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280 N Hubbards Ln, Louisville, KY 40207
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Follow Us on:
280 N Hubbards Ln, Louisville, KY 40207
Call Us (502) 896-0305
Manual transmission BMWs are equipped with a clutch assembly that serves a very important function for the car. The clutch assembly is comprised of various parts, and when something goes wrong with any one of these components your BMW’s performance and function will suffer. In this article, we’ll go over some basic information about the clutch, including how to detect clutch problems in your own BMW.
The clutch has a critical part in how your manual transmission BMW shifts gears. Ultimately, the clutch is what makes the engine and the wheels able to communicate, engaging and disengaging from one another as the car shifts gears. The clutch assembly is a system of interworking parts that together go through a series of complex movements and mechanisms in order to engage or disengage the engine rotation from wheel rotation in order to effectively shift from one gear to the next. If any part in the clutch assembly begins failing, it creates a chain reaction of damages that can over time render your car unable to drive.
As we mentioned before, each part of the clutch assembly has a critical function, and without the entire clutch assembly working properly it can lead to all kinds of issues with the gear-shifting process. Although the clutch assembly has tons of tiny parts like nuts, bolts, and screws holding it together that can also fail and cause issues, the primary areas of concern for drivers are the following main components of the clutch assembly:
Depending on the nature of the issue, if a problem occurs with a specific part of the clutch assembly it can lead to specific, correlating symptoms that drivers should be aware of. These symptoms are important for the diagnostic and repair process, as your reliable BMW specialist will be able to better locate the precise source of the issue and cut down on repair costs.
Once again, depending on the nature of the problem and the origin site, your clutch may exhibit different symptoms or troublesome behaviors. These are the most common types of clutch failures to be aware of that indicate different origin sites of the problem.
As a driver, it is important to remain vigilant of how your BMW is behaving at any given point. These are the most common symptoms associate with various types of clutch failure:
If any of the clutch components begin to fail, you may might hear a grinding noise or experience an especially squeaky pedal.
Gear slipping or hesitation are very typical of clutch problems in BMWs. This can cause damage to your transmission and engine, so it’s important to have checked out right away.
A telltale sign of clutch issues is the feel of the pedal. If you notice any intense vibration, sticky, loose, or spongy pedal feel, or if the pedal reaches the floor of the car, these are all indications that the clutch has run into an issue.
Besides recognizing concerning symptoms and following up with 
the immediately, there are a few things you can do to keep your clutch in good condition for the foreseeable future, and even prevent clutch issues before they occur.
The BMW experts here at St. Matthews Import Service in Louisville, KY, have over 45 years of maintenance and repair experience working with BMWs. With multiple locations, our Hubbards Lane site is where our clients go for reliable, consistent, and attentive automotive service and repair. Clutch problems can significantly diminish the quality of your driving experience, which is a complete shame in any BMW car. We have a passion for these German-engineered machines and make it our mission to restore them to their full potential. If you’d like to schedule a diagnostic appointment for your clutch, please do so through our website or contact us directly.
* BMW 328i image credit goes to: servickuz.