A bit of history. 2001 Accord EX Manual 147,000 miles. A few months ago the check engine light cam on but that sometimes occurs because my car is an oil hog. I took it into the dealer and paid for a diagnostic test and it came back as a probable faulty O2 sensor. I had just passed the smog test a week prior and wasn't noticing any symptoms of a faulty O2 sensor so we agreed that if the check engine light went off after changing the oil, i was going to assume it was the oil and pay attention to the idle. The check engine light went off that afternoon, so I let it go. This past Sunday, I came to a stop and my idle dipped so low that my engine stalled. It did it again at the next stop so I knew I would take it in this last zmonday and have the O2 sensor replaced. I was able to wait until ther was little traffic and rev my engine a bit in neural so it didn't stall on the way to the dealer.

After replacing the O2 sensor I received a call stating that the idle was fine on the test drive but they noticed my clutch was slipping. I was puzzled because I've driven manual trans for over 35 years and I know what a slipping clutch feels like, but I thought I'd be more mindful and feel for the symptoms after I picked it up.

When I was dropped off at the dealer, I paid the ridiculous $506 and went to get my car which was backed into a space. I tried to take off and couldn't and the clutch pedal was stuck to the floor and the car shook violently and stalled out after moving a foot. I freaked out. One of the service techs came over, pulled pedal from the floor and drive it back around to the service area. He popped the hood to check the fluid level and turned me back over to the original service tech that had been helping me. I was so pissed and afraid, but thought maybe it was a fluke, because I have never experienced this before.

I drove the car home fine and pulled into the driveway. When I reversed out of the driveway the next morning, the pedal stuck to the floor, the violently shaking began and I turned the car off quickly, popped the pedal from the floor, restarted and drove to work. I noticed that if I was at a light with the clutch engaged and in first, I could start to feel it setting stuck, so I am only able to prevent this by putting the car in neutral as I approach a stop.

There were absolutely no signs or symptoms of a clutch problem before I drove it in for the O2 sensor replacement. I am bringing it back in to them on Wednesday and I need to sound somewhat educated on how this could have happened during their possession, and/or what they need to look at that could have possibly caused this to suddenly occur so severely.

Any help, input, sympathy....would be much appreciated. I am the only one who drives my car and trust me...no issues before this. Thank you in advance!

 

Just me but it sounds more like there is an issue with either the clutch master or clutch slave cyl...A leak that is allowing air into the system.

 

How long since the clutch fluid has been bled? Air in the lines and/or old fluid?

Fluid gets old, but if there's air in the system the question is how did the air get in there.

 

Thank you for the responses. I don't recall it it ever being bled. If its not standard maintenance, then it's probably never been done. Other than the 02 sensor, the last maintenance was the replacement of the timing belt at about 110K miles and whatever other things they do at the 100K mark.

Is it typical for this to suddenly occur, and it's merely a coincidence it happened while being at the dealership, or is it possible the mechanic did something to cause this when he replaced the O2 sensor?

How costly is it to diagnose if it's the clutch master or slave leak....and to repair it? I'm just a old school chick who used to be able to gap and change her own spark plugs back in day...because I was too poor to pay someone to do it and my stepdad thought we should know these things. I've been taught to always own a Chilton's Guide, but I admit that I gave that up a loooooong time ago. I'm still flabbergasted that I couldn't take off from the dealer and that this is such an issue with my car right now. I'm a researcher and problem solver by nature, but since I've had my Accord, I really haven't had a need to do that....until now.

Thanks for any input and advice. I'm just stuck at my house and debating whether I should go rent a car for the next few days, or go buy another car this afternoon. I have places to be tomorrow and I don't know how safe my car is to drive at this time. I'm freaked out by this clutch sticking crap.

 

Check the fluid level and condition of the fluid for the clutch....it is a smaller res held to the firewall....kind of a smaller brake fluid res.

If it is low then there is a leak somewhere.

Even if it isn't low, still could be an internal failure in the master or slave. There are some other "pretty" easy things you can look at/for to help narrow it down.

How much? Well first, still not 100% sure of the issue. Next, my labor cost is my time so I can oly give ball park estimates once we know what it is.

This is for a 4cyl - just to try to give you an idea where the clutch res is, also the slave cyl.

 

Thank you Poorman! The Universe is playing a sick joke on me this week. I parked my car on the street in front of my house instead of the driveway on Friday, so I could avoid the pedal issue in reverse. I came back from a walk yesterday and discovered a flat front tire.

Ugh, at least my StepDad also believed that us girls needed to know how to find and use our spare tires. I went new car shopping for a bit yesterday. I think I am going to just buy a new V6 Accord and park this other car until I can decide what to do with it. It's just been that stressful. Thank goodness my neighbor's husband is letting me drive his Ford truck today so I can make it to the Easter festivities.

Have a great Sunday!!

 

Well, I wish nothing but the best for you.

I posted that pic as I had a "feeling" that with with what you know about cars it would help in doing a bit of "pre" inspection.

Not sure how this will go but I would thank your stepdad if you can. Not to upset anyone but a bit of general car knowledge/understanding should be part of growing up.

I often told my wife, high school teacher, that they should make all students go to a class for "general auto understanding".

About 2~3 years ago she was with one of her friends out doing something in her friends car. They had a flat while driving......her friend was calling for help...my wife said "screw this" and changed the tire, put the spare on

Sorry for the long post about nothing....bottom line - IMO, you have a clutch master and or slave cyl issue. I can't see the car and don't know what the fluid level is but I'll bet a cup of coffee on it

 

Here's a test for you to do with a helper...

Engine isn't running, handbrake set, you trust the helper not to drive over you when you have your head in the engine compartment.

Look at the picture Poorman posted, find the clutch slave cylinder and release fork; between the engine & radiator. Any leaking fluid down there?

Helper pumps the clutch pedal down & up repeatedly. The release fork should be moving back & forth about 12mm. (Is it doing that?)

After pumping, have your helper hold down the pedal on the floor for a couple minutes. The release fork should stay pushed over. The sign of a bad master cylinder is the release fork slowly pushes back & compresses the slave cylinder, when the clutch pedal is being held down on the floor. Really, you should be able to hold the pedal down for 5 or 10 minutes and it shouldn't allow the lever to press back in.

If you decide to get a new car, good luck with that too.

 

I'd take it back to the dealer shop and have them fix it.
For something like this they may have a loaner car policy or put you to a cheaper Enterprise rent-a-car rate for two days.


either way the problem should be 'easily fixable' for good and the dealer should be the one to put this to:
no problem before his shop, real problems repeating afterwards.
I'd talk to the service/general manager since the tech already had a 2nd shot at it.
Dealer's reaction here would speak worlds about where to buy future cars from ...

Sounds like a new master cylinder and a new slave cylinder covers the bases and
a huge amount cheaper than a replacement car at only 147,000 miles.


best.

 

I'm in the car holding down the clutch pedal down for a few minutes. I am definitely losing pressure at the clutch master. The release fork is working when I press it down repeatedly....ny so much when holding Dow,.

Thank you Jim....my neighbor, Jim, was my helper who is incidentally a boat engine mechanic. He is pummeling up my tire now. Thank god for men!! I guess it could have been incidental or coincidence, but it just seems random that I had no problem with the clutch until I tried to leave the dealer after the O2 sensor replacement.

So how much does this cost. I should do both, right..,the master and the slave?