2008 Mazda3 2.3L Clutch Issues
 

Hello,

I've got a 2008 3 Touring with just over 50k miles. Haven't had any problems with it up until today. Returning home after an oil change I shifted gears on the highway and the clutch pedal stuck and didn't return on it's own. I was able to bring it back with my foot and everything seemed to be fine. Then when leaving an intersection the clutch didn't engage until about 4000 RPM and then I could smell it slipping. I limped home, only a couple miles and parked it. I've had synchro issues in the past but this is different. I know it's a hydraulic clutch assembly and am thinking either the clutch fried or the master/slave cylinders failed. I'm leaning more towards hydraulic issues based on the pedal feedback.

Here's my question: Is it be possible when the skid plate was put back on they pinched the hydraulic line? The timing of it happening right after the oil change seems right, but I don't know if that line is low enough for that happen?

Any thoughts would be really appreciated. I know a clutch replacement is going to run about $1000, fixing the hydraulics a little less, but if I just need to loosen the plate it would be a much smaller headache.

Thanks!
Chris

the clutch doesn't have a cable that can be pinched from the under pan. It's a flex line from the master to the engine, then a hard line to the slave...
Make sure you're not low on brake fluid - same resivoir as the clutch, but it should have warned you of low fluid before now if that was the case.
Generally it sounds like the slave cylinder is leaking - but I guess it could be either end (master or slave).

thanks for the response. Fluid levels look good and there's no visible leaks under the car. After talking to a friend that works at a transmission shop he felt it was hydraulic more than a clutch issue. I'm getting it towed over on Monday morning so we'll see what it ends up being.

I appreciate the reply.

Thanks,
Chris

Any update on your issue?

Yes, sorry I hadn't posted anything here since. Whole clutch went on me. Hydraulics were fine, clutch disc was not. So it turned out to be a pretty expensive repair.

Part of me wonders the day and a half I tried to teach a friend how to drive stick greatly accelerated this situation. Maybe I should send them the bill.

Thanks for the follow-up.

Chris

Expensive? Whats a new clutch install and labor cost on these cars?