The clutch is one of the most important elements of your vehicles driving operation. Your engine is what causes your wheels to spin, but what happens when your car needs to stop? The engine shouldn't stop spinning but the wheels need to. It's the clutch that allows this to happen.

The clutch allows the transfer of power from the engine to the wheels to be interrupted while a gear is being changed or while the car is stationary and the engine continues to run.

Some vehicles have hydraulic clutches - when you press the clutch pedal the clutch fluid moves the pressure from the pedal through to the clutch and disengages the power transmission. Leaking clutch fluid can cause all kinds of problem in your vehicle so it is very important to monitor it regularly. At Peter Mann Automotive we check your clutch fluid, hydraulic system or clutch cables for you in the course of our free 65 Point Vehicle Inspection Report - which you can request as part of every car service.

If we suspect a problem or leak in your clutch we will include this in our written report or let you know directly if we feel it needs immediate attention.

You should have your clutch looked at if:

• You notice a burnt ‘toast' or ‘burning rubber' smell in your car, or smoke from under vehicle
• Your vehicle is slipping out of gear for no reason
• There is jerky or sticky gear operation
• Your clutch is not disengaging fully, or your clutch is sticking or shuddering

If your clutch is showing any of the problems above - it can mean any number of faults. Clutch problems are difficult to diagnose by symptoms alone because many issues cause the same symptoms, depending on the vehicle and type of engine.

The best way to deal with clutch shuddering, slipping or noise is call us at Peter Mann Automotive today.

We can perform Clutch service and repairs on most makes and models right here in our Cessnock workshop.