[BusyBoyKK]

150 KMs and clutch worn out? Surprises me! Even a half-clutch-like ride will give a longer life. Please get the vehicle thoroughly inspected.
Hyundai service taking 1-2 hrs to reach the spot? Another surprise, be it the traffic-congestion due to Chennai Metro construction, I believe there are atleast two dealerships / service stations close to Koyambedu junction (Annanagar, Vadapalani).

OT: I just realized I use half-clutch at times when stalling on a steep slope, I use it for max 8-10 secs to get the necessary revv. But being aware of the clutch wear-out factor, I am conscious and avoid doing that for longer duration.
Is this a correct practice, if not what's the right way of handling the clutch-gear-accelerator on a slope while stalling? Anyone, throw some light for other's benefit.

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by BusyBoyKK

OT: I just realized I use half-clutch at times when stalling on a steep slope, I use it for max 8-10 secs to get the necessary revv. But being aware of the clutch wear-out factor, I am conscious and avoid doing that for longer duration.
Is this a correct practice, if not what's the right way of handling the clutch-gear-accelerator on a slope while stalling? Anyone, throw some light for other's benefit.

I too do that occasionally for very short durations on slight slopes. For stop and go traffic on steep slopes, the correct method is to engage hand brake, give slight throttle while releasing clutch, and release the hand brake before the engine stalls.

[Daewood]

Originally Posted by BusyBoyKK

Hyundai service taking 1-2 hrs to reach the spot? Another surprise, be it the traffic-congestion due to Chennai Metro construction, I believe there are atleast two dealerships / service stations close to Koyambedu junction (Annanagar, Vadapalani).

The one in Annanagar is not a service centre. Just sales. There is no dealer in Vadapalani. Maybe you are referring to the one in Ekkaduthangal.

The nearest service centre is in Ambattur.

[nitrous]

Originally Posted by BusyBoyKK

Is this a correct practice, if not what's the right way of handling the clutch-gear-accelerator on a slope while stalling? Anyone, throw some light for other's benefit.

Bad. Its a clutch wearing practice.

On a steep slope, use the handbrake to hold the car in place. To move forward, engage 1st gear, and release the clutch slowly and when you feel a slight tug, release the handbrake.

Note: Clutch should be used to only while shifting gears. For low torque engines, Slip clutch with minimum revs is adequate.

[ajman28]

This is a typical case where it is difficult to prove who is at fault. Technically speaking, it is possible to burn the clutch (or even blow the engine) within 100 km with some bad driving habits. And as an OEM, Hyundai will definitely be aware of this. So even if they were at fault, they can easily hide behind the pretext that the driving was bad.

I remember seeing a video where a guy gets into a presumably brand new Ferrari and burns up the whole engine in something like 5 min of some rough driving. Does that mean a Ferrari engine will last only 5 minutes?

You could take it up strongly with Hyundai provided your freind is very confident that he does not ride the clutch. Anyway, do a thorough check-up of the car.

[Spitfire]

To bust a clutch in 100 meters try this. Pull the handbrake and keep riding the clutch up an 100 meters long incline. When you get to the top you will be engulfed in smoke and a bust clutch.

This could be a case of improper driving.

Incline, used to an AT, new to manual gears all are tell tale signs. I had a friend who busted his Swift clutch in 600 kms. He stayed in the hilly regions around Goregaon, Mumbai.

[Live To Jive]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I observed him depressing the clutch for quite long times.

Fully depressing the clutch will not burn it. The damage occurs in between "engaged" and "dis-engaged". This is when the clutch is slipping or you are riding the clutch.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

To bust a clutch in 100 meters try this. Pull the handbrake and keep riding the clutch up an 100 meters long incline. When you get to the top you will be engulfed in smoke and a bust clutch.

This would be an extreme situation. No owner in the right frame of mind will do that (At least not on his own car). BTW a friend of mine drove a car for 15 Kms with the hand brake on and then got a burning smell. He let the car cool for and hour and the brakes were fine. No issues with the clutch either.

I don't think that in 150 Kms he would have been riding the clutch for 150 Kms but even if he did I don't think that would burn the clutch.

