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Old 05-10-2013, 10:46 AM   #101
busyychild
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So I looked in my reservoir Sunday and there is a chunk of black "glop" at the bottom. It's also present in my brake reservoir as well. I plan to bleed both systems this weekend. The gritty feel is gone at the moment, but I'm sure it will come back.
Have the same black deposits on the bottom of my clutch reservoir. Asked the tech at the dealership and said it was normal. Looks like a thin layer of dirt/suit.
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Old 05-10-2013, 05:29 PM   #102
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All I know is that my vibration does go away sometimes (e.g. not present this morning AT ALL on the way to work, but it was there on the way home). It started last fall so I thought maybe it was weather related, but it's been in the mid '70s for some time now here and I see now weather related changes at all.

Frankly, I'm more bummed out about the clutch getting stiffer than anything else. It was just like my '93 Ford Probe GT when I first got the car (i.e. The Probe GT even at 140k miles was very light and also short throw and so it was a pleasure in traffic jams plus it could creep at 2 mph without stalling without slipping the clutch) I could have pushed it in with my pinky. I made a remark to the dealer guy when I test drove it how much lighter it was than my 2004 WRX and he said, just give it a few months and it'll be nice and stiff again. I still don't get this. The springs in the clutch mechanism might get stiffer as they reach their end of travel or something, but he was pretty much right. It got harder to push within a few months just like he said. The only thing I can figure is that when the clutch disc is brand new it pushes the spring mechanism past the point where it's making full contact with the disc or something. Otherwise, I'd expect fairly even pressure until the end of travel point for the springs.

I'm not sure here if the WRX clutch is still getting stiffer over time, though. I'm approaching 20k miles and frankly, I can't remember exactly how stiff my last WRX pedal was by memory relative to it. "Similar" comes to mind. That car I got at 36k miles, though and it felt pretty much the same when I sold it at 80k miles. I know one thing. I launched that car every day at around 4k - 4.5k RPM at some point during the day and I never worried the clutch might prematurely fail. I don't launch my 2011 one at all for sheer paranoia given all the bizarre premature wear '08-'09 clutch problems I read about. Frankly, I don't know whether these people are at fault or there was a defect going around. Many claimed to never burn a clutch up before that one with many other cars for over 100k miles, etc. That gives me pause. OTOH, my clutch still engages at the same point off the floor it did on Day 1, despite the vibration thing, so that tells me at the very least, my clutch disc isn't completely worn out regardless of the vibration cause (The engagement point will start rising off the floor when the spring runs out of adjustment room from what I've read).
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Old 05-14-2013, 02:04 PM   #103
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I don't really have any technical info to add, just anecdotal. I had this issue for a few months, it creeped up only when driving very aggressively. The crazy thing is that it's gone away for me. Part of it is I rarely get on it in 1st anymore, nor rev anything close to redline, but when I do happen to push the car, the clutch seems fine.

On ONE occasion recently, after it rained for 3 or 4 days straight here in DC, I felt the same clutch vibration when just driving normally. It went away after driving around for a while. I'm convinced part of the issue is driver related, how you time your clutch release. Ambient/ environmental moisture also creates some noises in the clutch.

Also, my clutch pedal is definitely way stiffer than it was brand new, but it has been a gradual change. I know this because an employee at my local Subaru dealer commented to me "nice clutch man, it feels perfect". Doesn't this guy drive WRXs all the time? I've got 60k on mine, and I would consider the clutch a bit stiff compared to normal cars. I don't mind it tho.
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Old 05-14-2013, 02:18 PM   #104
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60k on a '11?

i thought i was the clear winner at 55k. i'm slackin
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Old 05-14-2013, 05:06 PM   #105
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I drive it all over the place, good and bad I guess. More good

I haven't read recent pages of this thread... Asharus does your 55k old wrx have clutch problems?
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Old 05-14-2013, 07:29 PM   #106
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yes, but they're not "problems" according to the norm in this thread.

i get the occasional gritty clutch if i shift aggressively once in a while, but not all the time.

like someone said before, it's only if you have a sloppy aggressive shift.

that's about it. i'm hoping a clutch job will eliminate it completely whenever it needs a new clutch, but i'm having doubts.

