Broken Clutch and stuck at the red light. BMW is quoting me 750 to just look at it.

[army_men]

I pull up to a red light. normally. shift into neutral. everything is good. Light goes green, I go press down on the clutch pedal and all of a sudden it feels super heavy. I thought I had the floor mat pinned under the clutch but it's clear. I just can't shift into first anymore. in fact I can't shift into anything.

BMW towed my car to the service and they just called. quoted me 6 hours of labour to drop my transmission to check if i have a burned out clutch.

why would I have a burned out clutch? Service guy said clutch is not covered under warranty. I'm ready to call bullshit but I said go ahead and check out the clutch. There's no way the clutch disk is burned out. Car is only 30k miles and I drive a manual properly.

Will update soon.

[mbetoni]

Originally Posted by army_men

Will update soon.

Fairly certain it's true that the clutch is considered a wear and tear item and isn't covered under warranty. HOWEVER, it is HIGHLY unlikely that at 30k miles driven properly your clutch would be shot. To boot, even if it were, the symptom you would most likely experience would be clutch slippage, not the inability to engage the clutch/shift into a gear.

GL and keep us posted.

[paris1]

Sounds like maybe a failed pressure plate, which is more of a mechanical issue (although I'm not sure how BMW would see it) than a worn clutch disk.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by paris1

Sounds like maybe a failed pressure plate, which is more of a mechanical issue (although I'm not sure how BMW would see it) than a worn clutch disk.

I'm hoping they'd see it that way. Or any way where I don't have to shell out 2K for a new clutch to be installed.

Ohhhhh man I'm not gonna be cool with a 2K bill.

[nicknaz]

Older thread on a similar topic

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1814495-Won-t-go-in-gear-while-running-but-will-when-off

Are you using stock clutch? It's possible the extra power has caused things to wear out. (Like the pressure plate, as Paris indicated)

$750 to drop the gearbox is not completely out of line.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Older thread on a similar topic

Are you using stock clutch? It's possible the extra power has caused things to wear out. (Like the pressure plate, as Paris indicated)

$750 to drop the gearbox is not completely out of line.

Thanks nicknaz. I had a look at that thread and it looks like I have similar symptoms. But no burning smell and wasn't abusing the car. I do have stock clutch yes, perhaps the extra power didn't help the clutch life.

I'm waiting for BMW service to tell me what's the damage. I'm prepared to pay if they deem the clutch plate damaged, and whatever non-warranty part. Don't really have a choice here as I wouldn't trust aftermarket shop for this.

Expecting a really uncomfortable phone call.

[nicknaz]

Your signature has a picture of your car at a track, and it is make a lot more power than stock. I guess it is not completely out of line to need to replace the stock clutch with those two factors put together..

Have you thought about whether you want to do any mods such as light weight flywheel or different clutch, different drive shaft, or LSD ? Might as well take advantage of so many parts getting uninstalled....

[paris1]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Your signature has a picture of your car at a track, and it is make a lot more power than stock.

What did I miss here? Has this engine been modded? That could open a Pandora's box from a warranty coverage standpoint!

[Lambobimmer]

I would be very careful what you write on message boards when involving warranty work. If I were you, I would change my location to something non specific. I am out of warranty so I don't really care but I almost was denied a new DCT because BMW NA questioned something I had written on this site. Be very careful my friends. If you don't know it already, you are being watched so be careful what you write.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Have you thought about whether you want to do any mods such as light weight flywheel or different clutch, different drive shaft, or LSD ? Might as well take advantage of so many parts getting uninstalled....

I'm thinking about it. but I doubt I'd ask bmw to put in an aftermarket clutch. It's in their hands now.

I tracked the car summer of 2013. Getting back into it this coming summer, really want to replace my front and rear brakes now that they are finally worn out. LSD is on my list of things to get for the track setup, I just don't know when I'd have the extra budget now that I'm on the hook for possibly a new clutch.

BMW didn't mention anything about my mods. didn't even hint at it yet. I had a service guy come deliver the keys himself last time I was in for oil change, and he was like "Duuude your car is Siiick man." I guess they aren't Super strict about mods until something goes wrong.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by Lambobimmer

I would be very careful what you write on message boards when involving warranty work. If I were you, I would change my location to something non specific. I am out of warranty so I don't really care but I almost was denied a new DCT because BMW NA questioned something I had written on this site. Be very careful my friends. If you don't know it already, you are being watched so be careful what you write.

Oh shiet. I'm too late am i? with all the photos and stuff.

You are right tho. but imagine if non of us posted any modded stuff. I don't know if I'd enjoy the forum as much.

