BMW NA: whats with the clutch "shudder"?

2180 Views 15 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Parump, Nov 30, 2002

geomax

Discussion Starter · Jun 1, 2002 (Edited)

I'm seeing more and more posts both here and over on the .org about a "shudder", "vibration" or "popping" in the clutch. This seems to mostly affect current model 325's.

This is a multiple selection poll: choose either yes or no to indicate whether you have the issue, and what model car you have.

I know BMW NA lurks here, so maybe this will get their attention.

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Dan325ci

· #2 · Jun 1, 2002

I definitely have a problem. I hear a clicking sound as I depress the clutch back and forth. However, this is only heard when the key is in the "ON" position. I dont hear a clicking sound when the engine is "on".

However, after the vehicle is warmed up a bit I get a shudder in my clutch as I am finishing a shift (just at the point when I fully release the clutch pedal) Also, my shift knob vibrates a lot, in gear and in neutral.

This can't be normal, can it? :yikes:

KP

· #3 · Jun 1, 2002

Good call:thumb: . Do you have the leather knob? I have the matte chrome, so it vibrates a little more, but when I had my oem leather knob, I felt no vibration. But I only had that knob for 5 days after I picked up the car:lmao: . I took my car to service yesterday to 'diagnose' the problem again

. We'll see how it goes:thumbdwn:

DougDogs

· #4 · Jun 1, 2002

Dan325ci said:
I definitely have a problem. I hear a clicking sound as I depress the clutch back and forth. However, this is only heard when the key is in the "ON" position. I dont hear a clicking sound when the engine is "on".

Dan, are you sure that the clicking you are hearing is not the safety relay turning on and off?? You know, the one that dis-ables the starter unless you have the clutch pressed in??

It is a slightly audible relay in my car.:dunno: :dunno:

Dan325ci

· #5 · Jun 2, 2002

DougDogs said:
Dan, are you sure that the clicking you are hearing is not the safety relay turning on and off?? You know, the one that dis-ables the starter unless you have the clutch pressed in??

It is a slightly audible relay in my car.:dunno: :dunno:

Yes, it is possible that is what I am hearing. Can anyone confirm that there is such a part. I have heard conflicting stories on whether or not the vehicle does have a "safety relay" for the clutch that "clicks" when clutch pedal is depressed.

Dan325ci

· #6 · Jun 2, 2002

KP said:
Good call:thumb: . Do you have the leather knob? I have the matte chrome, so it vibrates a little more, but when I had my oem leather knob, I felt no vibration. But I only had that knob for 5 days after I picked up the car:lmao: . I took my car to service yesterday to 'diagnose' the problem again . We'll see how it goes:thumbdwn:

I have the M3 Shift Knob in chrome....but I also had the vibration when I had the OEM leather knob.

DougDogs

· #7 · Jun 2, 2002

Dan325ci said:
Yes, it is possible that is what I am hearing. Can anyone confirm that there is such a part. I have heard conflicting stories on whether or not the vehicle does have a "safety relay" for the clutch that "clicks" when clutch pedal is depressed.

There is definately an interlock relay...Just try starting your car without the clutch pushed in..... You can't engage starter motor without clutch pedal pushed in.

jm8571

· #8 · Jun 2, 2002

Definately not like any other clutch I've driven

The vibration or shudder has been gradually dissapearing as my car breaks in. I am at 2200 miles now. It was a major complaint for me when I first bought the car. My only real issue with the clutch now is how f***ing high the thing engages. It is a real pain, and I am still not used to it.

ride365

· #9 · Jun 3, 2002

i get a clicking on the way down, and i get popping/snapping on the way up. it used to be intermittent [months], then it was constant [weeks], then it went away. i never took it in because it's inconvenient for me to take the car in for service... i was waiting for my first scheduled oil change. plus it isn't always reproduceable.

emi323i

· #10 · Jun 4, 2002

i already replaced 2 clutches

first one @ 30k miles, and was covered ... second one 10k miles later. At that point I said, screw it, and paid for a perf sachs clutch. haven't had any problems since.

ezzthetic

· #11 · Nov 28, 2002

I know I am late to post on this but...
I was just at the service department a few times in the last few weeks. First to deal with some other things but while there, I asked them to check the clutch as it was having the exact same symptoms you are all describing - shudder in the shift knob, vibration etc.

