Avensis Aura 2004

[antony12]

I have an Avensis Aura which I purchased new in 2004. I have only clocked 12,500 miles as my annual mileage is very low.

Lately my clutch has developed quite a squeak when the clutch pedal is depressed , even when the engine is turned off. There seems

to be quite an amount of play on the clutch when the pedal is being released to engage the engine in gear. Is the clutch about to die a death.

Has anybody else experienced this problem with the clutch.? I would have thought that with such low mileage that this type of problem would not be expected to arise.! Unfortunately my warranty ran out in February 2007 so I am somewhat anxious that I am facing a large bill from my Toyota dealer.

[Chris Dance]

Are you sure it is the actual clutch, I would not think so in a car of this age. I think the linkage to the clutch may require lubricating. My wife's Carina had the same thing I sprayed the clutch linkage with WD40 squeak gone.

[antony12]

Thanks for the reply Chris. I would try WD40 on the linkage to the clutch if I knew where this is located !! Excuse my lack of knowledge! I

s it located under the bonnet on the right-hand side of the engine as you you face the windscreen or is it inside the car near the clutch pedal?

I would appreciate some further information ..Regards

[moonstone mart]

Quite common on a few toyotas.

The noise is most likely coming from the clutch master cylinder (attached to the clutch pedal by a bar/plunger and located in the engine bay) or the clutch pivot arm (the arm that the clutch slave cylinder pushes against just outside on the front of the gearbox).

You could try and lube the clutch pedal pivot bushes under the dash as this might be were the noise is coming from too.

Get someone to keep pressing the clutch pedal while you have a listen under the bonnet. If the noise is from the gearbox area it will be the pivot arm. If the noise is from behind the engine it will be the master cylinder.

I dont think you can do much about the master cylinder apart from replacing it but, the pivot arm can be greased easily enough if you can get access to it (depending on engine fitted). If you remove the slave cylinder you can pull the pivot arm across and get a small brush covered in grease into the hole and grease the pivot arm ball.

Its not a huge problem, just the noise will probably annoy you.

Mart

[antony12]

Quite common on a few toyotas.

The noise is most likely coming from the clutch master cylinder (attached to the clutch pedal by a bar/plunger and located in the engine bay) or the clutch pivot arm (the arm that the clutch slave cylinder pushes against just outside on the front of the gearbox).

You could try and lube the clutch pedal pivot bushes under the dash as this might be were the noise is coming from too.

Get someone to keep pressing the clutch pedal while you have a listen under the bonnet. If the noise is from the gearbox area it will be the pivot arm. If the noise is from behind the engine it will be the master cylinder.

I dont think you can do much about the master cylinder apart from replacing it but, the pivot arm can be greased easily enough if you can get access to it (depending on engine fitted). If you remove the slave cylinder you can pull the pivot arm across and get a small brush covered in grease into the hole and grease the pivot arm ball.

Its not a huge problem, just the noise will probably annoy you.

Mart

[antony12]

Quite common on a few toyotas.

The noise is most likely coming from the clutch master cylinder (attached to the clutch pedal by a bar/plunger and located in the engine bay) or the clutch pivot arm (the arm that the clutch slave cylinder pushes against just outside on the front of the gearbox).

You could try and lube the clutch pedal pivot bushes under the dash as this might be were the noise is coming from too.

Get someone to keep pressing the clutch pedal while you have a listen under the bonnet. If the noise is from the gearbox area it will be the pivot arm. If the noise is from behind the engine it will be the master cylinder.

I dont think you can do much about the master cylinder apart from replacing it but, the pivot arm can be greased easily enough if you can get access to it (depending on engine fitted). If you remove the slave cylinder you can pull the pivot arm across and get a small brush covered in grease into the hole and grease the pivot arm ball.

Its not a huge problem, just the noise will probably annoy you.

Mart

Many thanks Mart...I will try your suggestion and see how I get on . I'm reluctant to replace the master cylinder as I am thinking of changing the car early 2008. So I will try to "nurse/endure" the problem until then!!

Again many thanks

Antony12

[Rossi46]

I have had a similar problem to this since buying my 2003 Avensis a couple of months ago.

To diagnose it I got into the footwell with a torch and some WD40 and pressed the clutch pedal and sprayed a small amount of WD40 onto likely sources. On mine the squeak (actually more of a bl00dy great creak) was the point where the shaft attached to the pedal goes through the bulkhead. It looks like it's a metal shaft and goes through what looks like a thick rubber grommet.

After spraying WD40 on this area the sound stopped straight away but came back a week later so I sprayed some light grease on instead and the noise stopped for 2 weeks.

I applied CV grease to that area yesterday and i'm hoping it will have a better effect.

If I were you i'd try the WD40 inside the car to locate the problem and then apply some grease for a longer lasting fix

Good luck. ;)

[antony12]

Thanks Rossi46 for the reply and the grease suggestion. Yes I agree it really is a "great !Removed! creek".

I will try WD40 first and later the grease. I had a look at the clutch pedal and the shaft but it is very difficult to get access to it to spray the WD40 . But I will certainly give it a try. Many thanks again for the suggestions.