I purchased a Porsche Boxster S new nine years ago. While driving home, I suddenly lost clutch-pedal pressure. I was unable to fully disengage the clutch. The Porsche dealership replaced the clutch-slave cylinder and bled the system. But I was then told that I need a new clutch, pressure plate, flywheel etc. to the tune of $5,000. They claimed the clutch was “slipping.” But when I tried it, the problem was still an inability to get the clutch to fully disengage.
My car only has 45,000 kilometres and has never been abused or seen a track. When I suggested that the described clutch failure was below industry standard, especially for a premium brand, Porsche Canada told me that clutch failure at 45,000 km is not uncommon for Porsches.
Any suggestions or ideas how to proceed?
Thanks.
Bruce J, Winnipeg
45,000 kilometers is early, but not unheard of. I understand your confusion about the slipping. There are a series of springs in the clutch friction disc that cushion clutch engagement. I think one of these springs may have broken free from its mounting point and is now out of position. This faulty spring will prevent the clutch from fully disengaging. Unfortunately, the answer is still the same though, as you still need to replace the complete clutch assembly. However, $5,000 is a large bill to absorb. Being a nine-year-old car means goodwill from Porsche is doubtful as it is well past its warranty period. Perhaps you should look for a Porsche or German-car specialist in the Winnipeg area that can offer assistance and cut that repair bill down significantly.
My 2018 Murano is having issues with the front radar malfunctioning while on cruise control. It will randomly stop working, which means other systems such as early brake warning will not work.
I took it to the Nissan dealership, where they found a fault code and replaced what was defective. However, two weeks later it did it again.
My suspicion is Nissan has an issue with the front-radar systems on more than their Muranos. My question is this: Is Nissan working on a permanent repair, and who pays the cost of these repairs once the warranty expires?
Thank you for your help.
Steve A
That your problem returned two weeks after the initial repair would suggest the dealer solution was not sufficient or misdiagnosed. All manufacturers havetech departments that liaise with dealer technicians to provide feedback on component failures that are deemed as more than one-offs. It takes a while for a solution to a re-occurring problem to be developed, and unfortunately, results in trial-and-error in the early stages. I believe Nissan’s Intelligent Safety Shield was developed by Bosch, which adds another layer of complexity, as the two companies would need to work together to find a solution.
That this radar system is coupled with your emergency-braking system leads me to believe that this has the potential to be considered a serious safety issue. Assuming that yours is actually part of a bigger brand-wide problem, I imagine the eventual fix would be offered to affected model owners at no cost, even past the warranty period.
Lou Trottier is owner-operator of All About Imports in Mississauga. Have a question about maintenance and repair? E-mail globedrive@globeandmail.com, placing “Lou’s Garage” in the subject line.
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