I just bought the car CPO about 3 months ago with 45k and unbelievably the service manager said, let's get any last issues you see before you go out of the 50k bumper to bumper. We did a number of things that I didn't think he would do (replaced my radio because the anti-theft light didn't blink etc.) but... They said they drove it and couldn't repeat the issue with the clutch... He then followed up with "if it is doing it, just drop by and we will drive it again to see if we can repeat it". So, a few days ago, it was doing it and I stopped in. One of the techs drove it with me and WAS able to produce the shudder. So, we go back to tell the service manager and he now says "Well, the clutch is a wearable item."

Now, I JUST bought the thing CPO, put less than 3k on it and he is saying that it is WEARABLE and not covered. I asked him if there was any way I could have done it in 3k and what about the CPO check of the car and he said, "well we can't pull the transition on a CPO, we just drive it to see if it is okay..." I said, "well you didn't see it last time I was here either", to which he responded, "let me talk to BMWNA and get back to me on Monday."

From reading your posts, I am wondering if this really is a wearable issue or if it is something more. I am supposed to talk to them again on Monday so any suggestions would be appreciated!

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HW

· #12 · Nov 28, 2002

from time to time i get a vibrating sensation at the lowest point in the clutch travel when i depress the clutch. there would sometime be a slight/quiet thunk from the back end at the same time. usually when this happens, i'm going at very low speed. however at higher speeds, i've noticed that right after i release the clutch and stomp on the gas, i can sense that there is a few quick pauses in acceleration, as if something was slipping for a few fractions of a second. it's almost rhythmic. there were a couple of times where stepping on the clutch felt like crunching on sand (and no i did not just come back from the beach).

AF

· #13 · Nov 30, 2002

DougDogs said:
There is definately an interlock relay...Just try starting your car without the clutch pushed in..... You can't engage starter motor without clutch pedal pushed in.

I have the same exact clicking noise in my clutch which I figured was the safety switch. It is also a barely Audible noise when I first start the car and I can hear it if I push the clutch in & out BEFORE I start driving but as soon as I start driving, the noise is gone completely during every shift, in fact I just came back from a ride and when I got in my driveway I sat in my car with the car at idle and it does not make the click . . . maybe it's got something to do with the car already running for a while :dunno:

Meanwhile I know that it is normal for a modern car to have this because my 98 eclipse made that noise and when I went to the dealer and sat in other Eclipses (brand new) they all had the same exact click.

It is definitely a switch of some type and I wouldn't worry about it.

Nick325xiT 5spd

· #14 · Nov 30, 2002

There are two clicks, Alan.

The first click, the loud one IS the safety switch. There's a second one that develops over time. This one is more felt than heard, and it's much higher up, right before the engagement point of the clutch. Actually, it's more in the middle of the soft engagement area. New clutches don't seem to do it. It's an issue that develops over time.

AF

· #15 · Nov 30, 2002

Nick325xiT 5spd said:
There are two clicks, Alan.

The first click, the loud one IS the safety switch. There's a second one that develops over time. This one is more felt than heard, and it's much higher up, right before the engagement point of the clutch. Actually, it's more in the middle of the soft engagement area. New clutches don't seem to do it. It's an issue that develops over time.

Nick, is this second one heard only when driving or also when the engine is off ?

Also, is this second click felt in the clutch itself . . . is it a normal thing to have ?

Parump

· #16 · Nov 30, 2002

I realize that analyzing a clutch problem in written form is dubious at best. However, the HACK did provide very useful information regarding the BMW clutch that has been true in my experience.

The mid travel click may in fact be the self adjusting mechanism that maintains proper tension on the pressure plate as the thickness of the clutch material thins from wear. This phenomenon lasted for about three weeks during the first year of ownership and then disappeared.

Secondly, the "wobble" that is most pronounced with spirited acceleration and high RPM in first gear may be "normal" for a dual mass clutch. I suspect that the BMW clutch is less than buttery smooth as a compromise to minimize friction losses and improve acceleration times.

A previous Acura had a very smooth clutch. However, even when new, it slipped much more than the BMW one.

The problems identified in this thread may be very different from the situations explained in the above note.

Just my thoughts . . .

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