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Failed clutch on my Ateca

59K views 72 replies 30 participants last post by  Tanya 
#1 ·
I have a 10 month old Ateca currently back with the main dealer who is asking for some £2000 to replace the clutch and flywheel on my Ateca in spite of the car having covered only 5000 miles. The car had a fault within the first three months when we had to stop because the clutch was smoking badly after a journey of less than 3 miles. We took it back to the main dealer who said it was ok and it ran for a further few months without apparent problem before the clutch failed completely last Saturday and the car had to be towed back to the main dealer. They phoned me to say I had to authorise £400 for them to remove the gearbox to get at the clutch. The next day they told me there was no sign of a manufacturing fault and that I will have to pay around £2000 for a new flywheel and clutch to get my car back. I was told the clutch is only guaranteed for 6 months or 5000 miles. I kept my last SEATfor 12 years during which I did not need a replacement clutch so I am sure it is not due to any driving fault on my part.
Has anyone any advice to offer on this? I am in touch with SEAT UK and awaiting a response but tomorrow I look like having to pay out around £2000 to get my 10 month old Ateca back on the road. It is the 1 litre turbo petrol model.
 
#27 ·
I have extensive experience of handling claims in the Small Claims Track Track of the County Court. I can't offer my services in a professional capacity but I'm very happy to give guidance where I can if people have questions.
 
#28 ·
Kamil1981 said:
jackbauer said:
Kamil1981 said:
I would (kind of) understand clutch failing after 10000-20000 miles ... but after 1200 it is heartbreaking. Still waiting for the call back from the dealer, I really hope that they will have decency to fix this under the warranty...
In all my years of driving I have never had a clutch fail on me and I've covered well over 50,000 miles in various cars so I would expect the Ateca to be the same. Kamil1981 let us know what your dealer says and the what the cause of the clutch failing is. Hopefully you have it fixed soon.
Most definitely I will:)
Good morning, quick update. I received a call from dealership and I was told that it looks like the clutch burned out (I knew that already). They also told me that they will speak to SEAT to get the clutch repaired under the warranty as regardless of the way the car was driven it should not fail after 1200 miles. I'm waiting for call from them to confirm that SEAT will pick up the cost.
 
#30 ·
I have also noticed recently on a slight uphill with the parking brake engaged (not auto hold) when you go to pull away the clutch again burns very easily. It does seem to be particularly affecting 1.0 cars and not 1.4's or diesels. Perhaps a different bite point for the 1.0 or the clutch is a lot more sensitive. Not sure.

[/quote]
Good morning, quick update. I received a call from dealership and I was told that it looks like the clutch burned out (I knew that already). They also told me that they will speak to SEAT to get the clutch repaired under the warranty as regardless of the way the car was driven it should not fail after 1200 miles. I'm waiting for call from them to confirm that SEAT will pick up the cost.
[/quote]

Well at least that's something and I should think so too about SEAT picking up the cost. You expect the clutch to last in excess of thousands of miles.

DougFoster said:
I'm still in dispute with Seat over my failed clutch at 10000 miles despite like others having often had cars with over 70000 miles on the clock with no clutch issues
It does seem a worrying trend
That isn't good and hopefully this can be resolved sooner rather than later.
 
#32 ·
I am awaiting a telephone mediation interview next week and if we don't reach agreement the next step will be the County Court. I found additional information via Google which gives information about how to spot problems.
What are the signs of a bad dual mass flywheel
…Burnt smell. One of the major indicators of a bad flywheel is a burning smell, like that of burnt toast. ...
Got this from phoenixfriction.com.
I'm not sure whetherI can give details of the court action but if I can I will as clearly mine is not the only car affected. Seems to be worse on the 1 litre cars.
Mine is the SE TECH ECOMOTIVE TSI
 
#33 ·
This is clearly a mechanical fault, not driver fault. Clutches simply don't fail at such an early age unless it is either faulty, or there is abnormal load being put through (i.e. max revs and dumping the clutch pedal to pull off).