from the history of this thread, it's not worth bringing to the dealer to "fix" it since it will just come back.
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Old 05-15-2013, 07:05 PM   #107
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like someone said before, it's only if you have a sloppy aggressive shift.
I'm sorry, but that's nonsense. I've had a car with 140k miles on a clutch before that wasn't slipping in the slightest when I sold it. I'm extremely precise (you can't even feel my shifts they're rev-matched so well) and I never JAM the gear shift (pointless given the delay for rev-matching). There is NOTHING I did to cause the on again, off again vibration in my clutch pedal. There is no slipping in my clutch. My 2011 WRX clutch has had a ticking throw-out bearing from DAY ONE, however and I'm far more inclined to believe there is a defect in that bearing that comes and goes as the bearings spin around internally than anything the driver (in this case me) is doing. However, bearings don't typically improve in condition and some days there is no vibration what-so-ever so it may simply be something transmitting the vibration into the pedal somehow.
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Old 05-15-2013, 07:12 PM   #108
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some say its the lack of lube on the clutch fork, but if that's the case, how come it only occurs sometimes.
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Old 05-15-2013, 07:29 PM   #109
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The problem is definitely exacerbated with mistimed shifting. No one said it was the root cause. There's something def off within the clutch assembly, most probably the TOB... But my experience is that with proper shifting I don't have any problems. I did get my clutch fork re lubricated at the dealership maybe a year ago, can't say it immediately helped but maybe over time it smoothed things out?
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Old 05-15-2013, 11:30 PM   #110
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For my part, I haven't noticed any correlation between the gritty clutch pedal and driving style. Driving easy or hard, shifting perfectly or less than perfectly, neither seems to make the clutch feel any different.
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Old 05-17-2013, 09:35 PM   #111
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Mine has gone away 95% again. Given some claims of a correlation to shifting (I don't notice any specifically, myself) and given the organic nature of the current clutches which are way more prone to heat and glazing than traditional asbestos lined clutches, perhaps even small differences in the short term (i.e. 2500 RPM release backing up a hill vs an easy 1500 RPM forward flat surface) might lead to what amounts to UNEVEN clutch wear. Certainly, I've heard about chatter caused by such things in extreme circumstances, but I'd hardly call this "chatter" here (way too mild, more like a slight vibration where I can feel the clutch disc engaging and spinning which is typically not transmitted through the clutch pedal more than just a hint, at least not on any previous car I've owned including a 2004 WRX). Given how it comes and goes, it could be over time and creeping in traffic, etc. it simply evens itself out again, making the vibration disappear until something sets it off unevenly again (there could even be something in the mechanism itself like the springs used that lends itself to ever so slightly uneven wear). That's just a guess, though. I'm just trying to make sense of why it comes and goes. Clutch fork grease might make some sense if it goes away after pumping the clutch a few times (redistributing what little is left), but that's never really helped here. I've noticed more difference when just driving (i.e. it eventually calms down or disappears which might be more consistent with just slipping the clutch and wearing a tiny little uneven ridge down or something so it's flat again).

On the other hand, a few times I've had it act up driving home right up until pulling in the garage and the next morning it's GONE all the way to work and then it's back again when I leave FROM work. That makes no sense at all to me and doesn't really fit the pattern. It shouldn't just disappear and reappear like magic unless something is rubbing up against the unit somewhere just barely and transmitting the vibration and then moves away again slightly. I can't imagine what offhand, though. Plus some people seem to get much worse vibration than others.
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Old 05-19-2013, 06:38 PM   #112
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So I have the same issue. It comes and goes, however I can make it go away if I put it in neutral and "stab" the clutch really fast. then its smooth as butter. I know taking it to the dealer ship is going to get my no ware. so I hope it just grenades while its under warrantee.. No one found a fix for this?
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Old 05-19-2013, 08:22 PM   #113
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nothing is going to grenade. there are at least 2 cars in here that have 55k+ that has this issue and nothing exploded yet.
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Old 05-23-2013, 01:20 PM   #114
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nothing is going to grenade. there are at least 2 cars in here that have 55k+ that has this issue and nothing exploded yet.
My 2013 is exhibiting this behavior, about 7k on the ODO. Very intermittent, it started and stuck around for maybe 1k miles then went away. It came back again the other day and went away later. I'm bringing her in for an oil change in a few weeks, I'm going to have the dealership look at it.
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Old 05-23-2013, 09:05 PM   #115
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I ruled out sloppy shifting because it can be reproduced without shifting.
Basically, a very soft shift into the first or second, letting the foot off the pedal, everything feels smooth. Then floor the gas from 2000 to 5500 or 6000 rpm. The clutch feels gritty when pressed to switch back to neutral. Keeping it in neutral, it goes away after few pumps.
It is intermittent and it happens in third as well. .
Never happened without bringing the revs up.

