Clutch Mechanism Interfering With Brakes?

[Rob Clack]

2005 Avensis TSpirit D-4D

The head gasket blew and I decided to replace the engine rather than throw the car away. Work done by local Toyota dealer. Since then, sometimes, if I have the clutch slightly depressed when I hit the brakes, the brake pedal feels really wooden and doesn't move, and the brakes are not applied. When I press harder, I feel something 'give' and the brakes then do work. Of course, by then I'm pressing rather harder on the brake pedal than the circumstances would otherwise warrant, so the car brakes rather sharply.

It feels as though the partially depressed clutch is catching on the brake mechanism under the floor.

The dealer spent three hours this morning failing to find the cause, or even reproduce the problem. He says there's no way the clutch could be interfering with the brakes. He proposes checking the brake servo in case that's failing.

Although impressed at the amount of work they're doing without charging me, I'm still concerned that they're not actually addressing the real issue.

Has anyone else encountered a problem like this?

[Druid Boy]

Haven't had the problem but don't the clutch and brakes share the same fluid reservoir? If so I would suspect some leaky seals causing some weird back pressure or similar effect, interfering with each other (ooh er!)

[Rob Clack]

Answer (yes, stupid user error!)

The non-OEM floor mat had moved forward by a couple of inches. The clutch pedal picked up the leading edge of the mat as you let it up. Just after the point of full engagement of the clutch, the pedal would let go of the mat, and if you still had the pedal slightly depressed, it would smack the sole of your foot as it came back up. Very weird sensation!

The brake issue, was because the clutch pedal would often also lift the mat so that it was under the brake pedal, so when you pressed the brake, the mat would interfere with that, leading you to imagine the brake servo wasn't operating properly.

Yes, I have replaced the floor mats with OEM ones which plug into holes in the floor!

Thank you to Hills Toyota of Letchworth for finally sorting that out! I love my car again! Yes, I know it was simple, but I am not embarrassed, since the professionals spent 1.5 days not solving this problem!