2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!!

ghodlur · 19th January 2011, 08:30

I am sorry to say but the clutch issue might be an quality issue from Hyundai. It cannot be possible for the clutch plates to go bad within 150 kms of drive.

As said in the earlier post most of the newbies to hatchback including the recently returned back to India guys would tend to use the clutch more often than required cosidering the Indian traffic conditions. But its just a matter of time and they would stop lugging at the clutch. A good example is my office colleague who coincidentally owns a brand new i10 and when I drove with him a couple of times I observed him depressing the clutch for quite long times. When I brought it to his notice he then started minimizing the clutch usage and now he's totally comfortable with it.

supercars · 19th January 2011, 09:51

What a shocking case of Hyundai Customer Care. I guess I am out of their Future Customer's list.
Can someone confirm if this person was really driving bad as even with an AT car, you do get brains to drive with engine not on full tilt as then smoke would also come from engine :P
I think there is a major problem in his car and he should get the rest of the car checked by some independent garage if there are some other major problems.

FastLove · 19th January 2011, 09:59

Iam surprised that anybody can believe the excuse given by Hyundai to this bizarre incident.
If a clutch can burn and fry like this in 150km (whtever the driving style) would you buy such a piece of machinery??

Do you expect Hyundai to say that there is a scr*w up in the car due to manufacturing defects and that they are responsible for this ?

Just get the matter escalalted to the right people and get compensation for the agony caused ..

kaushikr · 19th January 2011, 11:45

The reason given by Hyundai is not totally convincing. Clutch burning off this early is something that I have not heard of, personally. Three or four of us in our family have learnt driving in M800 making the usual mistakes with clutch at inclines and straining it, but the clutch has not been fried, yet.

Perhaps it is a combination of factors, a defective part in the car compounded by an incorrect driving habit which led to the failure. Hyundai would not want to take any responsibility because of the bad publicity they would get in case the word got out.

Nano is still recovering from the burning incidents, is'nt it?

poloman · 19th January 2011, 11:59

Bizzare to see some blaming the driver. Going by this logic driving school cars will be required to change clutch assembly everyday. Unless he had mistaken clutch as foot rest, no chance of this happening.

nithin_86 · 19th January 2011, 13:01

This is definitely a quality issue with Hyundai. I don't think you can burn the clutch of a two week old car that bad to have the whole car filled with smoke just because of driving style. I would say it's totally unethical of the Kun Hyundai people to reply to his mail like that. Even if he just moved from AT to MT it is still very unlikely that he wore out the clutch this fast. Of course I could be wrong and I certainly hope I am not.

csateesh · 19th January 2011, 13:36

All,

The driving style really matters in this case. If people have the habit of clutch riding it could lead to fried clutch.

As someone told on this thread the burnt smell would have been a simple give away for a trained nose.

Just to make a point I would like to highlight my colleague experience. He drove his brand new Santro from his home to work for the first time. He called me to say that there is bad burning smell. When I went I immediately knew that this fellow was riding the clutch. He always used half clutch at high rpms so that his car doesn't stall

The point I am trying to make here is that sit with you friend and ask him to drive. Just a 1km drive will do.

The culprit here is the Driving school folks who insist that it is important to ride in a higher gear to get better FE but it will fry your clutch very quickly

Just my POV.

Daewood · 19th January 2011, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by csateesh

The culprit here is the Driving school folks who insist that it is important to ride in a higher gear to get better FE but it will fry your clutch very quickly

Just my POV.

True.
Almost all driving schools teach newbies to ride the clutch, as the best way to manage slow moving traffic.
My wife too fried our Santro's clutch in a similar way, in about 350kms of usage over 2 weeks of chennai city driving.

Gansan · 19th January 2011, 14:19

I know that a lot of people ride half clutch and on a slope where you have to keep the revs high as well, this can result in faster wear. What surprises me is that this can happen in just 100 odd KM in a new car. I always imagined the clutch life will be reduced by 50% at the most by such habits.

Many driving school instructors are semi literates with a lot of dogma, which they faithfully pass on to their pupils. They teach you to depress the clutch while braking, the front brake should never be touched in two wheelers, etc!

aroop · 19th January 2011, 14:43

Riding the clutch isnt the best way to drive, but given the distance the car has run (120 km), it seems unlikely that the clutch could give away so quickly. There is wear and tear in the clutch every time we change gears, not to mention the running in urban traffic conditions; so even good drivers should see their clutches packing up pretty early. i10 owners can comment on this.

IMHO, its a quality issue.

Coming to the point of the training imparted in driving schools, someone can start a thread on that! Like a PDI checklist, can we have a list of things that should be ignored? I know that honking is strongly encouraged there!

