How many people here have smoked their clutch on their 2011+

**Pool Runner** · 01-13-2013 07:10 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I concider myself an "expert" manual transmission driver. My first vehicle as a kid at 16 was a manual trans '93 Toyota pickup 5/speed 4-cyl. I went on to own several other manual vehicles after that like a '92 Acura GS-R, '98 Tacoma, '02 VW Jetta 1.8t, '02 Civic Si. There is nothing I can't or havent done spiritedly with a manual transmission. I've worked at several car dealers in my past and driven almost everything ever offered in manual over the last 20 years aside from exotics and never had a problem, let alone never really stalled one since learning to drive a manual initially.

I'm embarrased to say this but my '13 base WRX is the HARDEST manual trans car I've ever driven period. My first experience with an old GMC, with three on the tree went smoother than me driving my WRX. So here is my delima, our home has a steep driveway at almost 9% at the steepest point. I have to take my driveway at a 45 degree angle to avoid damage to the lip of the car or rear overhangs and exhaust tips. Rarely do I just park straight on the slope but today I did and when I went to pull the car into the garage I absolutely smoked my clutch. At all times I do my best to be super smooth with clutch/ gas modulation, engaging and dissengaging the clutch but this car feels like the engagement point is always changing.

Almost as if sometimes it is right off the floor, half way or nearly completely off. I know this is not the case but the super soft feel and give of the engagement point makes this frustrating, every time I pull into my garage I get a faint or moderate burnt clutch smell, even doing everything correctly and coming completely off the clutch and letting the car almost idle into the garage. I've actually stalled my WRX at a traffic light more times in five months of ownership and just 1500 miles of useage than in my entire 18 years of driving manual vehicles.

Anyone else having as hard of a time with the manual and clutch in this car as I am? One otherthing I notice, sometimes when I park the car and go to leave It is very difficult to select reverse and I almost have to slightly roll the car (Which sucks if I'm slightly nosed in on an incline 6" away from the curb) just to get it to slife into reverse. Anyway, I throughly enjoy this beast but the stick and clutch are the worst I've ever experienced and I've driven some very craptastic manual vehicles in my lifetime.

**Eric05mx** · 01-13-2013 07:24 PM

I never burn my clutch but I will agree with this car being pretty hard to drive smooth compared to every other manual I've driven. Sometimes I pull out and give it just a bit too much gas and the next time not enough. You definitely can't get lazy with the clutch & gas pedal. My first vehicle was a manual and every one since has been so I've been driving a manual for 14 years. If the car won't go into reverse try putting it into 1st gear then reverse again. I've read that somewhere and it seems to help.

**Pool Runner** · 01-13-2013 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Eric05mx

I never burn my clutch but I will agree with this car being pretty hard to drive smooth compared to every other manual I've driven. Sometimes I pull out and give it just a bit too much gas and the next time not enough. You definitely can't get lazy with the clutch & gas pedal. My first vehicle was a manual and every one since has been so I've been driving a manual for 14 years. If the car won't go into reverse try putting it into 1st gear then reverse again. I've read that somewhere and it seems to help.

I don't know if burnt or smoked is the same, but I basically brought the tack to about 2K and begain slipping the clutch. My driveway is a 9% incline so you can't just come off the clutch and let her roll into it. Anyway I barely slipped the clutch and it smelled terrible, I notice than even being extra easy on it where there is almost zero slip I still smell a faint burnt clutch smell creep through the vents. I just wonder how many times I can pull into my driveway before my clutch is toast, I can't even overstate how extremely careful I am and how much I baby the car.

As far as going back to first then shifting into reverse, yeah I do that first before I creep the car an inch. Sometimes I have to shift into 1st 2-3 times.

**EJ257** · 01-13-2013 07:57 PM

A good M/T driver can have issues with Subaru clutches, if they aren't familiar with them.