I also have a cracking noise from the clutch at the last inch of the clutch travel i.e. pedal fully pressed. It comes from under the hood, not the pedal assembly.
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Old 05-23-2013, 10:20 PM   #116
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My 2013 WRx with about 2700 miles started having the same gritty clutch feel about 2 weeks ago. I had just gotten home and got out to open the garage door. When I got back in the car and started to reverse, I immediately noticed the gritty feeling in the pedal as I was slowing lifting my foot off.
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:09 AM   #117
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So, since yesterday, I have an awful squeal from the clutch bearing.
But only when the pedal feels weird. It goes away as soon as the feeling in the pedal goes away.
At least, it is now obvious that there is a problem with the TOB.
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:34 AM   #118
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So, since yesterday, I have an awful squeal from the clutch bearing.
But only when the pedal feels weird. It goes away as soon as the feeling in the pedal goes away.
At least, it is now obvious that there is a problem with the TOB.
How many miles? And how does the pedal feel weird?


Ok so you have a WRX and its a 2011 with 20k. Do you know if the components are the same as a 2012+ impreza i wouldnt think they would be.
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:56 AM   #119
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I think that they are the same since 2008. Or even 2006 when they changed the clutch type.
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Old 05-30-2013, 12:38 PM   #120
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So, since yesterday, I have an awful squeal from the clutch bearing.
But only when the pedal feels weird. It goes away as soon as the feeling in the pedal goes away.
At least, it is now obvious that there is a problem with the TOB.
yes, i've heard this on mine too. at first i thought it was a squeaky belt or pulley, but i realized it was related to the clutch. when i parked while its in its "gritty state", it would make a squeaking noise. it goes away when the clutch becomes normal.

i havent had this happen to me in a while. im currently at 55k ish
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Old 05-30-2013, 11:59 PM   #121
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My TOB will make some noise when driving after a cold start when it's damp out. Others have reported this too. This is another symptom that I'm not convinced will actually be fixed for good by having the dealer replace parts.
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Old 05-31-2013, 12:28 AM   #122
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yep i have that too
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Old 05-31-2013, 04:51 PM   #123
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As I've mentioned before, my TOB has "ticked" from day one. I'm getting the feeling the bearings they use are garbage.
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Old 06-01-2013, 07:53 PM   #124
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As I've mentioned before, my TOB has "ticked" from day one. I'm getting the feeling the bearings they use are garbage.
But does the noise actually mean the bearings are "garbage" even if we don't know yet if they're prone to early failure?
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Old 06-02-2013, 04:14 PM   #125
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But does the noise actually mean the bearings are "garbage" even if we don't know yet if they're prone to early failure?
Typically, a bearing noise means something is creating friction. The louder it gets the more wear is happening and as it grinds down it will eventually seize. A new bearing should make virtually zero noise. A ticking sound indicates rubbing. The louder it gets the more wear is happening. At work, we check machine bearings with a ultrasound meter to locate the bad bearing quickly. When it's pegging around 100dB over a normal/new/typical bearing, it's time to change it to prevent a failure while the machine is running later in the day.

Of course, a noisy bearing may last a good long time and a quiet one can suddenly freeze if something wears really fast for some reason. It's not an exact science, but noise is a good indicator of friction and the whole point of a bearing is a smooth rotational motion. Lack of grease, dust/dirt contamination or excess wear can create more and more friction and therefore it's more and more likely to seize.

So my point was that a bearing that is making noise on Day 1 is probably not the best made bearing in the world. OTOH, I had a bearing squeak on my first car for over 6 years and the TOB never seized.
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