Hello fellas I have a 2008 TL Type S 6MT and for the past few days the weather has been below 10 degrees in Germantown Maryland crazy cold!!!!
I noticed that the clutch pedal is soft and not stiff in when I turn the car on in the mornings but when the car warms up the pedal goes back to normal again. Could this be due to the extreme cold weather? If it's above 20 degrees it doesn't do this but anything below 20 it does it especially when it's below 10 degrees. Could it be Master cylinder seal shrinking and causing this or just normal for the extreme cold weather? Any input or advice would be highly appreciated.

 

Started mine up this morning and had the same thing happen. Upstate New York minus 7 this morning. I just think its due to the cold because once the car warmed up it was fine.

 

If the fluid level is fine, I would bleed the clutch fluid.
I had this happen before and it was much better with fresh fluid.
I was in -18* celcius when that happens.

 

I too noticed this as soon as I pulled out of my driveway this morning (it was around 0F according to the car). I totally messed up pulling out onto the road because I couldn't really feel the engagement point like normal. It made me look like a fool revving my engine and peeling out It was soft until after a few minutes of driving then it went back to normal.

Maybe I'll bleed the fluid on an upcoming weekend and see if I notice any change.

 

It's normal when it gets really cold. If it's not that cold and it still do it I would replace fluid.

This morning it was -13F or so, power steering and brakes were a bit rough upon startup. After the car has warmed a bit it becomes better.

 

it pretty much goes away when you delete the slave cylender check valve!

 

Really?

 

I removed the check valve and my TL is sitting in an unheated garage in single digit (ºF) temps. Would I notice the feel immediately without driving the car?

 

I might be wrong, but I don't see why removing the slave cylinder check would make the clutch pedal feel less like "molasses" in very cold temperatures.

Maybe godfather's explanation of soft wasn't spot on or I misinterpreted it. When you remove the slave cylinder check it makes the clutch pedal less spongy feeling even at operating temperatures and make the clutch engage in a more traditional way rather than softly.

In very cold winter temperatures, things don't feel more soft, but rather anything hydraulic seems harder to press down or doesn't return as quickly as usual. Brakes feel "slow to engage" upon startup (but get normal quick) and until the motor is warm power steering can feel a bit harder. Clutch pedal doesn't have the usual "spring" to it too.

 

Because to remove the check valve (which I would personally leave in anyway), the slave cylinder essentially gets the fluid flushed plus some more upon bleeding.

 

Hate to revive an old thread, but had the same experience this AM (~15 degrees F). is the consensus here that this is normal in the cold? got progressively better as the car got warmer but never totally returned to "normal" in my 30 min commute, as in i could still beat the clutch to the top of its travel if i was sitting in neutral, pushed the clutch the the floor and then pulled off as fast as i could

 

As other's stated, have you flushed the brake fluid out of the clutch hydraulics? Brake fluid is hygroscopic and absorbs water; I'm guessing the water is freezing in the lower end of your clutch line down by the slave cylinder.

 

I have not, i am changing transmission fluid (delco FM) Thursday and will do this at the same time. Ill search for a DIY but if you have one handy to drop in feel free. Thanks

 

Use a rubber hose on the slave nipple and go at it. Suck out the reservoir first and fill with fresh dot 3. Very easy but tight for space. Wear a sweater to save your forearms.

 

thank you panda, still new to this :^)