Originally Posted by paris1

What did I miss here? Has this engine been modded? That could open a Pandora's box from a warranty coverage standpoint!

Yea the intake and downpipe is modded, FMIC and a tune. basicly stage 2. Too much work to take them all off before going to dealers. They have a lot of excuses to use for denying warranty. My fault. But I just wanted to go fast. =(

[Lambobimmer]

Originally Posted by army_men

Oh shiet. I'm too late am i? with all the photos and stuff.

You are right tho. but imagine if non of us posted any modded stuff. I don't know if I'd enjoy the forum as much.



Yea the intake and downpipe is modded, FMIC and a tune. basicly stage 2. Too much work to take them all off before going to dealers. They have a lot of excuses to use for denying warranty. My fault. But I just wanted to go fast. =(

You are very vague with your location so you should not have a problem.

[CeEl]

Originally Posted by Lambobimmer

I would be very careful what you write on message boards when involving warranty work. If I were you, I would change my location to something non specific. I am out of warranty so I don't really care but I almost was denied a new DCT because BMW NA questioned something I had written on this site. Be very careful my friends. If you don't know it already, you are being watched so be careful what you write.

Really? Hey, BMW, please update the Z4 and keep the hardtop so I feel like I am getting a new car when my lease is up!
Please read the other posts for plenty of improvement suggestions!

[Lambobimmer]

Originally Posted by CeEl

Really? Hey, BMW, please update the Z4 and keep the hardtop so I feel like I am getting a new car when my lease is up!
Please read the other posts for plenty of improvement suggestions!

This is what happened. My 2009 Z4 had a DCT leak before I bought it and I had it to my local dealership twice for the same leak. In addition to posting about the leak on this board and the other one I also mentioned the mods that I had on my car. My dealership notified me that they were going to replace my DCT under warranty because they were unable to fix it. I guess that BMW NA started to dig around and found my posts and were able to determine that I was the person that was getting my DCT replaced in the Charlotte, NC area. BMW NA called my dealership and spoke the the head of the service department and my service rep. They stood up for me but my service rep had a discussion with me when I came to pick up my car and said that they almost were not able to replace it under warranty because of my posts. From my understanding, BMW NA has employees on their staff that their only job is to poke around these message boards.

Sorry to hijack this thread but I felt like everyone should know about this. Good luck with your clutch. I doubt that it would be a warranty item anyways but you can get it done much cheaper than what they are quoting you. I replaced my clutch in my previous 135i with a Spec 2+ clutch and I was able to get he labor done for $500. Also, if you want a good clutch that has stock feel then get the Spec clutch.

[jparnes1]

^ I can vouch for the forum monitoring from personal experience too

[bigendbob]

I think if you mod your car or track it and then have problems, it's the price you pay. If you treat the car like a race car, then comes race car costs.

Just because an engine can have it's power output increased, then you have to live with the consequences.

BMW obviously scan these threads, to get a feel as what the customers are saying about their cars. Hopefully they take on board what's said and improve their vehicles, why shouldn't they have happier customers.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by jparnes1

^ I can vouch for the forum monitoring from personal experience too

Very good to know, thanks.

Hopefully they will make an epic Z4M replacement as a result of forum monitoring, not just lower their warranty costs

[rking117]

@BMWNA. We want a REAL supercar...

side note why don't we all just change our location to the country we live in instead of the city state etc. No BMWNA i am very gentle with my car and it aint modded so don't look at me. But i will say however, using speculative information like what is written on the forums to try to DQ a warranty is simply rubbish and not fair. If you didn't want people to drive your vehicles spiritedly then why would you advertise them as the Ultimate Driving machine?

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by rking117

DQ a warranty is simply rubbish and not fair. If you didn't want people to drive your vehicles spiritedly then why would you advertise them as the Ultimate Driving machine?

I think keeping it stock and driving it hard is ok, but heavily modding starts to be a question mark, same with using for timed competition

[mbetoni]

OP, any word from the SA?

[army_men]

Originally Posted by mbetoni

OP, any word from the SA?

Nothing yet. last they called before dropping the trans. I'm still holding my breath.

[army_men]

Originally Posted by mbetoni

OP, any word from the SA?

Hey Guys. Good news for me. Service adviser just called, said the clutch is burned out and major scorch marks on the pressure plate. He said he's able to pull some strings for me and get it tucked under warranty. Wow what a guy. I am so relieved and thankful right now. Won't get this lucky again.

I may be getting the car back this Friday.

Time to upgrade the brakes. All four corners are worn out.