Clutch Slipping at 14k Miles

[Ryan94]

Title sums it up! Emira is in for its 2nd year service, and i'd put a note regarding issues with 1st/2nd gear (lock out adjustment didnt work) and another gearing issue - dash would register the wrong gear i.e. went from 5th to 4th, yet the dash displayed 1st gear, hit redline and then went up to 4th gear over the next second or two (to clarify i was 100% in 4th, and didnt move the gear while the dash adjsuted the gears shown) This has happened 4/5times!

Dealer is saying the clutch is very heavy and bite extrememly high, and that the data has been sent over to Lotus HQ for review. Any thoughts onto whats happening to it? Isnt tracked, and gets the odd spirited driving day.

Cheers,

 

[MiamiBlue]

Your symptoms are not of a slipping clutch. Is it slipping in gear in addition to the issues of it showing the incorrect gear and lockout issues?

Definitely sounds like a fault rather than a wear issue. Warranty should cover it. The car is designed to be driven hard and tracked. So even if you had (and many of us do) shouldn't cause this fault.

 

[geoffbland]

dash would register the wrong gear i.e. went from 5th to 4th, yet the dash displayed 1st gear, hit redline and then went up to 4th gear over the next second or two (to clarify i was 100% in 4th, and didnt move the gear while the dash adjsuted the gears shown) This has happened 4/5times!

I can see that there may be a fault with the sensors that detect what gear you are in - so incorrectly showing 1st gear when you had 4th selected. But then it is very weird that it then hit redline - if in 4th gear the revs should be low and should be sensed as such and shown on the dash as low. Unless there some weird software that some adjusts the display of revs for the gear selected - I would have though the rev count would come direct from the ECU? I would love to know what is causing these symptoms - it sounds very strange.
I agree with MiamaBlue - what you describe doesn't sound like anything to do with the clutch.

 

[Ryan94]

Your symptoms are not of a slipping clutch. Is it slipping in gear in addition to the issues of it showing the incorrect gear and lockout issues?

Definitely sounds like a fault rather than a wear issue. Warranty should cover it. The car is designed to be driven hard and tracked. So even if you had (and many of us do) shouldn't cause this fault.

I've not noticed it slipping, but i'd put a disclaimer in that im not experienced/knowledgable enough to know if it was or not

What i do know is that ive stalled the courtesy emira twice as the clutch/bite point was wildly different from what i was used too

I can see that there may be a fault with the sensors that detect what gear you are in - so incorrectly showing 1st gear when you had 4th selected. But then it is very weird that it then hit redline - if in 4th gear the revs should be low and should be sensed as such and shown on the dash as low. Unless there some weird software that some adjusts the display of revs for the gear selected - I would have though the rev count would come direct from the ECU? I would love to know what is causing these symptoms - it sounds very strange.
I agree with MiamaBlue - what you describe doesn't sound like anything to do with the clutch.

Maybe not, but the main dealer has definately flagged the clutch as being way too heavy, and the bite point extremely high

I reckon it incorrectly showing the gear is a seperate issue to the clutch, but the going off the feel from the 2025 Emira i have as a courtesy car, the clutch/throttle feel is vastly different when id assume they should be pretty similar

 

[geoffbland]

I reckon it incorrectly showing the gear is a seperate issue to the clutch, but the going off the feel from the 2025 Emira i have as a courtesy car, the clutch/throttle feel is vastly different when id assume they should be pretty similar

From the test drive V6, to a car I tried and to my car - yes, all very similar in my experience.

I've not noticed it slipping, but i'd put a disclaimer in that im not experienced/knowledgable enough to know if it was or not

I had my clutch go and start slipping a couple of times on my old Evo 7. You would probably notice it if the clutch really was going I would have thought - it's hard to miss.

It'll be interesting to find out what the dealer says is the problem here.

Also, which dealer do you have it in at?

 

[Kimmax]

there may be a fault with the sensors that detect what gear you are in

There is no sensor, just math. It calculates the gear by comparing speed and rpm.
However he says the rpm went to redline before showing the correct gear, so maybe bogus camshaft crankshaft sensor?

 

[Whitey]

To test for slipping clutch, drive the car in a high gear, ie 4th or above at fairly low revs, find an incline, and then press the throttle. The car should just accelerate normally, but if the clutch is slipping you will see and hear the revs rising, but the car won’t pick up any speed, or possibly accelerate much more slowly than it should.

 

[geoffbland]

There is no sensor, just math. It calculates the gear by comparing speed and rpm.
However he says the rpm went to redline before showing the correct gear, so maybe bogus camshaft crankshaft sensor?

