I Think My Clutch is Going Bad. It's Making Noises. Got Some ?'s.

[vipergts281]

Earlier while driving around my clutch made a strange noise when I pressed it in. The pedal kind of quickly vibrated and made a rapid noise. But it's hard to explain the noise. But I know it isn't normal. Plus, when I push it in slightly it makes a very rapid chirping noise. Is that my TOB? Also, sometimes when I put it in first, it makes a quick noise when I'm easing out. Unfortunately I can't explain what it sounds like. Maybe if you guys can list some things I would be able to pinpoint the sound.

Anyway, I'm just curious what the hell is going on. I'm just shy of 14,000 miles so I doubt Ford would cover it under warranty. They should, being as I have had nothing but problems with this car since day one.

On side note, I convinced one of my friends to get a GT. After giving him a ride in my car, he said that he is now set on getting a Mustang.

And to cap off my wonderful night.......I got pulled over and ticketed for not having inspection stickers. $105 fine. What a night.


Any idea's about my clutch? Give me the bad news.

 

[760-MPH]

i think u should just get rid of that POS and get a used z06

 

[vipergts281]

i think u should just get rid of that POS and get a used z06

It is really getting on my nerves.

Oh, and another thing. I noticed my fog light wasn't working last night. So I pulled over and looked at it. It friggin cracked. I noticed the other day that there was condensation in it. I think it froze which caused the cover to crack. I guarantee Ford will say something flew up and hit it while driving. Why would they make a light cover that is going to be 6'' of of the ground break-able?

 

[stangtrooper97]

i think u should just get rid of that POS and get a used z06

The Z06 was my favorite car by far at the auto show. Remind me to tell you guys my five minute corvette experience. The funny thing is, it has gotten me looking around at 97-98 C5s for around 20k.

Sorry I can't help with the clutch Gene.

 

[vipergts281]

The Z06 was my favorite car by far at the auto show. Remind me to tell you guys my five minute corvette experience. The funny thing is, it has gotten me looking around at 97-98 C5s for around 20k.

Sorry I can't help with the clutch Gene.

ZO6 or no Vette for me.

 

[GetImpact]

Damn, I'm sorry to hear this. It sucks when a "Special Vehicle" has so many problems. IMO, part of the SVT package should be that it is built way tougher than it needs to be.

I had an SVT Focus...

OK, now that you have finished laughing, let me just say that my SVT Focus...

Again with the laughing? Damn...

Anyhow, as I was saying, it had one F'ing problem after another. Way more warranty fixes than the number of payments I'd made, and I couldn't lemon it because of the huge variety of stuff that screwed up... but none of the same thing more than twice while I had it. Hell, it was screwing up starting the first week and just KEPT screwing up.

I bought mine when they first came out, paid way too much and babied it too (what a mistake).

So I got rid of it at a honking huge loss after one year (Ford put up a big fight) and I got this car instead. Knock on wood, this "run of the mill" Mustang GT has been pretty much perfect so far.

BTW, that SVT Focus was only worth about HALF after only 10K miles. Nobody would pay more for it.

Long story short, I don't think Ford constructs SVT cars to be any tougher than baseline. They just go faster and break more often on average. Also they depreciate as quick or quicker than other Fords.

I'll never buy another SVT. I'll just mod to my own specs.

 

[vipergts281]

Yeah, I had a 00 GT before this and I never had a problem with it. And after purchasing the almighty SVT 03 Cobra, I've had problem after problem. And just like you, I doubt I'll be able to Lemon it since it is a variety of problems and not just one over and over again. This may be my last Ford.

Here is the list of problems with my car so far. I purchased it Aug. 28th of 2003 and have 13,9xx miles on it.

Broken Halfshaft
Radio doesn't work properly
Driver seat back needs to be replaced
Clutch
Back tires just about worn out by 9,000 miles
Brakes starting squealing around 6,000 miles, now they need to be replaced very very soon
Stalling problems
Ticking in engine bay (not sure if it is the famous "Tick" TSB or my injectors)
Fog light cracked and bulb burnt out
Shutter noise in rear while driving
Vibration above 80 mph
IRS Pop/Tick
Tick/Pop when going into 1st from a stop
Creaking noise coming from A-pillar area

Thats all for now. Wow, what a great car.