I've experienced a few clutch failures but these have only ever been on cars that have done 140k plus, and have been used for towing. This is roughly an expected lifespan of a clutch, and extra load has been put on them through towing.

Keep fighting the dealer, it is apparent that this seems to be an issue affecting the 1.0 petrol models and you shouldn't be paying for this, it's a warranty issue. They will be hard pressed to prove that driving style caused this so I'm sure they'll give in eventually, just a right pain that it has to go this far! Keep making it high profile too, that will push them to action, even if they say it's a "gesture of good will".
 
#34 ·
David Gatenby said:
I am awaiting a telephone mediation interview next week and if we don't reach agreement the next step will be the County Court. I found additional information via Google which gives information about how to spot problems.
What are the signs of a bad dual mass flywheel
…Burnt smell. One of the major indicators of a bad flywheel is a burning smell, like that of burnt toast. ...
Got this from phoenixfriction.com.
I'm not sure whetherI can give details of the court action but if I can I will as clearly mine is not the only car affected. Seems to be worse on the 1 litre cars.
Mine is the SE TECH ECOMOTIVE TSI
I feel gutted for you, what an awful experience you are having to deal with. Hope you get it sorted and don't have to pay up.

I also hope this does not affect the 1.4tsi models as we also get a burning smell coming from ours, usually after reversing onto our drive way, which is fairly steep, but also on other occasions, particuarly around hills, but I just put this down to the weight of the car and the low mileage it is still at.
My wife and I both like to think we have good clutch control and there is no clutch grinding noises or engine labouring that you would obviously expect to cause the smell. Just seems strange as we never had the smell from the Leon we owned previously (also a 1.4tsi) and don't get it from our current Ibiza (our second car) and we reverse that onto the drive too.

Hopefully it's nothing as we havent had any problems (touch wood), but reading this thread has raised my level of concern a little. :shock:
 
#35 ·
SEAT have covered the cost of a new clutch in my 1.0TDI Ateca and although I do not want the vehicle back, following my catastrophic failure in the outside lane of a motorway, I am being forced to accept their decision. As I am in a lease purchase agreement for 3 years, I will be stuck with what I now see as a piece of scrap metal outside my house for the next 2 years, or until the negative equity is at a point where I can return the vehicle.
Because SEAT state this is wear and tear which can occur at any time, I am not prepared to drive the vehicle as this would mean putting myself, my family and other road users at risk,
There is always the hope that SEAT will see sense with the number of complaints both here and on other social media and initiate a recall on the 1.0 models, but for now, I guess that SEAT are following the process one described in the film Fight, see link: Clubhttp://inaneexplained.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/fight-club-car-recall.html
If SEAT had ever considered that there was a faulty batch of clutches or that the clutch is insufficient for the load of the car and replaced all, then I would have been happy to continue driving the vehicle.
I have been a loyal customer of SEAT for over 14 years and many of my previous SEAT cars have done in excess of 70,000 miles without ever having a clutch issue
The attitude of SEAT towards me and others on this forum is that despite a history of driving thousands of miles without clutch issues, the moment we take delivery of the Aetca, we automatically turn in to bad drivers who dont know how to use a clutch properly
 
#36 ·
Uggzy2014 said:
I also hope this does not affect the 1.4tsi models as we also get a burning smell coming from ours, usually after reversing onto our drive way, which is fairly steep, but also on other occasions, particuarly around hills, but I just put this down to the weight of the car and the low mileage it is still at.
'
Just wondering if that's not brake related? All these auto-hold and hill-hold functions make life much easier but the systems aren't perfect and get caught out now and again.
 
#37 ·
I'm starting to get some sort of "transmission slip" when moving off from cold, barely noticeable but it's there. Bit like driving over an icy puddle for example. It only does it once or twice when moving off from cold for a fraction of a second and I can't replicate it after.............getting a bit worried. Car is 10 months old with 6000 miles on the clock.
Like others, I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles, generally keep the same car for 6 to 8 years, and never had a clutch go on me.

Previous car was a 4x4 Octavia, used to get a similar feel before the Haldex clutch kicked in on a slippery surface, only not so long or noticeable.

