bimmer_w

Hi All,

i have a 2004 TL when i drive normal the clutch feels normal. the clutch still grabs hard so i know it's not a clutch issue. when i drive hard and bring the rpm high the clutch pedal pressure gets really heavy. i bleed the line and still having the same issue. did a search and couldn't find the answer. this car is old and i'm sure someone out there had the same issue. any advice or fix is greatly appreciated as my left sole foot really hurts already like my sole has some bruising.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

clutch is beginning to go.
it will eventually slip.

<---------same happened to me.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

i bought 06 6mt with 31k miles.
at 35k miles, i had same symptoms. after high RPM runs, clutch pedal would stick to floor.

I tried everything to alleviate problem.
-changed clutch fluid. did not alleviate problem
-bled clutch fluid. did not alleviate problem.
- did the slave-check mod. Did not alleviate problem.

finally, clutch started to slip in 5th and 6th gear.
had shop switch out clutch with OEM clutch, and saw tons of heat scores on old clutch. very bad as its not supposed to have heat scores.

i had no problems with clutch ever since clutch change at 35k miles. I am now at 75k miles. I take it up to 7k(redline) daily and no problems.

bimmer_w

thanks for sharing your experience justnspace! i was about to start replacing the slave and master clutch cylinder as these are cheaper. actually i bought the car when it had 69K and it already had this symptoms and now the car has 120K and clutch still grabs hard that it can still make the tires peel out.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

i kept beating on it. I suppose when the clutch sticks and i couldnt get the pedal to come back up made the problem worse and thus it started to slip in 5th and 6th

I didnt try replacing the slave or master and til this day I still have stock slave and master cylinders.

I suppose you could try replacing those first

bimmer_w

just re-read your 2nd response it says your clutch sticks to the floor. mine doesn't, hopefully more people with experience will chime in before i waste money that i don't even have lol

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

my bad.

have you tried changing the fluid? brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it takes on water from the atmosphere

bimmer_w

yes i did. i drove off the drive way and it felt really light and i was smiling from ear to ear. once i got off the residential i drove it hard and pushed the clutch then felt the clutch got really heavy again shifted into 2nd and so on. didn't fix the problem lol. very disappointed

joker822

Don't mean to resurrect this thread but my situation might help out other peeps. I bought an 04 TL and I had the same symptoms OP was having. Pedal would work fine under normal driving conditions (shift at 2500-3000) but once I went past 4000 the pedal started to sink more and more and couldnt shift. I towed it to a mechanic who told me it was clutch and can change it for $700. So I wanted another opinion who also told me clutch and would cost $900. I searched all over the forum including others who have a hydraulic system and I just could not believe that a bad clutch could cause this, that too there was no slipping when I test drove the car. Some people said it might be the pressure plate but I had my doubts. Others said they changed the clutch but didn't resolve the problem. Majority info pointed to either the master or slave. So I decided to tow it to a trans shop (thank god I did). He told me slave and master looked fine no leaks or anything so he bled the system, I thought it fixed the problem but I tried to shift at past 4000 and the pedal started sticking again. I had enough pressure on the pedal to shift gears and drive it home. I bled the slave again myself with no luck. Then decided that the slave was bad and ordered one ($80). Installed it but same problem except I was still able to shift and get it into my mechanic to tell him what was going on. In his parking lot I tried a test which I found in this forum. Hold in clutch rev to 5k and shift between 1 and 2. Result: pedal no longer had any pressure. I did this just to show the mechanic that there was definitely a problem. He said bad master cylinder. So I ordered one from dealer (160$) he installed it ($80) and perfect pressure and shifts since then. I was finally able to test out the car even just before redline.

For me this was a hydraulic system issue, not the clutch. So if anyone is having this problem do the cheap fixes first before dropping $700+ on a new clutch, at least you will rule out some of the basics and have new parts. I would also suggest OEM parts in this situation, I just have a feeling the aftermarket ones would not hold up to the OEM quality. I've been burned before and didn't want to take any chances. Also, I think that some of those who are saying clutch fixed the issue also had their hydraulic system serviced at the same time which may explain the problem going away. Anyways, I have to thank everyone in this forum because it provided me with a great deal of info over the month of dealing with this issue. I'm just glad it wasn't my clutch. I hope this helps the OP if you are still having the issue or anyone else going through this experience.

mlody

Fast forward almost 6 years since my last post to this thread.

I still have my car which almost has 99k miles. I never touched the clutch and the problem still persists, but it does not bother me anymore and the clutch still feel as good as it ever was.

I am planning to keep it for another 3-4 years before selling it and I am hoping that I wont have to touch the clutch during that time. Only time will tell

MarcDavidoff

@joker822- good post. I also had the same symptom so many seem to have with heavy clutch pedal after high rpm run. Mine also seems to have been cured with a new master cyl.