Hey all,

This is my first time posting here so if I do anything stupid please tell me 🙂

So I've got a 2018 Fiesta ST-Line which I bought 2nd hand around a year ago. I got it from an official Ford dealer and have recently done the 2 year service no problem. I can't remember whether this was from purchase, or something that is slowly getting worse, but whenever I lift the clutch it feels as if the car doesn't really have much of a biting point or a very noticeable engine dip at the bite point.

The car will move and drives fine when you get moving, but every time I go to move off from a standstill, it feels like no mater how many revs I'm using or how gently/far I lift the clutch the engine seems to struggle a little and doesn't really have the sort of start moving with the sort of urgency I'd expect a healthy car to have.

I was a new driver last year, and even then I could tell that something may be up. It definitely felt less powerful than my instructors 75 BHP Fiesta. I did get to drive a Mini Cooper in summer, and the feeling of how the car bites and then moves feels exactly like I'd expect, so it's not like I'm just a new driver that doesn't know what is normal.

I can get the best example in reverse gear when I'm pulling off my driveway, I apply 1500-2000 revs and gently release the clutch for the car to barely pickup any speed, so I end up trying to release the clutch more while adding gas which sometimes makes the revs shoot to 3000 without me going much quicker than I was before.

Is this a textbook clutch issue I should be getting looked at? The car is far from undriveable, but I just feel like I'm missing out on something here. Thanks!

I think it probably has something to do with the clutch delay valve? If it’s driving ok and not slipping, you’ll learn to live with it. The clutch action on mine felt a bit weird coming from my old Focus at first.

Never heard of a clutch delay valve, what's that?

1 hour ago, isetta said:

Never heard of a clutch delay valve, what's that?

It's a small restrictor in the hydraulic line between master and slave cylinders.  It basically means the slave is still let in smoothly & progressively even if you've got poor pedal control.  VAG have been fitting them for years, Fords haven't had them until more recently.  As well as a smoother drive, it also saves some of the wear on the clutch, flywheel, crank and gearbox.

8 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

It's a small restrictor in the hydraulic line between master and slave cylinders.  It basically means the slave is still let in smoothly & progressively even if you've got poor pedal control.  VAG have been fitting them for years, Fords haven't had them until more recently.  As well as a smoother drive, it also saves some of the wear on the clutch, flywheel, crank and gearbox.

The downside to these things is, as the OP mentioned, zero pedal feel in some cases, which can make smart getaways difficult. Removing these valves is a very popular mod on the various VW group forums.

Some of these delay valves seem worse than others. I don't find the Fiesta too bad as it happens, but the SEAT Leon I had before it was a complete PITA!😀

Honestly I’ve completely gotten used to the pedal feel, took me about a week but now feels no different to any other car I’ve driven really.