Hey guys, I was driving today in traffic (a lot of first gear driving) and suddenly the clutch wouldn't pop back out. I started to pull it out with my foot to continue driving it but it kept getting harder and harder to get into gear. I then got stuck on the road because I could no longer get it into 1st. I turned off the car and stayed there for about 10-15 minutes in the car and then finally was able to get it into gear.

It was very hard to get it into first and then I drove down about 2 streets and I couldn't get it into first again. I had to have other people help me push the car to the side of the road. I called my Road Side Assistance to bring a flat bed.

The clutch sticking was still present until about 20 minutes. After that, it went in and out perfectly fine. By the time the tow truck came, the car was completely driveable again. I didn't get a chance to drive it down the block though, I just had to move it for the tow truck.

Its at the dealership now and will be looked at on Monday. Anyone have any idea what the problem is?

Its a 2005 with no mods. 12,500 aprox.

Thanks for the help!
I had such a bad day

 

i heard that happening to poeple that do a lot of autocrossing and their clutch pedel gets stuck. Go to the dealer and they could easily fix this prob. They'll prolly lube the clutch assemly wit greese or something.

 

wow man, Im sorry I dont see why it would do that im no mechanic but mmaybe the padal was offset??

 

Clutch fluid problem maybe?

I haven't even drove the car hard at all. No racing or anything. :-(

 

No prob not ---Have to start from square one --- qick bleed to elimimated air in line question, Then visually watch slave cyl to see if it is actuating. If above is cool ,, Then u have a pressure plate prob---colapsed diaphrams/levers----Warrenty time ...

 

bad slave cylinder?

 

After I had my JWT clutch/flywheel combo installed, I started having this very problem. I have an 05 as well. It would only happen occasionally on warm days with heavy shifting, like the crazy Dragon Drive.

Sometimes the pedal would lose it's feel and almost doesn't "pop up." On the Dragon I had to pull over and wait, and couldn't use 1st gear cause it grinded. After 30 minutes everything was cool. My clutch fluid is fine, and it hasn't happened in a few months, but it still concerns me.

 

This happened to me too. I launched the car at about 3K, didnt dump it, but it was pretty agressive. I shifted to second, and the clutch was stuck to floor. It came back up after a few seconds, but its annoying. What can I tell the dealer other than "my clutch gets stuck when I take off at 3k rpm" lol. This is the only car Ive driven with so many drivetrain problems.

 

Is the clutch staying disengaged when it stays on the floor ??? Are u running stock pressure plates or aftermarket? If the latter, What brand are they ?

 

has happened to me before as well

 

This has happened to me but only after donuts! Its kinda hard to tell dealer my clutch wont pop back out after doin donuts!

 

This is normal..but not really...for the Z. It usually happens when you auto-X, track, and dumping the clutch. What other people suggested is get some SS clutch lines. It will help alots.

 

What causes it though ?? Im curious. I can see how the S/S line might help --But help what ? Heat build up has to do something with it Im sure. If u depress the clutch pedal u force fluid from the Master to the Slave which in turn activates the throw out brg. which presses against the diaphram to disengage the disc. At this point everything is under a lot of pressure and wants to return to the original state. I dont understand why that much displaced volumn under pressure seems to just disappear.

Perplexed

 

Do the stainless steel lines effect the pedal effort or anything, does it make it stiffer?? I think the ss lines dont expand as much like the stock ones under pressure, just like ss brake lines. At least thats what I think, anyone know?

 

U got it !!!

 

Same here. Hot weather, city driving stop and go in NYC or West Side, clutch would start to be reluctant to come off the floor normally - it would stick and then pop up. This was with about 20k miles.

Classic 1st gear driving problem in very slow traffic - cannot really get the clutch fully out before you're on the brake or into the car in front of you. Velly bad for clutch...accompanied by nasty burning smell.

If I let it cool down, came back. Check fluid; mine was down a bit. If fluids normal, it's cooled down, and it still does not work, see above - it's broke.

hth

 

HEAT was definite factor in mine. Only ever happened with combo of hot weather and slow traffic.

It's hard to figure why it won't return when as you point out there is a lot pressure to disengage.

Never had these problems on the track or driving hard extended periods of time, can only figure that heat and rapid repeated use had something to do with it.

Equally perplexed.

 

Is this just boiling problem? Flush / bleed with new high temp DOT4 fluid and good to go?

 

I dont know --hence--perplexed. Has to be, I would think heat related and SS along with Hi-Temp Fluid would be good. But just seems to me to be going against the laws of Hydraulics. Main reason Im pushin this is because this could be a life threatening situation under the right circummstances or at least a bumper threatening situation. I can see it now ------WTF!!!!! look down, CRASH! AH ???? Whats this Balloon in my face? Am I at the Circus ???

 

Will changing fluid and going to SS lines make the pedal stiffer/harder??? Im willing to do it as long as pedal effort stays the same, because I drive it everyday.