Passenger doesn't notice it.
 
G
#39 ·
DougFoster said:
SEAT have covered the cost of a new clutch in my 1.0TDI Ateca
...
If SEAT had ever considered that there was a faulty batch of clutches or that the clutch is insufficient for the load of the car and replaced all, then I would have been happy to continue driving the vehicle.
Well, for me it seems that they have acknowledged that it's really not normal wear and tear. Otherwise, they would not cover the costs, would they? It's extremely rare that car manufacturer publicly states, that there's some design fault or a faulty batch of parts in their cars. You have to read between the lines. :|
 
#40 ·
DougFoster said:
I had my clutch fail on the M62 whilst driving in the outside lane about 70mph
Luckily despite how busy the motorway was I managed to keep control and get over to the hard shoulder, by which time the smell was awful and lots of smoke. My concern is that a less experienced driver could have had a major accident and Seat are not taking this seriously
Like others SEAT are trying to blame my driving stating its wear and tear, despite the car being 1 year old and 10,000 miles on the clock, the majority of those 10,000 miles having been driven on motorways, so not city heavy on clutch driving. The car was serviced in October and the Clutch/brake/transmission was given the green light
I have been driving for over 35 years and have never had a clutch issue before despite some of my cars having done over 75,000 miles
I am currently in discussion with Seat customer services and the car remains in the garage, but I do not want to pay a penny for repairs and now have no confidence in driving my Ateca again as there is no guarantee I can get anywhere without the clutch breaking
Doug Foster if you read this please wil you direct message me on here I need some help with the same situation.
 
#42 ·
Hi Frannyt

Well this morning they have delivered the Ateca back to me as I refused to drive it back from the garage as I no longer have any confidence in the vehicle and will not drive it. My garage is 2 motorways away and after the way my clutch failed, I am not prepared to take the risk.
Note I have not paid anything for a replacement clutch or delivery to my home
What I have done is wrote to the CEO of Seat UK - Richard.Harrison@Seatcars.co.uk and explained it to him, I then had the executive office of Seat contact me
In addition I also contacted Hugo Griffiths the Deputy Consumer Editor, Auto Express and Carbuyer <hugo_griffiths@dennis.co.uk>, who was very interested and helpful. If more of us contact him they will likely do a piece in the magazine on this

Feel free to message me

Regards

Doug
 
#43 ·
Hi Doug I can't message you on here yet as it says I haven't done enough posts.
I'm glad you seem to be getting somewhere with your situation. Mine is similar but have no success as yet. It's been sat in a local Seat dealership for a few weeks now as we were at a dispute re my 'failed clutch and failed dual mass flywheel'. My hubby works in the motor trade so asked the dealership to send us photos of the 'failed' parts but when two mechanics from Honda have looked at the photos they weren't convinced the clutch or flywheel were failed and certainly not convinced it would be down to driver error which is what the dealership have reported. I, like you have no faith in the car now after what happened but more so because the Seat dealership admitted they don't Road test the vehicles as 'policy' so they just went ahead and removed the clutch and deemed it failed due to my driving. I'm 37 I've driven so many new cars and used cars and have never ever had problems with a clutch in my life. Suddenly I've got the 1.0 atteca and my driving is so horrendous!
I did contact Richard Harrison a few weeks ago and was then passed to an exec in his office to investigate my complaint and Oliver Lee who dealt with us was so far removed from good customer liaison he had me in tears on the phone twice in one week because he repeatedly shouted at me. I'm just fed up Doug I either faced a £600 + bill at the dealership or I've now chosen to take the car away as exec office said they wouldn't offer us with any goodwill gesture or any support. That made me laugh in itself as I've been 4 weeks without even a courtesy car so there certainly wasn't any support or good will there, I already knew that ! My husband has taken it to the dealership where he works for some colleagues to look at it. Currently they are advising me to look at handing the car back to my lease company as they think same fault could occur again.
How can this be acceptable on a car under a year old with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. It's crazy. I opted to lease this car through my NHS scheme as I need a reliable car for my job, visiting patients in the community and this car has been more trouble than I ever would have anticipated. As I explained to the exec office I understand with new models there could be teething problems and faults I think that's acceptable but I would expect the manufacturer to take some responsibility for this rather than blaming driver style / error. From my husbands experience in the dealerships he's previously worked there have indeed been similar problems with other makes and models but the difference there is the manufacturers have taken on the cost and rectified the problems for the customers.
Meanwhile the fleet satisfaction team in my lease company are taking a formal compliant forward on my behalf but I can't see it getting anywhere. Seat Uk were so lacking in empathy and actually listening to anything a customer had to say im expecting nothing better really. Just gutted as absolutely loved this car and was so excited to be driving it this first year. All that shine has been taken away.
Let me know how you get on.
 
