Clutch sticking half way to floor
 

Parked normal in garage last night... this morning, lurching around as I try to pull out, clutch feels a bit different. I realize it's half almost all the way down but still engages enough to change gears just at a different point with very little play. Cruise control won't engage on way to work, either... if I pull up with the toe of my shoe, it pops all the way up.

Only have about 1900 miles (in a little over a month :eek: ) as DD. Couldn't be CSC I read about already, could it? Was in the break-in until not too long ago and haven't done any launches or anything like that (redlined 1-3rd and as far as I could go in 4th without earning a wreckless driving ticket)....

I keep finding the blue sticky/protective tape in nooks on the pedals and door panels, etc but don't think it's that... Guess I'll take it to the local dealer around lunch...

Wow, no fluid visible in reservoir at all. Guess I found a problem... or a symptom of the problem... I did pump the clutch a couple times while off to see if it would do it off and it did.

Seems that your CSC is about to give out. Take it to the dealer ASAP

yah, that or master cylinder or both...

If the CSC is replaced, make sure they replace the master also!

well I'm in a quandary. I work about 5 miles from a dealership but there's another one closer to home (about 20 miles from work). Think I can make it home or should I play it safe and try to make the local one?

Or buy some fluid and put it in there first?

call dealer maybe they will want it towed. That sucks new car 3 day weekend I would be pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess that's silly to try and drive it. Still have a few hours at work and will try the roadside service. Only a month old. Wasn't that mad since feces happens but yeah that sucks.

yeah have Nissan cover everything since its new. Make sure they replace both the CSC and CMC or else the other will go out later. Nissan needs to know about how sucky these MC's are.

Also you make sure to use DOT 4 fluid.

Well yeah not going anywhere so that's moot. Won't go into any gear. Won't pop back. Guess I'm lucky I got to work.

:iagree::iagree:

Definately CSC
Zspeed makes a much more durable (not plastic) replacement. If your dealer will replace with a non OEM part (ie do the labor under warrenty) I would order one and see if they might install. (put in braided clutch line while your at it)

The Zspeed CSC hasent seen any failures that I know of on this forum, every OEM csc eventually seems to fail. (at least it is very common to see here)

also...:iagree:

It has seen a few. But only when paired with a Spec clutch as far as I can tell.

One HD CSC failure right here.

Yep, my Spec clutch killed my HD CSC.

I did find a smallish puddle in my garage right about where the transmission is... Certainly not a gallon or super large quantity though. What's the capacity of the clutch reservoir?

Local dealer sent me to the local Enterprise who gave me a Kia Rio to drive. :mad: Salt in the wound...

let us know the outcome. I don't understand how this happens on a new car that has been in production for years. Mac

If they replace one have them replace the other (i replaced both at different times) since its new i would argue to cover under warranty, i boight mine used and mine is also dd so unfortunately i couldnt afford to argue it. When they replace it they use gtr fluid. I also had mine go out a third time recently, they had to call the techline and ended up replacing the clutchline free of charge. Ive never heard of that and dont know how common it is but just thought id throw a heads up. Good luck man!!

very little, like less than half a 12oz bottle of brake fluid.

:iagree:

I can flush with ~1/2 bottle of Motul (500 mL) easy.

Nissan should be ashamed of themselves. Known problem for years and it is still happening on the newer models? Wow...

:iagree:

Everyone who has had this problem should file a complaint with the Nhtsa
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/Vehicl...nt/index.xhtml. Mac

Link looks like it's broken.

Complained to corporate. Got a case number and nothing else over the weekend. Got a message they're "replacing my clutch hydraulics" this morning. Looks like it will be fixed today instead of originally scheduled tomorrow. No real beef against the dealer (other than sending me to Enterprise instead of using a car on the lot, maybe) since they didn't engineer the crappy CSC.... but imagine they leaned on the techs to do it asap.

At this point, i just want to get rid of the bottom feeder Kia. Not expecting really any other satisfaction. What are they going to do? They've had years to fix the design..

:iagree: this started with the 350z/G35C's. so over a decade now of same bad design or manufacturing process..

Just called me and told me all done. Said they replaced the clutch assembly as well as master and slave cylinders since it's a new car and they found they were missing a few pieces and would have otherwise needed to order more parts. I'll pick her back up in about an hour after I turn in the Kia.

Invoice says

401 Misc Transmission

306A1-JK40D CYL ASSY - CONCENTRIC SLAVE
30205-JK40C COVER ASSY - CLUTCH, WITH DISC
306A2-JK40A TUBE - CONCENTRIC SLAVE
KN9U0-40001 GTR R35 SPECIAL BRAKE FLUID

2051 REPLACED LEAKY THROW OUT BEARING/SLAVE CYLINDER AND FEED LINE.
ALSO REPLACED CONTAMINATED CLUTCH PARTS

unless the MC is in the clutch assy, guessing he lied about replacing it.