DueLLeR · 19th January 2011, 15:09

To the thread starter, please mask the e-mail addresses. If not all the addresses, at least your friend's e-mail address. The e-mail address displayed is a corporate one and this thread is viewable by practically anybody on the Internet.

I know the time limit to edit the post would have passed off by now. Perhaps, the mods can help?

Mods: Sorry for going OT, just thought the corporate e-mail address being shown so publicly could bring the owner a lot of spam and perhaps unwanted e-mails too.

Cheers!
DueLLeR

freewheelburnin · 19th January 2011, 15:23

There is no way that a new clutch can go this way unless it was manufacturing defect or the car was used for test drives.Can you get the clutch inspected at an independent workshop and get a report?If you want to sue them an expert opinion might help.

Antonian · 19th January 2011, 15:32

I also had some experience like Clutch burn
Last Sunday, I was traveling return from a hill station. Since the down way was more than 3 km, I drove with the help of break only (clutch made off to get wheels free) After around 2 km, some burning smell felt in cabin. I applied sudden break, but I just shocked to feel that break is considerably low. I stopped vehicle and let the vehicle to cool for some time. I didn't felt the problem later. Planning to go to HMIL tomorrow.

mac187 · 19th January 2011, 15:45

IMO, however novice a driver is (which in India would be above 70%) 150kms running is not reason enough for the clutch to burn out. Also, I am sure he was not driving continously for 150kms on the same day itself for the clutch to over heat to the point of giving out smoke...

Suggest your friend to take up the matter. Matters like this go unnoticed so compaines think that they offer the best product/ service. Ask you friend to go through the posts in the Skoda thread, that should prepare him for the battle, if he choose to fight this out.

Also, Hats off to the guy who helped with the fire extinguisher.

dhanushs · 19th January 2011, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonian

I also had some experience like Clutch burn
Last Sunday, I was traveling return from a hill station. Since the down way was more than 3 km, I drove with the help of break only (clutch made off to get wheels free) After around 2 km, some burning smell felt in cabin. I applied sudden break, but I just shocked to feel that break is considerably low. I stopped vehicle and let the vehicle to cool for some time. I didn't felt the problem later. Planning to go to HMIL tomorrow.

OT: Antonian, you should NEVER release the drive from the wheels while driving downhill. Drive down in the SAME gear you drove up. Let the engine do its share of braking.

The smell that you felt was not of clutch, but of brake liners. Lucky that you did not end up with brake failure.

No need of going to HMIL, just check if the pads are fine. That will do.

