7.5 manual clutch stink

[Splashalot]

Anyone else notice the clutch in their 7.5 (or 7) manual transmission Golf stinks during normal take offs?

My <4,000kms old Trendline manual has since brand new emitted a terrible burnt clutch stench on even flat road gentle take offs. I'm wondering if the auto-hold is in some way implicated (holding too long?) Will experiment by turning it off.

Just to confirm: Yes I do know how to drive a manual transmission. And no I don't slip or ride the clutch or in any way abuse it. My driving nowadays is sadly sedentary. I've never had a clutch issue in ~40 years of manual driving.

I will take the car back to the dealer but thought I would first plug the forum's combined brain trust.

[Mattlock]

I think that the devices VW have added to the manual clutch system to smooth it out for poorer manual drivers is to blame. I used to have all sorts of problems with slipping clutch and auto-hold until I did 2 things: removed the clutch assist spring on the pedal (20 second job with a pair of pliers) and removed the clutch line restrictor in the clutch line bleed block (about 20mins if you can bleed the lines, about 45mins if you’re cautious and it’s your first time doing it).

With those 2 things done, I have no issues with the auto-hold (releasing too early my my case) or with slipping during normal gear changes.


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[Polar B]

As Mattlock said remove the delay clutch valve, made me drive like a noob.... However if you're only taking off gently it should not make much of a difference.. I'd get it looked at if it's still under warranty.

I drive my R moderately with occasional launches and not had any issues with smell or burning

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[Splashalot]

A bit too early to tell definitively, but I suspect the hill-hold is the culprit.

Turned it off yesterday and haven't had any burnt clutch stench since. I discussed with the service manager who suspected the hill-hold.

Will report back after a more lengthy period for the info of others, should they have the same issue.

[westenderbender]

I’ve got an MY16 Trendline manual, have had a smell maybe once in 18mths and 10,000km, when I took off a little too quickly while getting adjusted to this zippy little bugger early on!

I use hill-hold 100% of the time, it works like a charm with the manual, never had any issue with it. I’d be reluctant to blame that.

Take it to the dealer, there’s definitely an issue.


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[Mattlock]

I’ve got an MY16 Trendline manual, have had a smell maybe once in 18mths and 10,000km, when I took off a little too quickly while getting adjusted to this zippy little bugger early on!

I use hill-hold 100% of the time, it works like a charm with the manual, never had any issue with it. I’d be reluctant to blame that.

Take it to the dealer, there’s definitely an issue.


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I’ve complained about my hill-hold and clutch since Day 1 (31,000km on the car now) and was ALWAYS told that there was no issue and everything was working ‘as expected’ - even when the car would release the handbrake and roll backwards before the clutch was engaged.

The problem wasn’t resolved until I followed Polar B and removed the restrictor. Since that date, not a single issue.

Go figure...


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[westenderbender]

I’ve complained about my hill-hold and clutch since Day 1 (31,000km on the car now) and was ALWAYS told that there was no issue and everything was working ‘as expected’ - even when the car would release the handbrake and roll backwards before the clutch was engaged.

The problem wasn’t resolved until I followed Polar B and removed the restrictor. Since that date, not a single issue.

Go figure...


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That’s bloody scary! Glad you got it sorted, but some of these dealers have a LOT to answer for.

Mine only ever releases the handbrake when I engage the clutch, with clockwork precision. Here’s hoping it stays that way :-/


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[Mattlock]

Yeah, exactly! My driveway is uphill and steep and for the first 12 months of ownership, I didn’t dare stop at the bottom to check the letterbox. One day, the car shot backwards and I was about 2m off hitting my son! It used to roll back at traffic lights too.

I put it down to the restrictor affecting the clutch fluid move and effectively telling the car the plates were biting when they hadn’t met yet.

With over 20 years of manual driving experience, I knew it wasn’t me (never had to replace a clutch, even in a 2 tonne diesel Mazda with 440nm). Plus I had a 5N Tiguan manual at the same time and its system was completely different. It seemed to measure load against the brakes before releasing as you always felt the car dip against the handbrake before the hill hold would release. The MQB platform changed that. The dealer would confirm that the 5N and MQB systems were totally different.

The OP may well still have a fault and yes it needs to be reported but in my experience, you’ll get a brush off!

(It’s probably the one thing that will mean that my next car might not be a manual Golf, which means it won’t be a VW at all).


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[westenderbender]

Yeah, exactly! My driveway is uphill and steep and for the first 12 months of ownership, I didn’t dare stop at the bottom to check the letterbox. One day, the car shot backwards and I was about 2m off hitting my son! It used to roll back at traffic lights too.

I put it down to the restrictor affecting the clutch fluid move and effectively telling the car the plates were biting when they hadn’t met yet.

With over 20 years of manual driving experience, I knew it wasn’t me (never had to replace a clutch, even in a 2 tonne diesel Mazda with 440nm). Plus I had a 5N Tiguan manual at the same time and its system was completely different. It seemed to measure load against the brakes before releasing as you always felt the car dip against the handbrake before the hill hold would release. The MQB platform changed that. The dealer would confirm that the 5N and MQB systems were totally different.

The OP may well still have a fault and yes it needs to be reported but in my experience, you’ll get a brush off!

(It’s probably the one thing that will mean that my next car might not be a manual Golf, which means it won’t be a VW at all).


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Is yours a GTi? Wondering if it’s a different setup to the standard Golf models.


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[Mattlock]

Nah, it’s an R. I would assume that all manual Golfs have the same setup but different plate thicknesses/springs to cope with the increased torque from the 2l Turbo.


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