Burnt clutch at 11000 miles

[VersaBurntclutch]

My one year old Versa has a burnt clutch at 11000 miles. Nissan has not been willing to back up their car and insists this is a wear item (at 11000 miles!!!). I have been driving standard transmissions for 40+ years and NEVER have had to replace a clutch and i have driven most of my cars over those years for 60 to 80 thousand miles. Has anyone else heard of such problems?

[boxcarbill]

I have 11k miles as well but I drive like an old lady.Got oversize (diameter) tires on too. The 6 speed transmission is really screwed up when it comes to ratios.I have to clutch too much in first gear and think I'll be lucky to get to 100k without a clutch replacement.What are they gonna charge you for a new clutch?

[VersaBurntclutch]

Believe it or not, they got $2700. According to service people the flywheel needed replacement as well. I never liked the way the clutch engaged (juddering when engaging in first and even in second), but since the replacement, it's really smooth. I don't think this one will have a problem. I'm pissed because the original clearly had something wrong which led to failure in such a short time and they wouldn't back it under warranty.

[motoguy128]

The Versa has unusually short gearing and not much "feel" to the clutch. I think it's easy to slip the clutch a lot more than is needed. I'm starting to notice some chattering as well. I'm guessing that the clutch surface is getting a little glazed.

I have 7 stop signs on my short 3 mile dirve to work, so the clutch gets a good workout. I have some concerns about clutch wear. I also tow a 900lb trailer occasionally. But that's all longer freeway trips so hte clutch isn't used much and I'm careful to rely on the torque of the engine, and not slip the clutch.

I do wonder if the clutch springs are a little light or the clutch is a little uindersized for the weight of the car and the torque of the motor. The engine has a pretty broad torque curve despite it's relatively short stroke/large bore.

I think that unless driven aggressively, 11k is pretty early and Nissan should consider a partial warranty coverage. Perhaps prorate the clutch so pay for 1/3 of the price.

Sometimes I wonder if wet clutches are better overall. My motorcycle always tolerated repeated abuse (frequent launches from 8000RPM) and at 30k miles it was still less than 1/2 worn.

[Versafied]

$2700?? That's almost a whole new Versa!!!

[boxcarbill]

$2700?? That's almost a whole new Versa!!!

I was thinking the same. The 6 speed's first gear should be 4 to 1, 5th gear should be where 6th is and 6th should be an additional 30% overdrive.I wonder why they screwed it up so badly?

[blindsnyper]

I wonder why they screwed it up so badly?

i kinda like the gearing (except 6th at highway speeds), because if all the gears were longer just think how much slowER it would be.

[#1Tango]

cvt's have better gear ratio's no?

[my_new_v]

11k miles for ANY clutch is waaaay too early to go out, even when driven aggressivly. I dont remember where I read this, but I read that Nissan purposely down-graded their Versa's manuel transmissions to get worse gas mileage so that it makes their CVT transmission look better (gas mileage). Call corporate and talk to them, explain your story and make sure you let them know you've been driving 40+ years with a manuel. Try to push them to do that under warranty. They can do it, they just dont want to. My truck's clutch broke at 5k miles (not my fault, the clutchs in these trucks are crap) and toyota replaced it under warranty. My friend's clutch (same truck as I) went out at 11k miles and one of the closer dealers to him wouldnt replace it under warranty, so he called corporate and basically b!tched them out and got it under warranty. So thats why I reccomend that. Good luck with all that bro, let us know how it goes.

[Shad0wXCalibur]

cvt's have better gear ratio's no?

CVTs have an infinite number of ratios. It's like a 50-speed mountain bicycle.

[motoguy128]

cvt's have better gear ratio's no?

CVT can have a much wider range of gears, and the actual increments though not actually infinite, number at somewhere like 2000 or more ratios.

If I could do-it-over again, I'd probably get the SL with CVT. I love the CVT on our Altima 2.5. Absolutely perfect combination of performance, economy, and quiet crusing.

When towing amd for performance, the close spacing of the 6 speed is ideal. I skip 3rd or 4th most of the time. On the highway it is a little short, unless...again, I'm towing or in traffic.

[almihu]

i have a 2007 nissan versa and it just hit 20000 miles and my clutch burnt out too. I am furious and am getting rid of my car. They also told me that my flywheel was burnt, and so far its up to almost $1,000 thats just ridiculous

[VersaBurntclutch]

Sorry to hear about your clutch, almihu. It sounds like you're getting off easier than i did. They charged me $2800 to replace the clutch & flywheel (almost a $1000 for the flywheel alone). Nissan refused to repair under warranty "since it was a wear part"!!! I got in touch with Nissan and they looked into it and refused to back their car up - according to them there is nothing wrong with the clutch. I also am looking to get rid of this lemon since i have begun to smell burning clutch again when i back into parking places. The dealer was able to reproduce the smell, but they say it's normal!!! The mechanic who drove the car and reproduced the smell told me privately that the clutch is a flimsy little thing and i shouldn't expect a cheap car like the Versa to have a decent clutch. Ha! Never a NIssan again

[my_new_v]

Sorry to hear about your clutch, almihu. It sounds like you're getting off easier than i did. They charged me $2800 to replace the clutch & flywheel (almost a $1000 for the flywheel alone). Nissan refused to repair under warranty "since it was a wear part"!!! I got in touch with Nissan and they looked into it and refused to back their car up - according to them there is nothing wrong with the clutch. I also am looking to get rid of this lemon since i have begun to smell burning clutch again when i back into parking places. The dealer was able to reproduce the smell, but they say it's normal!!! The mechanic who drove the car and reproduced the smell told me privately that the clutch is a flimsy little thing and i shouldn't expect a cheap car like the Versa to have a decent clutch. Ha! Never a NIssan again

was the clutch burnt up or damaged?

