Hmmm... The Newbiest Mistake Ever

[Stormbringer]

Hello, everyone. I am new here and well, to driving as well.

About a couple weeks after passing my test I became a proud owner of Toyota Corolla T2 3 door hatchback. And let me tell you - the car is as close to perfect in my opinion as they get. I've had the car for a few weeks now (under a month), so am still getting used to its handling and driving.

Yesterday, 21st November, there was mother of all fogs here in West Midlands. So, when driving from Birmigham to Walsall, I managed to do two things wrong (!!!Yes, two!!!). Man, am I good or what? First thing hurt nothing but my pride - when making a left turn I managed to scrape the curb. Wheels are undamaged, I even had tyres checked at a garage, just in case, and they are ok.

Now we are coming to the thing that really freaked me out - when moving in slow traffic uphill (oh, yes, I can see the word "uphill" making most of you understand what is coming next), I was... errmmm... travelling on a biting point, to move at speed of traffic... When... all of a sudden I smelled intense burning and my car would refuse to fully engage gear (first) or so it seemed... To tell you the truth, I can't tell what exactly happened - I think I dropped it into third instead of first and was slipping the clutch in third... uphill... yeah, I am THAT stupid :)

Well, to cut story short, I pulled to the curb and called RAC. When they arrived, the RAC guy tried the car and said it was ok, the gears engage properly, and the smell would go away in a couple days...

My question is - how much damage do you think I did to the car? Will I have to replace the gearbox? Should I actually have the car checked?

Thanks, and sorry for rambling for so long:)

[Fidgits]

I think you just overheated the clutch mate... took a couple of months off its life - no biggy ;)

[londoner]

You called the RAC over that? It sounds like you were burning the clutch out...cuz theres no way you can hold the car at biting point in 3rd gear.

[Caz SR]

Yes but he's a new driver so probably played the 'better safe than sorry' card - can't say I blame him

[daktari]

Yep. As previously stated you probably singed it a bit. We all make mistakes. I`m sure you`ll learn from it.

[Stormbringer]

We all make mistakes.  I`m sure you`ll learn from it. 

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Hell, yes. I am now very careful with my clutch and don't hold the car on the biting point longer then it is ABSOLUTELY necessary.

As for RAC call, well, as I said, I am new, and when I smelled my car burning, quite frankly I wasn't about to risk it blowing up with me in it or something (yeah, I know - a bit extreme, but you never know...) And well, that's what RAC is there for - to make sure you are ok if you break down (or seem to break down).

Thanks everyone - you've put my mind at ease now :) And I actually thought passing the driving test was the last of the difficult things to do with cars... Well, now I know better.

[T600]

And I actually thought passing the driving test was the last of the difficult things to do with cars... Well, now I know better.

Yep, it's only the start. :D

By the way, the clutches these days are particularly smelly and seem to burn at the slightest thing. Almost everyone's done that at some point, so don't worry about it too much. I think it's something to do with the fact that they're asbestos free now.

Welcome to TOC

Tony

[Stormbringer]

And I actually thought passing the driving test was the last of the difficult things to do with cars... Well, now I know better.

Yep, it's only the start. :D

By the way, the clutches these days are particularly smelly and seem to burn at the slightest thing. Almost everyone's done that at some point, so don't worry about it too much. I think it's something to do with the fact that they're asbestos free now.

Welcome to TOC

Tony

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Thanks - this seems to be a great place :)

As for my car - well, to be on the safe side I am going to have Toyota garage in Wolverhampton have a look at it Monday. It might be just me seeing things, but the gear stick comes out of the first gear WAAY too easy compared to how it used to be, and I had trouble engaging the second gear three times today, which never happened to me before :( Maybe I let it burn for too long :( But hey, it might be nothing - but better safe then sorry, considering I am doing motorways daily.

[T600]

As for my car - well, to be on the safe side I am going to have Toyota garage in Wolverhampton have a look at it Monday. It might be just me seeing things, but the gear stick comes out of the first gear WAAY too easy compared to how it used to be, and I had trouble engaging the second gear three times today, which never happened to me before :( Maybe I let it burn for too long :( But hey, it might be nothing - but better safe then sorry, considering I am doing motorways daily.

What do you mean by 'it comes out of first gear....'; is it actually jumping out of gear without you touching the gear lever? That would, of course, be wrong. But if it's not doing that, what is the problem exactly?

With regard to selecting second, that would more likely be caused by clutch drag rather than any damage you might have done. Are you sure you're getting your clutch lever right to the floor on the change into second. Check there's nothing preventing the clutch going right down - maybe the floor mat is restricting it?

[Stormbringer]

Well, it only takes a barest touch to drop the gear stick into newtral from first, provided clutch is down, as opposed to actually moving it as it used to be. As for selecting second, once I was moving and put the gear into second from first, when I started to let go of the clutch it made that awfull grinding noise and would not engage, untill I put gear stick into neutral and then back into second (with clutch down the instant I heard grinding). By not engaging I mean it would do the grinding untill I set to neutral and back

[Spuffington]

No worries mate - as everyone said - no biggy.

For future reference, just leave a little more of a gap from the car in front and then fully release the clutch and crawl away slowest possible speed in first, just keeping a small amount of pressure on the throttle to stop it stalling. That way, no damage to the clutch and you've got enough space between you and the car in front.

