I just purchased a new 2011 Scion xd manual transmission and there is very little room in the clutch freeplay, ie, the point where the clutch engages is so fine that often I either stall the engine or peel out, particularly on uphills. The dealer mechanic told me that could not be adjusted and that it would loosen over time but I don't believe him ...because he told me he doesn't know clutches well. Anyone have any experience with this??

 

Yes, it will loosen over time, he is correct.

But more importantly, your stall/peel out issue is strictly you, the user. You need to learn how to drive it and find the sweet spot. Just get used to it, it's a much softer clutch than most cars, so I wouldn't complain if I were you.

 

And what do you do when you have a sqeaky clutch? Lol

 

using wd40 on the shifter cable links in the engine bay fixes the squeak that i think youre talking about. ive had to do it twice since i had the car lol

 

Criminal- My question is, if the clutch loosens over time then wouldn't it keep loosening and soon enough you'll have to adjust it to be tighter??? I've been driving clutch for 15 years in new and old cars and never had one this sensitive nor have any of them gotten "looser" on me. So... I'm puzzled.

 

you wouldnt adjust it, that would mean its time to replace it lol. just an educated guess since ive never had to replace a clutch yet. im sure you know every car is different. i test drove a vw rabbit before the xD and i couldnt shift that thing to save my life. im also going to say that it does loosen some with time, as my 5spd never had this issue youre having. the throttle did take some getting used to though.

 

Uhhhh.... draw me a picture lol

Thanks lol

 

Squeaking is fine and normal. It's new, its going to squeak.

Yes, it will loosen and have more motion and range, but no, you don't "tighten" it, you replace it after it blows. You can spend all kinds of money and customize your clutch package to the exact feel you are going for, I just don't recommend that.

 

That car is way easier to shift than the Scion. That clutch is just longer, but it's way softer and more forgiving. Manual VW's rock! You need to work on your shifting brother!!

 

lol to each his own. the one i drove was quite unforgiving when i tried it out. had no issues with the xD. everyone driving stick has a different style imo.

xd_kidd91 ill take some pics when i can. ill pm

 

Thanks all -- I'm sure I'll get used to it.

 

I have the same thing happening with a 2008 xD. I kill the engine once a day. Peel out five times a day. I've been driving a manual for 25 years. Bummer.

 

Its a hydraulic actuated clutch and should not change.. its designed to account for clutch wear and should still feel the same throughout its service life. There is sometimes a manual adjustment at the pedal that allows for some travel adjustments of the pedal itself.
You might look into that... I don't know how the xD is setup exactly.. but other cars I've owned had some adjustment..

 

I've found the XD a fairly difficult clutch to modulate as well too, and I've been driving standards forever. Very touchy I guess. My '80 corolla or my '78 celica gt were the easiest, both RWD cars. Even my '78 chevy 1 ton truck with 3 speed granny gear transmission was a whole lot easier. Oh and of course my '90 miata was the nicest manual i have ever driven, hands down. The XD takes a lot of getting used to. And my wife? forget it. She will stick to the automatic nissan altima.