That makes more sense - it explains why the dash does not show the gear until you are moving.
But there must be some kind of sensor that detects that you are in gear at least. You can coast with the clutch in and the gear shown, then take it out of gear and the dash changes to neutral at same speed and revs.

 

[Kimmax]

But there must be some kind of sensor that detects that you are in gear at least

Absolutely, theres is a neutral position switch in the transmission

 

[Briggo]

Just had my car back to Lotus (14k miles). Have had issues getting into 1st and reverse gears. The adjustments made have not really helped. Technician on test drive commented on clutch pick up point so they are recommending a new clutch be fitted! Awaiting Lotus warranty sign off for this and rubber isolation cups to try and solve suspension rattles.

 

[SimonT]

Just had my car back to Lotus (14k miles). Have had issues getting into 1st and reverse gears. The adjustments made have not really helped. Technician on test drive commented on clutch pick up point so they are recommending a new clutch be fitted! Awaiting Lotus warranty sign off for this and rubber isolation cups to try and solve suspension rattles.

£5k+ warranty work, see if they argue over you putting something towards the cost, hopefully not.

 

[Briggo]

£5k+ warranty work, see if they argue over you putting something towards the cost, hopefully not.

To be fair, Lotus have already replaced both doors under warranty due to blistering, and fully covered the costs of replacing PPF, polishing and ceramic coating with no cost to me. I suspect the cost of those items would be considerably more than a new clutch and rubber isolation cups (fingers crossed!!)

 

[Ryan94]

Finally have an update!

Turns out there was a small oil leak into the clutch causing contamination and slippage. Under warranty so hopefully get the car back very soon. Only been 3months!

 

[Kimmax]

Finally have an update!

Turns out there was a small oil leak into the clutch causing contamination and slippage. Under warranty so hopefully get the car back very soon. Only been 3months!

Uhh any specifics for us?
Where did the oil come from? Can it be checked easily? Clutch needs to come out for the fix?
Please help us out with as much information as possible as we can’t relay on Lotus sharing the info to the dealers network reliability :|

 

[Ryan94]

Uhh any specifics for us?
Where did the oil come from? Can it be checked easily? Clutch needs to come out for the fix?
Please help us out with as much information as possible as we can’t relay on Lotus sharing the info to the dealers network reliability :|

Don't know the full details just yet - i'll push to find out when i get it back.

They had to take the engine/gearbox/clutch out to investigate, with Lotus HQ requiring a lot of technical data and photos of the clutch before approving the repair. All i'm aware of atm is some sort of seal not being 100% and very slowly causing oil to get into contact with the clutch, and that while its a very odd issue, its not the 1st claim for it..

Originally tried to reject the claim due to the 3rd cat delete....

 

[SimonT]

Don't know the full details just yet - i'll push to find out when i get it back.

They had to take the engine/gearbox/clutch out to investigate, with Lotus HQ requiring a lot of technical data and photos of the clutch before approving the repair. All i'm aware of atm is some sort of seal not being 100% and very slowly causing oil to get into contact with the clutch, and that while its a very odd issue, its not the 1st claim for it..

Originally tried to reject the claim due to the 3rd cat delete....

Good to hear about the 3rd cat delete, pretty poor of Lotus trying to invoke that as a reason to not pay up.

 

[Beachbum]

Good to hear about the 3rd cat delete, pretty poor of Lotus trying to invoke that as a reason to not pay up.

I'm amazed anyone thought Lotus would NOT try to use a modification to get out of warranty work. The fact that the mod had zero relevance to the fault would be something they would make the customer prove.
Its why my car is staying unmodified until the warranty expires, I just cant be bothered with the associated agro. Then again, if I get a 3rd part warranty for year 4 onwards, it may never get modified

 

[SimonT]

I'm amazed anyone thought Lotus would NOT try to use a modification to get out of warranty work. The fact that the mod had zero relevance to the fault would be something they would make the customer prove.
Its why my car is staying unmodified until the warranty expires, I just cant be bothered with the associated agro. Then again, if I get a 3rd part warranty for year 4 onwards, it may never get modified

I'm sure the T&Cs I posted from the Oakmere provided warranty stated mods AFTER policy inception would need to be approved.

 

[Kimmax]

its not the 1st claim for it

I'm FURIOUS.
They told my mechanic "all fine, no known issues around the clutch" when they clearly have had repairs done in the past.
They are so cheap when it comes to warranty work it's bonkers. I spent countless days without my car, figuring out THEIR problems with my mechanic to get the car running again.
If this causes issues down the road for me - my warranty runs out December 27th - I'll let hell loose to proof it was a manufacturing defect from day one. I'm well over insured for legal protection. I already caught them off guard once when they failed to properly follow up on the windshield wiper issue and I set out regulatory authority on them.
They can't keep coming through with this