**11blackwrx** · 01-13-2013 08:56 PM

the hill assist feature should be a big help in avoiding problems on hills. does take some getting used to though

**Pool Runner** · 01-13-2013 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by 11blackwrx

the hill assist feature should be a big help in avoiding problems on hills. does take some getting used to though

I think that's part of the problem actually, as I'm sitting on the driveway. Sometimes I wait the few seconds for the hill hold to go off and then let the clutch out. In which case I actually get pretty good, however if I don't wait for the hill holder to turn off there is a very slight bit of drag before the car moves forward and it's that slight drag that causes me to kind of slip more resulting in burnt clutch smell.

**BigpjiWRX** · 01-13-2013 09:40 PM

Yes, wait for the hill assist to let go before you ascend all the way up your driveway. If you accelerate before the hill assist lets go then it will burn the clutch up a bit. I had this happen to me 3 times before I decided to just wait for hill assist to turn off and have not had a problem since.

As for the rest of my experiences driving my 12' wrx for the last 7 months. I occasionally have similar issues reversing. All I can say is do not park so close to the curb so you give yourself space.

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**11blackwrx** · 01-13-2013 11:34 PM

hill assist was very weird for me at first but now im used to it and use it in my favor

**chutoyy** · 01-13-2013 11:38 PM

I smoke my clutch fairly often... Either that or I stall it. Damn clutch needs more bite, I can't feel it engaging.

And that hill assist drives me NUTS. Why won't you let me hold my car on a hill at my own will?!

Anyway, still one of the better (MT) cars I've owned/driven.

**99pgpgt** · 01-14-2013 03:54 AM

These cars are definitely fun to drive, but seriously, the clutch got me when I moved it at the dealer to pull into their garage, twice in a row mind you lol

It engages about halfway off the floor and that's what caught me up. And yeah, reverse doesn't like to line up a lot, it 7-8 times out of 10 gives me a little noise going in :/ makes you feel like a noob driving with someone or around someone lolol.

And I don't know if it's just me, but shifting from 1st to 2nd is almost always rough. It takes a lot of finesse it seems to make it a smooth transition, light or full throttle. Anybody have some advice on making it a smoother shot? Lol

I think my problem when hitting full boost in 1st is I'm not giving it enough throttle maybe when I hit 2nd. Which I believe also comes back to the clutch and it's engagement point. I think I need to give it more throttle earlier, almost right as I'm pulling my foot out of the clutch... Hmmm

**Jay2011wrx** · 01-14-2013 04:11 AM

Dam hill assist,mines feels like it going up at 50k,come on man, i've gone about 200k before replacing a clutch.

**nsibanez** · 01-14-2013 05:18 AM

The five speeds have been a problem since they arrived in the us. But instead of Subaru fixing or making better they kind of just let it get worse. I think a lot has to do with the synchros not having enough lube and need to be pre lubed beforehand

**Zman13** · 01-14-2013 05:30 AM

Ya this car deff needs a better clutch. I traded a new Focus ST in for my new WRX and the ST had an awsome gear box couldnt stall that car all most if you wanted too! That being said ive only stalled my new Rex while pulling it into my garage twice watching my mirrors trying to feather the gas and work the clutch so i dont go to fast in the gravel and stalled it. I think the fact that i have stone as a driveway dosent help esp while pulling it into the garage! Ive never stalled it on the road tho! Yet!!!..LOL

**RichD514** · 01-14-2013 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by 99pgpgt

And I don't know if it's just me, but shifting from 1st to 2nd is almost always rough. It takes a lot of finesse it seems to make it a smooth transition, light or full throttle. Anybody have some advice on making it a smoother shot?

My 1st to 2nd shifts are rough when I'm trying to keep it smooth, like when someone is riding with me.. But when I'm not concentrating they tend to be smoother

**Ruh Roh** · 01-14-2013 05:43 AM

i have the same problem going into reverse, my car is an 02. nothing like trying to quickly parallel park and having it not go in or grind. Love going to pull in a spot at car meets, wont go in reverse, then grinds, then finally goes in. Mine has trouble going into 1st as well. Ill have to go into neutral and try again, or let foot off clutch a little. i dont seem to mind hills that much but the time ill usually burn up my clutch a bit is when pulling onto ramps to change oil, etc.. think its just because i get scared and dont want to overshoot the ramps like i almost did before fml.