2016 WRX Clutch Replacement already!?!?!?!

So I took half of a day off work yesterday to take my WRX in for a recall on the plastic turbo intake tube and to finalize the paperwork on the wife's new Forester XT. I had also mentioned that the clutch pedal was making a squeaking noise every time I depressed the pedal (hot, cold, morning, noon, night, cars on/off etc.). Service writer comes to talk to me while I'm finishing the last bit of paperwork for the new ride to tell me that the tech thinks it needs a whole new clutch assembly. I'm somewhat speechless because the car has 9000 miles on it and has yet to even be autoxed or properly tracked. I held off on getting the repair to do some forum searching for similar issues or TSBs. All I'm finding is that most people have the clutch pedal assembly replaced but it's mainly due to crappy firewall welds with a select few people having the whole clutch assembly and pilot/throwout bearings replaced.

Am I crazy for not wanting to have the clutch replaced or is a constant squeak during depression representative of a bad throwout bearing? I'm so anal about taking a new car apart because things never go back the way they originally went in even with the best techs. I feel like it's the start of a slippery slope lol.

I think you were right to hold off on letting them replace it.

It's on their dime right?

I understand your feelings on tearing down such a new car, but getting it replaced while still under warranty sounds like a good idea.

But I really, really doubt it's the "clutch".

Much more likely a pedal creak or firewall creak...

This happened with my 2009 WRX, and was the impetus for me ditching that car. It would squeak and creak every time I depressed the clutch real early on, and eventually, the throwout bearing started to howl at around 45-50k miles. I had a full "Gold Plus" bumper to bumper warranty, and they told me that they couldn't do anything unless I signed off on $1500+ of diagnosis labor which may or may not be refunded. The squeak was coming from the area of the clutch fork, and they said that may or may not be covered.

The creak was different; it was coming from the pedal assembly. The pedal assembly WAS flexing around, and you could see it moving, and they said that's normal and not a problem. They told me it was the clutch safety switch. I've felt other cars that make a click when depressing the clutch (even my Mazda does it!) but this was different. Only "fix" for that I've seen is welding a brace from the pedal hanger to the firewall for stability.

If they do it under warranty, go for it. If not, unload that thing ASAP!

Unless there is a physical deficiency in the clutch, they are not a warranty item, they are a wear item. Therefore not covered.

The Hoff wrote: It's on their dime right? I understand your feelings on tearing down such a new car, but getting it replaced while still under warranty sounds like a good idea.

this. Unless you're paying for it, get it fixed.

Not a dime would be coming out of my pocket. This TSB indicates that pedal squeak is known by Subaru and it's likely similar to the older model WRXs and the weak firewall welds (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwazL0gIHW2PREM1LUFLRW5RRlU/view?pageId=116135673124532756954). They are the ones recommending the clutch replacement, not I, and they are covering it under warranty. I called back today and talked to the tech and he's saying he wants to replace the clutch as well because it's due to a bad throw out bearing making the noise. I might have it done and unload the car. I've been contemplating an S2000 for a while now anyways. The FXT feels exactly like a lifted WRX anyways.

If it's covered by the warranty, I would absolutely have them do it.

If they fix it for free, you are good. If you want a different car then that is another story. I wouldn't worry about the tech screwing up the install.

I went through an Exedy clutch in my STi swap in about 50k km, mostly because it had too much torque. I really like the new South Bend replacement. Subaru OEM clutches are just good enough for stock power and maybe not even that. Autox launches with awd and sticky tires is tough on clutches.

My DD cars stay pretty much stock aside from brakes and tires for track days but I've been so busy between work, family, and chump car that I don't have a chance to track my street cars (which is a good and bad). I'm just shocked they want to go through that extent. I was honestly expecting an answer along the lines of "The squeak is a normal Subaru thing, carry on." I had a 2012 WRX with metal very visible in the oil at 10k miles and SoA and every DMV (DC, Murland, Norther Virginia) area Subaru dealer refused to do anything about it so it's a shock on multiple levels and fear of the same problem reoccurring or new problems coming about from the repair.

Woody wrote: If it's covered by the warranty, I would absolutely have them do it.

Yup - absolutely

unloading a car because you got the clutch replaced for free? SOunds a bit... umm... "silly"

You're getting 9000mi worth of clutch wear reversed.

FWIW, I saw two late model just-out-of-warranty Subaru throwout bearing failures in the past three months. So THAT part of it, I could believe.

One was merely really noisy but the other one was all kinds of exploded.

My 09 (tuned to 280whp) was autocrossed frequently for several years and I drive it hard. I thought the original clutch was slipping at 90k miles so replaced it (car is now at 135k miles). But really it had like 50% wear still left on it I'd say.

As to the whirring sound - that's throwout bearing. My original one did it within about 5k miles, and the replacement one we put in with the new clutch also makes it. Only makes noise when the car is cold...once it's been driven for a few minutes noise goes away. Not rough though....just a kind of whirring noise when holding the clutch pedal in.

As to the "creak" that is either the switch on the assembly (more like a "click" that you can adjust a bit to get rid of or just get a new switch for cheap since about 100 different cars use the same one), or the firewall flexing. Someone sells a backing plate to get rid of the firewall flex, which I put on mine and fixed the issue. Ask aroudn NASIOC or something.

If they are going to cover the cost, why wouldn't you get it replaced?

I had to go to Ford Corporate to get my local dealer to agree to consider covering the clutch in my SVO with under 5000 miles. With the Ford rep's intervention they agreed that if they took it apart and it was defective Ford would cover it and if not I would pay for it. One of the springs on the pressure plate had broken so Ford covered it. I knew I hadn't done anything to wear out the clutch that quickly, but I was young & they thought I tore it up and didn't want to "give" me a free clutch.

Bobzilla - insert sarcasm about unloading a car.

irish - I have no whirring noise coming from the throw out bearing. I have no clutch pedal click either. It's just a squeak. It squeaks when it goes down and squeaks on the way back up. I've searched around Nauseauioc and iwsti and most people just have the clutch pedal assembly replaced but it seems to be a common issue on 13+ BRZs and 15+ WRX/STI models.

I got under the car this evening and had my wife press on the pedal for me. Noise is definitely coming from inside the transmission. I have an appointment to get it replaced. I mainly wanted opinions or to see if anyone else had prior experience or the same issue.

My '15 Brz recently began squeaking when pressing the clutch. I lubed pedal joints and slave cylinder push rod but the noise remains. I've seen a few threads on the issue and was going to ignore it, but your post motivated me to get it inspected. I'm leary of disassembly and replacement, even if covered by warranty, if all that work wont cure design flaws. Quirky sights, sounds and smells, I can get used to as long as its not leading up to kaboom.

Our 15 runs like a top. No issues yet. 15k miles or so and a handful of autocrosses.

I just crank up DC101 on my car stereo. My $800 Nissan has no creaks or rattles.