[The Edge]

This is pretty scary to hear. I have 17K on my Versa and I hope these incidents are isolated to a few and not the norm. I've owned 6 cars and 5 were manual transmission. My Versa seems to be running fine but i'd be really pissed off if my clutch would go. My dad has a 02 Saturn with 140K miles and still on the original clutch and he bought brand new. If my clutch goes I'm definately trading the car in.

[biggie]

I'd just like to see the invoice where it was $2800.

Looks like the clutch assembly and flywheel shouldn't be more than $600, $2200 in labor is redonkulous.

[fjwagner]

I had the clutch replaced on our high mileage 1995 BMW 3 series and it was around $700 parts and labor. BMW parts are typically more expensive. Struggling to see how they could get up to $2700 on a Versa. Definitely worth pursuing through Nissan. Makes no sense.
Modified by fjwagner at 7:37 AM 1/1/2009

[my_new_v]

I'd just like to see the invoice where it was $2800.

Looks like the clutch assembly and flywheel shouldn't be more than $600, $2200 in labor is redonkulous.

thats what im saying too....either nissan ripped for every penny they could get or something else happened. i was looking at 1,100 on my truck's clutch when it went...but it went due to a crap clutch

[VersaBurntclutch]

I was blown away too. The breakdown on my very expensive clutch replacement: disc assembly - $222; cover assembly -$289; flywheel assembly -$890; freight charges -$152!!!; misc -$37; labor -$1000; and then the wonderful california tax on all that -$125.

I agree. Back in the day a clutch was a cheap replacement. This was quite ridiculous - and another reason why i will never buy a Nissan again

[biggie]

Flywheel assembly list at under $200, don't have a clue what they charged you for. The disc assembly list at $170 or so and the cover at $220.

And they must have had a brand new guy that had never worked on a car to take that long. Even at $100/hr that's 10 hours to change a clutch and flywheel that should have taken 2-3 hours at most.

[VersaBurntclutch]

Thanks for the info. Where did you get those prices? Are they genuine Nissan parts? I tried searching on the web and came up with nothing. I want to go back to the dealer with something in hand to see if i can at least get something back on that outrageous price. I agree that $1000 was ridiculous, but at the time i thought it would be covered under warranty. Ouch!

[biggie]

I looked up prices through a Nissan Dealership's site. Courtesyparts.com

If you want just call them and ask for price quotes, they are always good.

[VersaBurntclutch]

Thanks a lot for that info! I wish i had that when i had the work done. I'll be going to the dealer the first thing next year. I'm still lunhapppy that the work wasn't covered under warranty. Also, do you have any info (or source of) on how long the job should take and normal price? That would help also.

thanks again

[Slither]

Mom has an 8 year old Mazda Protege, she only done 48K and she's on her third clutch. The dealer told her they burn more easily now they can't use asbestos. She's been driving close 50 years all kinds Renault, British Leyland, Citroen, Peugeot, VW, Honda and suddenly comes Y2K sans asbestos and a good car needs 3 clutches like no other she's ever had.

Kinda like DDT and bedbugs - if you get my meaning...

[Bubs daddy]

Two people come in to post, one registered a month ago but this is his only posts and another who registered just yesterday with their only post as having the same problem.

Uh huh, sure your clutch went out.

[my_new_v]

Two people come in to post, one registered a month ago but this is his only posts and another who registered just yesterday with their only post as having the same problem.

Uh huh, sure your clutch went out.

seriously...is there any thread where you havent questioned what someone said?? do you really think someone is really immature to the point where they will make up a lie like this....then again i do think 2800 is steap for a clutch and flywheel. so why do you have to be so negative....answer me that

[my_new_v]

whoa, i just realized you live in phoenix....high five!

[feloniousmonk]

Burnt clutch at 11k is certainly possible. All depends on the way it was used... which isn't mentioned here at all. In a city with a lot of stop signs and hills like San Francisco, and less than perfect clutch habit, I can see it. Another thing being overlooked, this is a economy car some people like to think is sporty because of the close ratio gearing. Being down on power, Nissan probably did it so the car feels more fun to the younger crowd the car is targeted at.

[fjwagner]

Two people come in to post, one registered a month ago but this is his only posts and another who registered just yesterday with their only post as having the same problem.

Uh huh, sure your clutch went out.

typically, people search out a forum when they do have a problem to see if it is endemic. I doubt a 64 year old semi-retired biochemist is making stuff up for fun. Please, show some restraint with unsubstantiated thoughts. Fred

[biggie]

Thanks a lot for that info! I wish i had that when i had the work done. I'll be going to the dealer the first thing next year. I'm still lunhapppy that the work wasn't covered under warranty. Also, do you have any info (or source of) on how long the job should take and normal price? That would help also.

thanks again

Just call any other dealership and ask them about the time/charge for flywheel/clutch replacement labor. They have a book that has the standard amount.