#44 ·
Frannyt said:
Hi Doug I can't message you on here yet as it says I haven't done enough posts.
I'm glad you seem to be getting somewhere with your situation. Mine is similar but have no success as yet. It's been sat in a local Seat dealership for a few weeks now as we were at a dispute re my 'failed clutch and failed dual mass flywheel'. My hubby works in the motor trade so asked the dealership to send us photos of the 'failed' parts but when two mechanics from Honda have looked at the photos they weren't convinced the clutch or flywheel were failed and certainly not convinced it would be down to driver error which is what the dealership have reported. I, like you have no faith in the car now after what happened but more so because the Seat dealership admitted they don't Road test the vehicles as 'policy' so they just went ahead and removed the clutch and deemed it failed due to my driving. I'm 37 I've driven so many new cars and used cars and have never ever had problems with a clutch in my life. Suddenly I've got the 1.0 atteca and my driving is so horrendous!
I did contact Richard Harrison a few weeks ago and was then passed to an exec in his office to investigate my complaint and Oliver Lee who dealt with us was so far removed from good customer liaison he had me in tears on the phone twice in one week because he repeatedly shouted at me. I'm just fed up Doug I either faced a £600 + bill at the dealership or I've now chosen to take the car away as exec office said they wouldn't offer us with any goodwill gesture or any support. That made me laugh in itself as I've been 4 weeks without even a courtesy car so there certainly wasn't any support or good will there, I already knew that ! My husband has taken it to the dealership where he works for some colleagues to look at it. Currently they are advising me to look at handing the car back to my lease company as they think same fault could occur again.
How can this be acceptable on a car under a year old with less than 10,000 miles on the clock. It's crazy. I opted to lease this car through my NHS scheme as I need a reliable car for my job, visiting patients in the community and this car has been more trouble than I ever would have anticipated. As I explained to the exec office I understand with new models there could be teething problems and faults I think that's acceptable but I would expect the manufacturer to take some responsibility for this rather than blaming driver style / error. From my husbands experience in the dealerships he's previously worked there have indeed been similar problems with other makes and models but the difference there is the manufacturers have taken on the cost and rectified the problems for the customers.
Meanwhile the fleet satisfaction team in my lease company are taking a formal compliant forward on my behalf but I can't see it getting anywhere. Seat Uk were so lacking in empathy and actually listening to anything a customer had to say im expecting nothing better really. Just gutted as absolutely loved this car and was so excited to be driving it this first year. All that shine has been taken away.
Let me know how you get on.
Very sorry to hear all of this and it really should not happen - getting nowhere with gestures of goodwill and informal discussions so when I would suggest you do is engage a solicitor to either the lease company or the supplying dealer. I know is going to cost you money you never know just a simple letter from the solicitor might suddenly have a change of heart and a gesture of goodwill is forthcoming.... whatever way you look at it is costing you money either you have paid, or paying for a lease for the next few years. unfortunately this country is becoming more and more litigatored in it's attitude and sometimes it is only what companies understand
 