Difficult to say who is at fault but since the amount is reasonable, I feel the matter should be resolved amicably. A bit of diplomacy will be good. Try and get Hyundai to at least waive off the labour and your friend can pay for the parts

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Live To Jive

This would be an extreme situation.

I was not saying this is what happened. I meant to bust a clutch a car doesn't really need to run 150kms. It can be done in a much lesser distance only by improper driving.

[Guna]

Bad driving schools (or bad tutors)sometimes can teach wrong techniques. I know of an instance where the learner was asked to ride the clutch all the time so that the car never stalls at any situation. Probably the person was more interested in ensuring that the car doesn't stall at any cost then teaching the right driving technique.

[dhanushs]

I have seen numerous newbees, out of fear of stalling the engine in traffic, ride the clutch, and keep rev'n surprisingly high. And as some of us mentioned, if it is possible for the clutch to go bust, then definitely this a case of bad driving. The flyover adds more proof.

I willing to bet that this happened 'up' the flyover. Isnt it camchennai?.

[supremeBaleno]

Some 9 years ago, I fried the clutch on our M800. I thought I was parking close to the beach, but actually was on a sandy patch. Instead of getting help to push the car out, I tried to 'drive' the car out for around 20-25 mins. Finally gave up when I could 'smell' the burning clutch and got help to push the car out. Drove home which was 40kms away without issues. Next day, car was stalled - unable to drive it. Had to get the mechanic home to recitfy/replace the clutch. So, yes, you could even fry the clutch without moving even a km.

However, inspite of this excessive abuse of the clutch, all I got was a burning smell - no smoke nothing. And I would think that driving on a flyover (even by a newbie) is a minor abuse, compared to what I did out of ignorance. So, is there more to this than bad clutch usage, as the A.S.S. would like us to believe ? I would tend to think so.

[carZest]

Originally Posted by aroop

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!

aroop couple of points to what you said:

1) I think your scenario is that clutch burn is a gradual progressive process. That is most often true, which is why riding the clutch to slow down, unnecessary usage of half-clutch etc (signs of a newbie driver) could eventually lead to the clutch going kaput. In which case it is also correct to start at 0 km (or as someone said ~30 kms when it got out of the dealership) and say that it can't fry by 120 kms, meaning the clutch was defective. And it is also why, when newbie drivers correct their mistakes over 1-2 months, the clutch holds out fine.

The point which Spitfire, Nitrous and other members made was another scenario. Clutch burn can be also be a rapid process. That happens when there is steep incline, newbie driver etc (all mentioned in the other posts). In this case the clutch will fry very fast. And the odometer DOESNT help us here, instead TIME spent by the car on the incline, and TECHNIQUES were used to maintain it in steady position would offer us a good clue. Even 500 meters odo reading, but 5 minutes of maintaining the vehicle on the slope is enough.

2) Since you asked I must mention. My i10 is on its original clutch at 51400 kms.

[selfdrive]

Is it possible your friend was using heavy clutch and handbrake at the same time whiile driving up the flyover? One of my friends had a burning smell in his car when he forgot to disengage his handbrake while driving in b2b traffic.
As someone has already said, a reasonable approach would be to waive off the labour and pay for the parts. If your friend isnt comfortable with the MT, he should just go in for an AT. No offence to him, but he would spend more on such repairs than on the mileage bit.

[camchennai]

@dhanushs - Burning smell came before he could climb the flyover, however he was unable to stop in front of the flyover so he opted to climb it and stop it on the other side, while climbing smoke came out.

@selfdrive - He is sure that Handbrake was not employed.

Update as of today - KUN has come forward to provide 15% discount on the overall bill. No word from Hyundai yet. I have asked him to wait till Saturday so that I can accompany him to service station and take a look at the damage, will try to take some snaps.

Can someone confirm me on why we need to change the fly wheel when the damage is only to clutch??

[lordofgondor]

Well, I have (almost) burnt a clutch in a distance of 0 Km/10 minutes! Got stuck in sand dunes at Morey Plains and due to the scare of an approaching twister did so much half clutching that plenty of smoke came out the front.