 

[blubullitt]

Oh trust me you can get them on lemon law on that I think I have talked to you in the past. It doesnt have to be the same problem over and over. It just has to be a series of problems that affect the vehicles drivability or problems that prevent you from operating the vehicle safely.

 

[vipergts281]

Oh trust me you can get them on lemon law on that I think I have talked to you in the past. It doesnt have to be the same problem over and over. It just has to be a series of problems that affect the vehicles drivability or problems that prevent you from operating the vehicle safely.

Yes, I remember speaking with you before.

I guess I'll just see how my car reacts tomorrow when driving it. And I'm curious to see what Ford has to say when I speak with them. I have been patient enough with them so far. They better not waste my time anymore....it's getting old. They ordered me a new radio on Nov. 28, 2003. Guess what, I STILL have never gotten a call/letter about it. Great service.

 

[Beau]

lemon law it, get your money and get a vette or get a new cobra or something

 

[blubullitt]

Yes, I remember speaking with you before.

I guess I'll just see how my car reacts tomorrow when driving it. And I'm curious to see what Ford has to say when I speak with them. I have been patient enough with them so far. They better not waste my time anymore....it's getting old. They ordered me a new radio on Nov. 28, 2003. Guess what, I STILL have never gotten a call/letter about it. Great service.

Just to cover your own ass in case this thing ends up in court get complete paperwork every single time your car goes in the shop doesnt matter if its for a knob on your radio. Even if you just take it in the shop for a problem and they dont fix it. You still need paperwork stating you took it in. 14k isnt that bad either you can possibly arrange a dealer buy back if you havent had car that long.

 

[White360RFnSwee]

My rear tires wore out very quickly as well...Id say around 9000 miles as well.

What did they say when you complained about this?

Claim lemon law and get an 04 Cobra.

-Ryan

 

[vipergts281]

Just to cover your own ass in case this thing ends up in court get complete paperwork every single time your car goes in the shop doesnt matter if its for a knob on your radio. Even if you just take it in the shop for a problem and they dont fix it. You still need paperwork stating you took it in. 14k isnt that bad either you can possibly arrange a dealer buy back if you havent had car that long.

I do keep all of my paper work in a folder. I am probably going to look at a dealer buyback.

My rear tires wore out very quickly as well...Id say around 9000 miles as well.

What did they say when you complained about this?
Claim lemon law and get an 04 Cobra.

I know two other 03 owners that there tires went out right around the 10,000 mile mark. They are horrible tires....obviously.

I haven't complained about the tires yet. The dealer is 45 minutes way, with no traffic, so it is hard to get down there. By the time I get done work and drive there, they would be closed. So I go on Saturdays, but always seem to miss the service adviser. And I really hate to do things over the phone, but I guess I will call them tomorrow at work.

As for what I would do if the car gets Lemoned or bought back........I don't know honestly. I would consider just getting an 04 Cobra. But then again, I'd feel like a fool if these things happened again. But what are the odds? I looked at a ZO6 earlier today. I could afford a used one. But I really have no desire to own a Corvette. Although I do love the C6. Other than that, I have no interest what so ever with any other cars on the market. Maybe the Infiniti G35, but I doubt I would buy that over a 04 Cobra. If push came to shove, I'd probably either get an 04 Cobra, or just buy a "normal" inexpensive car and save money. That way I'd could invest more money than I am doing now. Then get my Viper in a few years. But with out my Cobra, life becomes dull. I need some kind of excitement in my life. And hearing that whine puts a smile across my face.

So does anyone know if my clutch is bad?

 

[GetImpact]

Here are a few of the issues I had with that young SVT Focus (while we are venting)

- Leaky cowl, floor filling up with inches of water in heavy rain (twice replaced)
- Busted water pump (replaced)
- Controls shorting out (replaced)
- Warped plastic throttle body (replaced)
- ECU going nuts making engine do wacky things (several reprograms)
- Revs climping up high and sticking there all on their own (took a week of fiddling at dealership on that one, and they don't know what they did to fix it)
- Revs taking several seconds to start coming back down between shifts (never resolved, just got worse and worse over time until it starting chewing up my clutch... which they expected ME to pay for)
- Stalling when coasting sometimes (when off throttle & out of gear, maybe was fixed, Idunno? It would just happen by total surprise.)
- Low RPM Surging (never resolved)
- Intake runner clamps coming loose (replaced with a new kind)
- Trim pieces falling off (replaced, reinstalled)
- Heat shields rattling loose (aluminum wore away around bolt heads, I fixed with big washers)
- Lights flickering very noticably (never resolved)
- Seatbelt not retracting (no twist, mechanism was just bad)
- CD changer going nuts (happening mysteriously trying to eat CDs, so I hardly used it)
Etc. etc.

