[mackem6]

Not getting solid answers from the shop so figured I'd try my hand at a thread.

I bought a '13 forester 2 months ago. I was told it received a total clutch job at the dealership that I bought it from after they took in in on a trade (major factor in buying this one). for the first 2 weeks the car drove great and I had no issues.

After 2 weeks it started to develop a squeak that isn't very consistent. It seems to happen anytime I engage or disengage the clutch, and it also happens when I hit bumps with the clutch engaged. Sometimes it just squeaks when I'm on the throttle in general, but I have yet to really notice it while the clutch is disengaged.

This is what lead me to believe it was a poor clutch job, especially after being told by my personal mechanic that the throw out was responsible for the squeak (throwout bearing was supposedly replaced with the clutch job at the dealership).

I took it back to the dealership this week to have it looked over for faulty parts or assembly and all they told me was they couldn't reproduce the squeak and that they just lubricated the slave cylinder rod to the release bearing. Didn't fix a thing. Still squeaks.

Anybody every experienced these symptoms or have any kind of idea what could be causing this? I just want to drive smoothly without constantly wondering what's squeaking in my car.

 

[DragonSubie7]

Are you saying the clutch squeaks when you press in the pedal? `
Is that one squeak and done, or does it keep squeaking as long as the pedal is depressed?
If it squeaks once when you press in the pedal, it could be the clutch master cylinder.
If the clutch continues making noise when the pedal is depressed, that is likely your throw-out bearing.
If the clutch is making noise without the pedal being depressed, that isn't a typical throw-out bearing issue, as the bearing is what is used to separate the clutch and pressure plate, and it is just along for the ride while you are powering the transmission with the engine.
Since the dealer NTF'd your issue, are you unable to recreate the problem?
Throw-out bearings are not typically intermittent, and they start making more noise as they get worse.

 

[mackem6]

Are you saying the clutch squeaks when you press in the pedal? `
Is that one squeak and done, or does it keep squeaking as long as the pedal is depressed?
If it squeaks once when you press in the pedal, it could be the clutch master cylinder.
If the clutch continues making noise when the pedal is depressed, that is likely your throw-out bearing.
If the clutch is making noise without the pedal being depressed, that isn't a typical throw-out bearing issue, as the bearing is what is used to separate the clutch and pressure plate, and it is just along for the ride while you are powering the transmission with the engine.
Since the dealer NTF'd your issue, are you unable to recreate the problem?
Throw-out bearings are not typically intermittent, and they start making more noise as they get worse.

It’s a little confusing. Basically it squeaks both pushing in the clutch and letting out the clutch, but only when the car is driving (so when switching gears). No noise in neutral, and no noise once the clutch is fully pushed in. Also squeaks when hitting bumps when the car is in gear. It also squeaks when letting off the gas (car lurches from engine breaking). I know it doesn’t make much sense, but I wouldn’t be here if it did 😅

 

[DragonSubie7]

@mackem6 -
It "sounds" (pun intended) to me like it might be the clutch plate that is making the squeak when it is partially engaged or when fully engaged and extra stress is added.
A throw-out bearing will typically make noise when the clutch is depressed and it should continue making that noise while the clutch is depressed if it is indeed going bad. Your car doesn't seem to do that.
Actually, most throw out bearings going bad make a rumble rather than a squeak...

The master cylinder would squeak whenever you press in the pedal, and it doesn't seem to do that.

Anyway... I'm thinking that the clutch plate might have gotten some lube on it when it was assembled, and when it is only partially engaged that lube allows it to slip unevenly so it squeaks.

This wouldn't happen in neutral, as you observed, because there is so little torsional force to overcome, but when you hit a bump, or are using the engine to brake the car by letting off the gas, you are changing the force on the drive train which means that extra force on the clutch could cause a brief slip to make the squeak.

This is all complete conjecture on my part, based on your description, but it would seem to fit the facts as you presented them. If this is what is going on (and it may not be), although annoying, it wouldn't be something to worry about unless you start to get a significant slip in your clutch.

If the sound happens pretty consistently, and if you got any kind of warranty on the car, I would get one of the techs or service writers into the car and let them hear the sound for themselves to eliminate the NTF response.

 

[mackem6]

@mackem6 -
It "sounds" (pun intended) to me like it might be the clutch plate that is making the squeak when it is partially engaged or when fully engaged and extra stress is added.
A throw-out bearing will typically make noise when the clutch is depressed and it should continue making that noise while the clutch is depressed if it is indeed going bad. Your car doesn't seem to do that.
Actually, most throw out bearings going bad make a rumble rather than a squeak...

The master cylinder would squeak whenever you press in the pedal, and it doesn't seem to do that.

Anyway... I'm thinking that the clutch plate might have gotten some lube on it when it was assembled, and when it is only partially engaged that lube allows it to slip unevenly so it squeaks.

This wouldn't happen in neutral, as you observed, because there is so little torsional force to overcome, but when you hit a bump, or are using the engine to brake the car by letting off the gas, you are changing the force on the drive train which means that extra force on the clutch could cause a brief slip to make the squeak.

This is all complete conjecture on my part, based on your description, but it would seem to fit the facts as you presented them. If this is what is going on (and it may not be), although annoying, it wouldn't be something to worry about unless you start to get a significant slip in your clutch.

If the sound happens pretty consistently, and if you got any kind of warranty on the car, I would get one of the techs or service writers into the car and let them hear the sound for themselves to eliminate the NTF response.

Well, that’s the realest explanation I’ve gotten thus far and sounds really plausible. Thanks for your response. I guess I’ll just try to get used to the squeak and hope for no other symptoms. Can’t afford labor for a clutch job and don’t have the tools to do it myself so fingers crossed it gets me through grad school!

 

[Tooly]

Could it be the clutch slave cylinder that needs lubrication like seen here? http://www.northursalia.com/modifications/drivetrain/creak/creak.html

 

[mackem6]

Could it be the clutch slave cylinder that needs lubrication like seen here? http://www.northursalia.com/modifications/drivetrain/creak/creak.html

I don’t think so. It’s not depressing the clutch that makes the squeak, but rather a load being applied to the clutch that causes it.

 

[mackem6]

update on the conclusion of this one. Embarrassingly (but also very fortunately) it wasn't related to the cutch whatsoever. Just turns out I had a rusty rear exhaust mount, was in and out of the shop in 20 minutes. I was skeptical after they told me the issue seeing how it was so closely related to clutch operation but sure enough the squeak has vanished. Subaru Gods let me have one for once.