Clutch seems fine now. No mileage, so doesn't appear they test drove.

Mind sharing which dealer did your work?

It's been recommended many times that one should also replace the master clyinder at the same time. If they didn't replace the mc, you can pretty much count on it to happen again.

Empire Nissan in Ontario, Ca. Almost hope it does. Lemon law...

I'm the next victim to clutch failure! Clutch pedal sank halfway to floor . I wasn't driving hard. Just making a 1 mile trip to my Post Office in a residential neighborhood. I made a easy start, went to shift into 2nd, then heard a "thump". BINGO - pedal sinks halfway to floor!

how many miles on car?

First thing, I'm not the original owner. I bought this 09' base 370z December 2014. It had 64500 miles roughly when bought. At time of clutch failure 65643 miles. I bought it from a dealership, and title search says it was traded in by original owner. I use the car for weekend drives only, weather permitting. CSC was documented as being replaced prior to me taking ownership. I wasn't rough on car, in fact just wanted to drive 5 city blocks to local Post Office when it failed while shifting from 1st to 2nd.
Tried all day to bleed & exchange fluid. Finally found a leak at seal where CMC mounts to firewall. I don't know why it suddenly failed. Tomorrow will attempt to tighten CMC, but I must mention that when I first bleed hydraulic system:icon14:, nasty black as coal fluid with sediment came out! Possibly a sediment blockage within caused failure. I'll update my findings.. Oh, pedal to the floor now CMC is toast I expect. :icon14:

almost the same here, 2009 just turned 50.000 miles, and is stock I think and zspeed is backorder on the csc. temp was 89 degree's was driving
25 miles mostly spirited some redlights my clutch pedel did not come up all the way, half way up used my toe to bring the pedel back up ..this is the 2nd time it has done it almost the same place where i was driving... no fluid loss no clutch slip. I can drive to Georgia and back no issues 200 miles, I drove to Nashville 250 miles no issues...
I think the fluid gets too hot in stop n go traffic and spirited driving...I guess I will try the fluid flush first..as the dealer cannot tell whats wrong if it doesent have the pedel issue

should I use the grt fluid or buy some motul rbf 600.......

what do you think of the fluid cooking / getting to hot

sorry to jack your post , but didn't want to start a new thread sence yours is most current

does that mean you got air in the system?

I really don't know if air is in the system , it drives fine now,
might have been at the time the heat soaked clutch fluid line maybe
VAPOR LOCK
but I have not pushed it either like getting on it

I just had this happen to me as well.. Got my 2011 used with 30k miles from a Nissan dealership (clutch fluid was full and clean when I got the car) and then the fluid completely drain at 32-33k miles. The clutch went to the floor and reservoir was empty, I refilled it and drove it home.

I took it to Cerritos Nissan at first and they couldn't find any leak so they said it was not an issue with the CSC or MC, then they said there's a TSB stating to flush and refill with GTR brake fluid and they wanted $320 to do that...
So of course I said no cause that's ridiculous especially at that price. I waited until I could make the ~4 hour drive to the dealership that I got the car from and they said the same thing but offered to do the GTR brake fluid flush for significantly less.. but also said no warranty work could be done.
So for now I'm just keeping an eye on it, but at least I have record of a Nissan dealership performing the work just in case it happens again.

I talked to a gtr tech@ local nissan today , he said most likely the clutch master cyl.
that the piston/ valve in the mc was not opening all the way ,
to enable enough pressure to get pedel to come all the way up... if so it would be cheaper
to just put a mc on and add the motul rbf 600 I bought today.. in stead of just flush
the fluch would be $100.00 -- the mc is 138.00 plus labor $150.00 including a bleed and
my motul ....my car only does it when it is really hot and spirited driving....

or I could just wait and drive it normal and see what happin's

I'm not sure I entirely agree with this. I don't see how the MC can influence SC failure.

The reason for replacing the MC is because of difficulty in bleeding the system when replacing the CSC. This becomes an issue on higher mileage cars, not brand new cars. For lack of a better term, an "aged" MC has more wear inside and may leak (to some extent) internally. As a result, it's difficult and/or impossible to get air out of the system.

On a car with 1900 miles (OP), this should not be an issue. After the car is aged - 50, 60, 70K miles, and clutch/csc replacement is necessary, then absolutely, replace the MC too.

My recommendation, change the fluid in the reservoir once a year. Use some kind of suction device to suck out most (not all) of the fluid from the reservoir. Replenish. Drive the car a few days then repeat. Do this 2 or 3 times to renew the fluid. Every 2 years do a thorough flush. Doing this removes contaminants from the clutch line and should prolong life of the entire system.

Edit: I should add, failure of a CSC on a brand new car is very discerning. Doesn't inspire lots of confidence in the build quality. Usually they fail later, 40-60K miles.

CSCs from Nissan/infinity fail between 500 miles and +100k. Bad plastic design. Check the CSC failures thread.