Hi my cousins 51 plate focus has lost all use of the clutch. She said when she was driving, the pedal sunk straight to the floor, now has no use of the clutch at all. She said there was also a puddle of fluid under the car. Anyone any ideas?

Hi my cousins 51 plate focus has lost all use of the clutch. She said when she was driving, the pedal sunk straight to the floor, now has no use of the clutch at all. She said there was also a puddle of fluid under the car. Anyone any ideas?

either a leak from one of the pipes/ joints or the clutch slave cylinder inside the gearbox. do you know where about the fluid is dripping from?

if its the slave you will be best to do the clutch at the same time as it could have become contaminated.

A common problem with the focus is the master cylinder above the clutch pedal going. You sure the puddle was outside the car?

A common problem with the focus is the master cylinder above the clutch pedal going. You sure the puddle was outside the car?

dont remind me :P had this happen to me not so long ago

I'll ask her and find out, as I haven't looked at it yet. If it was the slave cylinder, though, you wouldn't notice any fluid under the car would you?

Just asked her, she said there was a puddle of fluid under the car on the road

I'll ask her and find out, as I haven't looked at it yet. If it was the slave cylinder, though, you wouldn't notice any fluid under the car would you?

yes, it would leak out from the bell housing.

Just asked her, she said there was a puddle of fluid under the car on the road

definetly one of the pipes/joints or the slave cylinder then. you will need to have a look under the bonnet to determine where its leaking, also under the gearbox if its the slave cylinder

Just filled the reservoir up with fluid & pumped the pedal. Its pouring out where the box bolts to the engine. Sleve cylinder then innit. Wot are these like to do, I aint done one on a focus yet?

Just filled the reservoir up with fluid & pumped the pedal. Its pouring out where the box bolts to the engine. Sleve cylinder then innit. Wot are these like to do, I aint done one on a focus yet?

yup definetly the slave by the sound of it im afraid. its a big job but its not extremely difficult to do. i would be changing the clutch for sure too though.

if its any help i could send you the pages from the haynes manual? might give you a few pointers?

yup definetly the slave by the sound of it im afraid. its a big job but its not extremely difficult to do. i would be changing the clutch for sure too though.

if its any help i could send you the pages from the haynes manual? might give you a few pointers?

Ye please do thanks. Going to do it saturday. Have to tow it bout 1/2 mile to work, but its stuck in first gear!

Ye please do thanks. Going to do it saturday. Have to tow it bout 1/2 mile to work, but its stuck in first gear!

cant you pull it out of gear? if you could pm me your email address i will get the pages copied and sent to you tomorow.

cant you pull it out of gear? if you could pm me your email address i will get the pages copied and sent to you tomorow.

I sent you my e-mail adress, did you get it. I cant get it out of gear, no. Maybe have to crawl underneath & move the selector. Or fill up reservoir, & pump pedal whilst wiggling gear stick.

while on the topic of clutches .....iv had a standard AP racing clutch for the rs focus ...and in the wet wen i give it abit of stick not ragging it but you no drivin quick ....it smells like it burnin any ideas ?

Changed the slave cylinder today, piece of cake. Spent longer bleeding it, than I did on the job. Drives like a dream now.

Think this just happened to me. Car had been sat in a car park about 2hours and I noticed the clutch pedal felt lower under my foot than usual and changing gear felt a bit notchy and after 5 or 6 changes was actually noticeably crunchy so I popped it in 3rd and managed to drive gone with out changing gear. Not ideal after a hospital appointment with my pregnant partner in the car but at least home wasn’t far about 2miles with just a couple of big roundabouts I managed to read in advance to slow or speed up to so I didn’t need to stop. 
is this going to be expensive?

On 2/28/2009 at 10:16 PM, scottydog said:

Hi my cousins 51 plate focus has lost all use of the clutch. She said when she was driving, the pedal sunk straight to the floor, now has no use of the clutch at all. She said there was also a puddle of fluid under the car. Anyone any ideas?

It looks from the disruption you have given that the master cylinder seal has let go and all the fluid is leaking out . It needs new replacement seals or a new clutch master cylinder 

4 hours ago, CarlRob81 said:

Think this just happened to me. Car had been sat in a car park about 2hours and I noticed the clutch pedal felt lower under my foot than usual and changing gear felt a bit notchy and after 5 or 6 changes was actually noticeably crunchy so I popped it in 3rd and managed to drive gone with out changing gear. Not ideal after a hospital appointment with my pregnant partner in the car but at least home wasn’t far about 2miles with just a couple of big roundabouts I managed to read in advance to slow or speed up to so I didn’t need to stop. 
is this going to be expensive?

Hi, check the hydraulic fluid level. Could be the clutch slave cylinder is leaking, if you're lucky it's on the outside of the bellhousing, if you're unlucky it's inside the bell housing, and that means gearbox off. On the other hand, might be clutch master cylinder which won't be too bad to swap as it's external. Just what you don't need, this time of year and with an expectant partner too!