Purchasing your vehicle is widely regarded as being among some of the best investments that any person can make for themselves. Not only does this allow you to become mobile, but it also saves you so much more time travelling to and from various destinations than you would have travelled using public transportation or e-hailing services.
While this may make the journey simple and convenient for you, the continuous travelling over large periods may result in your vehicle experiencing some wear and tear issues.
This ultimately can affect the overall performance and experience of the car, and if ignored can lead to severe consequences.
At the top of this list is the vehicle’s clutch system.
According to ACKO Technology and Services, parent company to Acko Insurance, “a car clutch is essentially a mechanical device that connects and disconnects the engine’s power from the transmission, allowing you to change gears smoothly.”
The above-mentioned source explains that this is an essential component of manual transmissions, serving as the intermediary between the engine and the wheels.
Furthermore, the automotive safety company Safety Break and Clutch states that several factors may cause your clutch to wear out.
These include:
- Slipping the clutch for more pick-up
- Using your clutch as a footrest
- Releasing the clutch prematurely
- Clutch balancing
To ensure that you are conscious about when your clutch needs to be replaced, car spares company Goldwagen highlights that these are what you can look out for:
- Difficulty shifting gear
- Squeaking or grumbling noise when the clutch pedal is pressed
- Spongy, sticking, vibrating or loose clutch pedal when pressed
- Ability to rev the engine, but poor acceleration
- Slipping clutch, causing a momentary loss of acceleration.
Also see: Top 3 entry level cars in South Africa
