2020 ORS MT Clutch Failure at 20k

I am wondering how to handle this situation in approaching the dealership.

Purchased used at 15k earliy 2022, I have driven this normally, and learned to drive in a manual 30 years ago. I never had a clutch issue in a vehicle previously, the exception being a motorcycle or two over the years. Although fixing a motorcycle clutch is something I can do this is not anything i have time or interest in fixing myself.

I first noticed a clutch burning smell when backing a trailer with an empty weight of approx 2000 lbs in my driveway. My driveway has a slight incline.
I have pulled this trailer several times loaded without incident, always mostly highway, and keeping the speed under 65. I typically drive it at 60 mph to maintain a fuel mileage over 14 mpg, typically getting 15 to 16 mpg. It is a tall 7 x 14 enclosed trailer. I have never carried weight approaching the tow capacity of this vehicle. The majority of the miles on this truck (my 5k) have been commuting to work (4k).

I have now noted a shudder in the clutch when starting and shifting to second along with a slight clutch burn smell. I am looking for advice on approaching the dealer. I did purchase an additional warranty at the time of purchase from the Toyota dealer earlier this year. And as I understand the truck is still under the original warranty.


Thanks for any feedback.

RM

 

Do not mention towing at all to the dealership that you take it to. If you do, they may try to blame YOU for towing beyond the recommendations for the power train. I know you stayed under the limits, but not telling them will eliminate that from the equation. I know not telling them might be 'shady', but if they think you caused the issue, they'll be very hesitant or slow to resolve your issue (in your favor).

Just tell them you smell a burning smell and feel a shudder when shifting.

 

I forgot one thing, I also have had the experience of not being able to shift out of 4wd, without shutting off the engine. After driving in 4wdH, switching to low, and then back out to 4wd high, the truck would not shift out of 4wd to 2wd. I pulled over to take a look underneath, shut it off, and noted nothing. After restarting the truck with the setting still in 2wd, the 4wd drive light was blinking, and after rolling forward, the 4wd light stayed off, and indeed was in 2wd.

 

I sounds to me like you burned up the clutch backing the trailer up the hill.

 

It isn't much of an incline. It also isn't much of a distance. Grade is 4 ft over a distance of 200 ft. Actual backing distance is 30 ft.

 

Good luck trying to get any clutch warrantied, in 14 years working in dealerships I’ve seen it maybe happen 2-3 times and actually be covered.

 

Smelling burnt clutch occasionally when using it aggressively is not out of ordinary and shouldn’t destroy a newish clutch. It’s not something to make a habit out of though. Reverse is really tall. I tend to use 4lo if i have to maneuver my boat in a yard.

Shudder and burnt clutch while shifting to 2nd doesn’t make any sense. Are you sure you aren’t being paranoid?

 

weak clutch can't handle...I've noticed the same.

Also...reverse gear... it's too high.

 

Yeah the reverse on our 6mt trucks is ridiculous. Shift it to 4L for backing with a trailer on anything that isn’t completely level ground. Or get the 2Lo mod. I haven’t gotten that myself but I don’t really use the truck to tow; those that do speak highly about it.

 

Sorry man you will get zero warranty either stock or extended. Clutch is like wiper blades or a light bulb. Wear items.
Plus, backing up a MT with a trailer is hard because of how tall the reverse gear is.
Good luck and please do not defraud the system like suggested above. That just makes everyone else pay the price for someone's mistake.

 

Bad idea. Makes us all pay more.

 

I just installed the 2LO mod. I have a steep driveway and usually back my truck into the garage. I throw it in 2LO every time I back it up there; it's an absolute game-changer.

 

I'll echo what others have said; the reverse gear on these trucks is too tall for backing a trailer up any sort of an incline. One time I used my Taco to back my Travel Trailer (~3K LBS at most) up a maybe 2 or 3% slope into my side yard and smoked the clutch. It still shifts fine but for my uses I added a front Receiver Hitch which makes moving my Travel Trailer and car trailer much easier both on me, my Spotters and on the truck.

 

Cooking your clutch once or twice is not a big deal. It is much more likely that the previous owner might have abused it.

That said, give it a couple more days, esp with carbon fiber clutches. I did a similar thing on our old car. It took a couple days for the particles to clear, transfer new friction material to the flywheel, and feel good again. AFAIK know, we sold it to a neighbor for their 16yo with close to 150k on it and about 7yrs later, it still has the original clutch. Carbon clutches can take some good abuse.


As others have said, the 2LM is thee way to go.


The 4WD issue should get looked at.

 

We jjust replaced the clutch in a Hyundai, it was completely cooked. Just trying to get it in the garage was a challenge as revved up in 1st gear maybe moved you 1 MPH, lol.

 

how do you figure that you (and everyone) will be affected if the dealer decides to replace the clutch under factory warranty, cert vsa/pt or an extended vsa?

i mean, they won't cover it but if they did it would be coming out of corporate's pocket or TFS's pocket... it would not affect you at all.

 

That is hilarious.

A long time ago, a coworker said that they needed a new clutch ever 20k or so in their Civic. Riding along with them was so difficult.

 

Sounds like you toasted the clutch. I'm guessing you were feathering the clutch a lot while carrying a load (plus an incline makes it exponentially worse).

The truth is you're not a bad driver it's just these cars can't do that type of work with a stick shift. The 2 Lo mod would have helped however.

There's a chance that someone abused the clutch in the 15k miles you didn't own the truck and that made yours fail prematurely, but seems like it was caused by you.

I would just contact the dealer and tell them what's going on.

 

Oh damn, l bet that was so hard to be a passenger in, lol

 

The revs to pull out into normal traffic was so excessive. And, they would ride that thing through the friction zone for distance. It was crazy.