19th January 2011, 08:30	#16
ghodlur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Thane Posts: 6,009 Thanked: 4,198 Times View My Garage	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! I am sorry to say but the clutch issue might be an quality issue from Hyundai. It cannot be possible for the clutch plates to go bad within 150 kms of drive. As said in the earlier post most of the newbies to hatchback including the recently returned back to India guys would tend to use the clutch more often than required cosidering the Indian traffic conditions. But its just a matter of time and they would stop lugging at the clutch. A good example is my office colleague who coincidentally owns a brand new i10 and when I drove with him a couple of times I observed him depressing the clutch for quite long times. When I brought it to his notice he then started minimizing the clutch usage and now he's totally comfortable with it.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 09:51	#17
supercars BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bombay Posts: 484 Thanked: 27 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! What a shocking case of Hyundai Customer Care. I guess I am out of their Future Customer's list. Can someone confirm if this person was really driving bad as even with an AT car, you do get brains to drive with engine not on full tilt as then smoke would also come from engine :P I think there is a major problem in his car and he should get the rest of the car checked by some independent garage if there are some other major problems.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 09:59	#18
FastLove BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 416 Thanked: 99 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! Iam surprised that anybody can believe the excuse given by Hyundai to this bizarre incident. If a clutch can burn and fry like this in 150km (whtever the driving style) would you buy such a piece of machinery?? Do you expect Hyundai to say that there is a scr*w up in the car due to manufacturing defects and that they are responsible for this ? Just get the matter escalalted to the right people and get compensation for the agony caused ..
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 11:45	#19
kaushikr BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 129 Thanked: 55 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! The reason given by Hyundai is not totally convincing. Clutch burning off this early is something that I have not heard of, personally. Three or four of us in our family have learnt driving in M800 making the usual mistakes with clutch at inclines and straining it, but the clutch has not been fried, yet. Perhaps it is a combination of factors, a defective part in the car compounded by an incorrect driving habit which led to the failure. Hyundai would not want to take any responsibility because of the bad publicity they would get in case the word got out. Nano is still recovering from the burning incidents, is'nt it?
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 11:59	#20
poloman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,311 Thanked: 5,247 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! Bizzare to see some blaming the driver. Going by this logic driving school cars will be required to change clutch assembly everyday. Unless he had mistaken clutch as foot rest, no chance of this happening.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 13:01	#21
nithin_86 BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: KL-7/TN-22 Posts: 131 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! This is definitely a quality issue with Hyundai. I don't think you can burn the clutch of a two week old car that bad to have the whole car filled with smoke just because of driving style. I would say it's totally unethical of the Kun Hyundai people to reply to his mail like that. Even if he just moved from AT to MT it is still very unlikely that he wore out the clutch this fast. Of course I could be wrong and I certainly hope I am not.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 13:36	#22
csateesh BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 551 Thanked: 168 Times View My Garage	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! All, The driving style really matters in this case. If people have the habit of clutch riding it could lead to fried clutch. As someone told on this thread the burnt smell would have been a simple give away for a trained nose. Just to make a point I would like to highlight my colleague experience. He drove his brand new Santro from his home to work for the first time. He called me to say that there is bad burning smell. When I went I immediately knew that this fellow was riding the clutch. He always used half clutch at high rpms so that his car doesn't stall The point I am trying to make here is that sit with you friend and ask him to drive. Just a 1km drive will do. The culprit here is the Driving school folks who insist that it is important to ride in a higher gear to get better FE but it will fry your clutch very quickly Just my POV.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 14:19	#24
Gansan Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 4,534 Thanked: 5,543 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! I know that a lot of people ride half clutch and on a slope where you have to keep the revs high as well, this can result in faster wear. What surprises me is that this can happen in just 100 odd KM in a new car. I always imagined the clutch life will be reduced by 50% at the most by such habits. Many driving school instructors are semi literates with a lot of dogma, which they faithfully pass on to their pupils. They teach you to depress the clutch while braking, the front brake should never be touched in two wheelers, etc! Last edited by Gansan : 19th January 2011 at 14:21.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 14:43	#25
aroop BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kolkata Posts: 128 Thanked: 23 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! Riding the clutch isnt the best way to drive, but given the distance the car has run (120 km), it seems unlikely that the clutch could give away so quickly. There is wear and tear in the clutch every time we change gears, not to mention the running in urban traffic conditions; so even good drivers should see their clutches packing up pretty early. i10 owners can comment on this. IMHO, its a quality issue. Coming to the point of the training imparted in driving schools, someone can start a thread on that! Like a PDI checklist, can we have a list of things that should be ignored? I know that honking is strongly encouraged there!
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 15:09	#26
DueLLeR BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Vashi / Navi Mumbai Posts: 214 Thanked: 123 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! To the thread starter, please mask the e-mail addresses. If not all the addresses, at least your friend's e-mail address. The e-mail address displayed is a corporate one and this thread is viewable by practically anybody on the Internet. I know the time limit to edit the post would have passed off by now. Perhaps, the mods can help? Mods: Sorry for going OT, just thought the corporate e-mail address being shown so publicly could bring the owner a lot of spam and perhaps unwanted e-mails too. Cheers! DueLLeR
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 15:23	#27
freewheelburnin BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 277 Thanked: 33 Times View My Garage	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! There is no way that a new clutch can go this way unless it was manufacturing defect or the car was used for test drives.Can you get the clutch inspected at an independent workshop and get a report?If you want to sue them an expert opinion might help.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 15:32	#28
Antonian BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: KL (6+1) Posts: 105 Thanked: 2 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! I also had some experience like Clutch burn Last Sunday, I was traveling return from a hill station. Since the down way was more than 3 km, I drove with the help of break only (clutch made off to get wheels free) After around 2 km, some burning smell felt in cabin. I applied sudden break, but I just shocked to feel that break is considerably low. I stopped vehicle and let the vehicle to cool for some time. I didn't felt the problem later. Planning to go to HMIL tomorrow.
	() Thanks

19th January 2011, 15:45	#29
mac187 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Plano, Texas Posts: 687 Thanked: 751 Times	Re: 2 Weeks old Hyundai i10 engulfed in smoke!!! IMO, however novice a driver is (which in India would be above 70%) 150kms running is not reason enough for the clutch to burn out. Also, I am sure he was not driving continously for 150kms on the same day itself for the clutch to over heat to the point of giving out smoke... Suggest your friend to take up the matter. Matters like this go unnoticed so compaines think that they offer the best product/ service. Ask you friend to go through the posts in the Skoda thread, that should prepare him for the battle, if he choose to fight this out. Also, Hats off to the guy who helped with the fire extinguisher.
	() Thanks