.
A mechanic discovered a hydraulic hose was leaking and we had it replaced. The problem persisted however and the mechanic bled the system twice to flush out any air bubbles.
After the temperature was cooler, the problem subsided but returned worse than before the next summer (in Phoenix, AZ). We took the car to the dealership this time and they told us it was a bad clutch. After this costly repair, the problem was fixed for 2-3 days but returned, albeit less severe. The dealership checked the car again but said they couldn’t reproduce the problem.
Now that we’re entering another summer, the problem frequently appears when the car is hot (while driving), or in the morning when the car is first started. After a few minutes, the clutch pops back up and works normally for a while. Also, the friction point of the clutch seems to variate between high and low points.
Did we buy a new clutch when it was unnecessary? What could be causing the the clutch to stay to the floor? It seems like a hydraulic problem, but we can’t seem to get a mechanic to find and fix the problem.
Thanks in advance!
The problem sounds like a defective clutch master or slave cylinder. JMHO, but they should always be replaced together as one always seems to follow the other when only one unit is replaced.
As to whether you needed a clutch assembly, that is debateable.
A lack of tension in the pedal usually points to a master/slave cylinder problem though.
We’ll try that. Thank you!