The car was never right and *so* F'ing annoying. Had to drive it around in Winter for a while with the windows down because the defroster died (THAT SUCKED!). I dumped it at a loss before I was driven to rolling it off a cliff.

Whatever, we all got to know each other pretty good down at the dealership. Some of the service guys even started to feel my pain and related their own horror stories, LOL!

But Ford corporate were just a bunch of a-holes about the whole thing, acknowleging the overabundance of problems, but basically said "just use your extra warranty, that's what you bought it for".

Well, that gets tired damned quick, don't it?

 

[vipergts281]

Damn, sorry to hear that.

Ford Customer Service at it's best.

 

[blubullitt]

So does anyone know if my clutch is bad?

What does it sound like exactly. Is it like a squeak? But I know theres alot of people here that know much more about this then myself. If your clutch was really shot I assume you would have more problems then just noises.Your car ever feel sluggish in 1st,or had your car rev for no reason, smell anything burning?

 

[mo_dingo]

Sounds like some lemons to meeeee!!!

Don't blame Ford. Blame yourself, and buy another cobra!! Vette = teh enemy, remember......lol, j/k

Anyway, don't be discouraged. If the dealership cannot resolve the issues, then claim lemon law, and get a 04 Cobra but ditch the plain jane Grey. Get a DSG or black or maroon Maroon.....OMG, A guy in town has one, and damn........
Scott

 

[vipergts281]

What does it sound like exactly. Is it like a squeak? But I know theres alot of people here that know much more about this then myself. If your clutch was really shot I assume you would have more problems then just noises.Your car ever feel sluggish in 1st,or had your car rev for no reason, smell anything burning?

The sounds are hard to describe. Kind of like a rapid chirping sound. Thats the best I can do, I suck. I've only smelt something maybe twice at most. And actually, the past few days I have noticed my car has felt weird when driving in first. Seems like the car struggles to run smoothly.

Anyway, don't be discouraged. If the dealership cannot resolve the issues, then claim lemon law, and get a 04 Cobra but ditch the plain jane Grey. Get a DSG or black or maroon Maroon.....OMG, A guy in town has one, and damn........
Scott

Lemoning a car isn't the easiest thing in the world ya know. It's not like I walk in and tell them the problems and they say "Ok, pick out a new car".

But yes, if I did get another Cobra, I would be getting something besides Silver. Either White or Torch Red.

 

[GetImpact]

Damn, sorry to hear that.

Ford Customer Service at it's best.

Well, I hope your luck gets much better and you can enjoy Fords again one way or another. They aren't all bad. I like this new ride.

As for me, $21K out the door for loaded up fresh '04 Stang Premium bought in '03, with ABS/TC option, Bullitt rims (much lower interest this time). And they gave Premium warranty for free. Hell, full retail on all of that out the door would have been more than $29K.

Sonic Blue and Black interior. I like. It runs sweet. Still, I should have tried for Mach 1... stupid me.

$3K upside down on the Focus, but didn't get hurt on the Stang deal.

This is my 4th new Ford in 14 years. I don't hate Ford, I want them to do well. Maybe to my detriment.

 

[blubullitt]

The sounds are hard to describe. Kind of like a rapid chirping sound. Thats the best I can do, I suck. I've only smelt something maybe twice at most. And actually, the past few days I have noticed my car has felt weird when driving in first. Seems like the car struggles to run smoothly.

Sounds like your clutch, I am having similar problems right now but mine isnt totally shot not yet at least. Im not experienced at all with drivetrain problems though. Surprising you would have these kinds of problems with 15,000 miles on your car. You just got the car that was assembeled by the drunk blind guy at ford.