[T600]

Well, it only takes a barest touch to drop the gear stick into newtral from first, provided clutch is down, as opposed to actually moving it as it used to be. As for selecting second, once I was moving and put the  gear into second from first, when I started to let go of the clutch it made that awfull grinding noise and would not engage, untill I put gear stick into neutral and then back into second (with clutch down the instant I heard grinding). By not engaging I mean it would do the grinding untill I set to neutral and back

Mmm, doesn't sound quite right. I very much doubt it's anything to do with the clutch slip that you mentioned in your original post. Maybe the gear linkage isn't adjusted quite right or something like that. I'd take it back to Mr T and get it checked out. If you bought it recently from a Toyota garage, or if it's still under its original warranty then I would think it would be a warranty issue anyway; you can check that with them.

Good luck.

[selfbuild]

One of the best ways to check your clutch is to start the car, put in 5th, rev it to approx 4,000rpm and take your foot of the clutch.

It should stall straight away if it's ok.... if it doesn't then you will need a new clutch in the near future....

[Monster-Mat]

you dont rev it up...you just try to pull away, with the hand brake on!

the internet is great for false facts

[selfbuild]

you dont rev it up...you just try to pull away, with the hand brake on!

the internet is great for false facts

You do that if clutch is sticking or if the car has been stood up for a while as it helps to clean the clutch and flywheel when they havn't been used for a while

[Stormbringer]

No worries mate - as everyone said - no biggy.

For future reference, just leave a little more of a gap from the car in front and then fully release the clutch and crawl away slowest possible speed in first, just keeping a small amount of pressure on the throttle to stop it stalling.  That way, no damage to the clutch and you've got enough space between you and the car in front. 

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Thanks, I will do it this way - up untill now I was travelling on a bite in first gear when I needed to be really slow.

One of the best ways to check your clutch is to start the car, put in 5th, rev it to approx 4,000rpm and take your foot of the clutch.

It should stall straight away if it's ok.... if it doesn't then you will need a new clutch in the near future....

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you dont rev it up...you just try to pull away, with the hand brake on!

the internet is great for false facts

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Well, the car stalls ok, in first at least :) Didn't think I'll ever be happy to say that my car stalls :P

Listen, guys, I know I probably annoyed you all with my newbiness, but how many PSI below manufacturer's recommendation would you say is bad for the car tyres, as in noticeable impact on fuel consumption and handling. I checked and inflated tyres today and had front ones being 0.05 under and back ones being 0.15 under.

Thanks again.

P.S. I WILL be checking the car at Toyota's place just to be on the safe side - it is still on manufacturer's warranty (I bought it with one owner, 53 reg and.... brace yourselves... 6500 miles on the clock - that is from a large dealer, so mileage is genuine as confirmed by service history and all :)) Hopefully everything will turn out to be just fine :P

[selfbuild]

You won't notice any difference in fuel costs and handling with tyre pressures you've entered although it is best to keep the tyres at the correct pressures.

Did Toyota service the car and give you an extra 12 months warranty when you brought the car?

[T600]

Listen, guys, I know I probably annoyed you all with my newbiness, ..

Not in the slightest. As you have seen, the people here are happy to help with any problems you have.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

[Stormbringer]

Well, the car was sold to me with only first year's service, so I had to do the second year service (full one) on my own 7th of November. According to Toyota - since I did the servicing, I still have the warranty till september next year

Why? Do you think that clutch or gearbox problems will fall under warranty? I thought these were considered wearable items like brake pads and tyres, so they weren't covered :|

[selfbuild]

Why? Do you think that clutch or gearbox problems will fall under warranty? I thought these were considered wearable items like brake pads and tyres, so they weren't covered :|

The clutch is a wearable item like brake pads and tyres but should not be failing on a car that has done so few miles so they may cover it....

The gearbox should be covered under the warranty though ;)

[T600]

Well, the car was sold to me with only first year's service, so I had to do the second year service (full one) on my own 7th of November. According to Toyota - since I did the servicing, I still have the warranty till september next year

Why? Do you think that clutch or gearbox problems will fall under warranty? I thought these were considered wearable items like brake pads and tyres, so they weren't covered :|

If clutch plate, or brake pads for that matter, were worn out after high mileage then I could understand them not being covered. However, you've proven that your clutch isn't slipping, so that isn't the problem. Gearbox, gear linkage, clutch mechanism etc can't be considered to be service items so I would think that the warranty should cover the problem.

BTW - You say you 'did the servicing' - I'm guessing you mean you paid Toyota to do it?

[Stormbringer]

...You say you 'did the servicing' - I'm guessing you mean you paid Toyota to do it?

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Sorry, yes that is what I mean - I went to Toyota place in Wolverhampton (closest to me) and had full servicing undertaken.

[Monster-Mat]

you dont rev it up...you just try to pull away, with the hand brake on!

the internet is great for false facts

You do that if clutch is sticking or if the car has been stood up for a while as it helps to clean the clutch and flywheel when they havn't been used for a while

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no you dont thats complete rubbish.

and if you have been told that, whoever told you doesnt know what there talking about

[Stormbringer]

Ok, my car was checked and everything is top notch :) Man, am I relieved now :)

Thanks everyone for helping out :P