#46 ·
Hi All,
Am posting here as I am yet another example of a 1ltr Ateca with low mileage having a clutch and flywhheel failure which I am being told is not included in the warranty. I got the car in Nov as an ex demonstrator with 6k on the clock from the main dealer, when the car was fully checked. 5 months later I am up to 14k mileage and my clutch burns out last night. Now I pretty much drive for my job and have never had any clutch issues before, but today the dealership have told me that the issue is not 'wear & tear' but down to my driving style. I absolutely reject this as I'm no boy racer and am mostly on the motorway in 6th gear. Looking on the forum it seems there are a load of us whose driving skills have apparently deteriorated massively after buying a 1ltr Ateca (or so the dealers would have us believe). They want £1700 to replace the clutch and fly wheel which theres no way I'm accepting as this shouldn't have happened in the first place!. I am now in touch with SEAT UK, but is there anything else those of you on here who have been also been put in this position wold suggest I do immediately? Am fortunate to have a courtesy car but will need my own wagon back at some point. How has it panned out for everyone else on here?
Frankly, I just dissappointed and feeling like I've been ripped off at the moment.
 
#47 ·
Sibeurfph said:
Hi All,
Am posting here as I am yet another example of a 1ltr Ateca with low mileage having a clutch and flywhheel failure which I am being told is not included in the warranty. I got the car in Nov as an ex demonstrator with 6k on the clock from the main dealer, when the car was fully checked. 5 months later I am up to 14k mileage and my clutch burns out last night. Now I pretty much drive for my job and have never had any clutch issues before, but today the dealership have told me that the issue is not 'wear & tear' but down to my driving style. I absolutely reject this as I'm no boy racer and am mostly on the motorway in 6th gear. Looking on the forum it seems there are a load of us whose driving skills have apparently deteriorated massively after buying a 1ltr Ateca (or so the dealers would have us believe). They want £1700 to replace the clutch and fly wheel which theres no way I'm accepting as this shouldn't have happened in the first place!. I am now in touch with SEAT UK, but is there anything else those of you on here who have been also been put in this position wold suggest I do immediately? Am fortunate to have a courtesy car but will need my own wagon back at some point. How has it panned out for everyone else on here?
Frankly, I just dissappointed and feeling like I've been ripped off at the moment.
What model and engine do you have?
 
#49 ·
Sibeurfph said:
Hi Jamesiow

Its the 1.0 TSI SE Tech Ecomotive
The stock answer with premature clutch failures seems to be 'driver error'. However you can always seek a second opinion from a specialist, particularly if you're in dispute.

Things to point out though - getting an independent report will cost YOU money. Now, if the report clearly indicates a defect and that you were not at fault then obviously you get the clutch replaced under warranty and I would say have reasonable grounds to claim the cost of the report back too; however that is not guaranteed. If, for some sad reason, the report comes down on the side of SEAT (or perhaps no definitive answer) then you don't have much else to go on.

Also, if you do decide to go down that path then who you approach to do an independent report is important. Check their industry credentials to ensure that SEAT will recognise them, in order to avoid a "we don't acknowledge that report to be accurate... how do we know they're an expert" type argument. Not saying you'll get that far, but good to protect yourself up-front.

You may find the following page useful: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/buying-or-repairing-a-car/motor-industry-associations/
If you're locked in dispute with your garage and they're a member of one of those associations there will be a dispute procedure and arbitration service you can follow.

Probably teaching you to suck eggs on this one, but one final thing - you say you need your car back soon, indicating that time is an important factor here. All of the above does take time. If, for some reason, you need to have the car and the repair done before settling on who is liable (i.e. you have to fork out cash up-front and argue later - not recommended) then make sure they give you the offending parts that were replaced afterwards along with all associated documentation and statement of work carried out.
 
#50 ·
Sibeurfph said:
Hi Jamesiow

Its the 1.0 TSI SE Tech Ecomotive
Ekk.... Sorry to Hear all this I was hoping you going to say you had a 1.6 TDI not the same engine as mine. much like yourself in near 17 years of driving mostly in VW AG products I have never had a clutch failure.

Please please do post back with the outcome even if you had to fork out £1700+, I would almost be tempted if you do have to pay the full amount is to seek 3rd party specialist to fit it is bound to be a lot cheaper than SEAT/VW.
 
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