[Vermillion]

Hi, I'm back!

I'm enjoying my new car but I've noticed that when pulling away on a slope I'm liable to stall unless I put my foot hard on the gas and rev up.

I never stalled my old Ka because the biting point had a bit of leeway and I could hold it on an a hill at biting point no problemo.  With my i30 the biting point seems to be very small and unless I'm right at the right place with my feet on the clutch and gas, it stalls or races.

Is there something I can do about this?  Having the clutch adjusted, for example?

(Sorry for all the non-technical terms..)

[Shambles]

You've had it around 10 weeks? Might take a wee while you getting used to the difference between your Ka and the superior 1.4 comfort

I'd just see how you go mate.

[Vermillion]

But I can drive other cars without stalling.  It shouldn't stall, should it?

My sister's Santa Fe doesn't stall when I drive it.

[Shambles]

Sounds like the difference between being fully engaged, and disengaged, is too small as you initially said.

I don't know of any clutch experts on here, but if the clutch can be adjusted to widen the biting point that would sort it out.

Worth getting a second opinion? Maybe, say, the dealership or your sister?

[Vermillion]

I did ask my sis yesterday and she said her Santa Fe (8 weeks old) drives exactly the same as her Tuscon.  She hasn't driven my car yet (not insured).

I see I'm not alone in noticing the problem though

https://i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=3461.0

Would this kind of thing be covered by the warranty?

[Dazzler]

I don't know of any clutch experts on here,

Pity that Michael (MRHi30) has gone AWOL again (I think) he might have been able to help...

[Vermillion]

As long as he wasn't going suggest me getting my spanner out! 

[Dazzler]

As long as he wasn't going suggest me getting my spanner out! 

He used to be a Hyundai service manager and has had a variety of Hyundai models of his own so I reckon he would have some helpful advice..  (might be a reason to chase him up)

[bumpkin]

I think it is just a matter of getting used to it, even more so with the petrol model.  Due to the clutch arrangement being electrical, it is just how they are.

As reported way back, I don't think I have ever stalled a car so much as when I got my i30, two years down the line and there are still moments of hesitation as you feel the revs drop, but the stalling does go away

[umbro]

Never had that problem, maybe your just not used to it yet, or in case the other cars you drove were diesel, there's a big difference.On a diesel car you can drive away very easily with just using the clutch and even get to 60km/h just shifting gears and no gas.And don't be afraid to rev the engine if needed, it's not gonna blow up , i usually change gears at 3000rpm  and sometimes at 5-6000 when i`m feeling sporty )).

[asathorny]

I had the same problem, after almost five months I am just getting used to giving it an extra splash of gas to get the wheels turning.....

Otherwise I love the car.   

A

[2i30s]

18 months plus and i still stall my car at least once a month, 

[agentr31]

lets try and get to the bottom of this...

I've noticed that when pulling away on a slope I'm liable to stall unless I put my foot hard on the gas and rev up.

so we have established you are stalling it frequently... now we need to find out why!

With my i30 the biting point seems to be very small and unless I'm right at the right place with my feet on the clutch and gas, it stalls or races.

now we have an idea of your "problem" you state that the "biting point" is too small...

lets look into it further now


are you reving it enough to get the car to move... a ford KA weighs 1/10 of nothing... an i30 weighs 1300kg's, are you possibly to fast with the clutch? remember the smoother you are with your foot the smoother the take off will be 8)

Is there something I can do about this?  Having the clutch adjusted, for example?

no... its a hydraulic clutch... you cant adjust it... you can bleed the system to remove air but all that will do is firm up the pedal IF there happens to be air in the line...

so now we know you cant adjust it, you actually need to assess the situation...

IS there actually a problem with your car? are you sure its the car? is it not you? everyone drives differently!

have you tried going to a dealer, driving a new car and comparing it to your car???  if not why dont you try that it may be no different, it may be vastly different?

if you have... IS there is a difference, if so then you can complain, if not then pretty much adjust your driving style to suit the clutch, it is a clutch it does require driver input to work correctly, there is technique to using a clutch, you cant just rev + dump = launch

Due to the clutch arrangement being electrical, it is just how they are.

LOL...

no its not... its hydraulic... there is clearly a rod going from the pedal through the firewall to the master cylinder, i know i have a diesel, but the difference between our cars will only be the line running from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder on the gear box, why re-invent a clutch system, when all you need to do is slightly change one thing to make it suit a variety engines and gear boxes of the same model?

hopefully this helps!

[Vermillion]

OK. I've had a think about this.  I only do about 2000 miles a year so it could be that I need to give it a bit more time to adjust.  I do only stall on slopes.

The engine is a bit quieter than my old Ka, so I could turn down the iPod a bit and try listening to the engine.

The thing is, I'm revving up a bit more than I probably need to because I'm now trying not to stall the engine.

I'm 11 months away from a service so unless it gets a lot worse, I'll live with it and see if I can change the way I drive a bit.

Thanks all. 

Just to add; the clutch takes a while to bed in as do the brakes. Maybe you just need to live with it a bit and keep trying to find the "bite point" as you put it. Once you can feel that point by "bouncing" off it with the clutch pedal and no revs it will come to you.

When new, the bite point will be far too vague and difficult to judge.

Keep trying.

OK. I've had a think about this.  I only do about 2000 miles a year...

..try listening to the engine.

2000 miles a year? This confirms my thought... if you bought new then it's too new to have bedded the clutch.

No you don't need to listen to the engine (but it won't hurt) you need to feel the clutch with your left foot. Like I indicated before, while stopped on the flat, let the clutch out quite quickly up to the "bite point" (but not beyond else it will stall) and you will soon discover where it will grab. It will give a "boomf" noise as it grabs if you hit that point firmly enough. As I described before, "bounce" off that point to feel where it is. The feel and the noise will grow more familiar as the clutch beds to the point you will not need to hear it at all.

Deaf people drive cars. 

[Vermillion]

It was a year old when I bought it but had only done 3790 miles.

I haven't always done so few miles.  I've been driving since 1977 and am the only driver in the household, so I'm fairly experienced.

It was a year old when I bought it but had only done 3790 miles.

I haven't always done so few miles.  I've been driving since 1977 and am the only driver in the household, so I'm fairly experienced.

Ok, of course adjust my advice to suit your situation but I still think what I've said can apply to a low mileage car irrespective of driver experience. My clutch was slow to bed and the brakes were "grabby" for the first 5,000km or so.

[Vermillion]

I'll give it another few months then.

Thanks for all your input.

[eye30]

Now here is my 2 penny worth.

Check the height of the 3 pedals, assuming your is manual. 
Oh of course it is otherwise it wouldn't stall ---  get another can of John Smith's from the fridge. 

They should all be near enough the same height.

If the clutch is different take it back and ask the dealer to check it out.

[Surferdude]

I'm sure we've discussed this on here before.
I have only stalled mine a couple of times but I found I was using more revs than necessary for a while.
I've gone back to making sure I keep the heel of my clutch foot on the floor and let the clutch pedal up by pivoting at the ankle.
This makes it very easy to "feel" the take up point and lets me manage the revs better. Since I started doing this my starts have become smoother (and quicker).
For your benefit, I've been driving for 45 years (OMG!) which included a stint of about 20 years driving rally cars. But I had become lazy with my manual starts and got into the habit of lifting my whole foot up with the pedal. The Hyundai seems more sensitive in the clutch so it was back to basics (the way I taught my kids) for me and no more problem.

[Vermillion]

Good tip Surferdude.  I may need to adjust my seat to do it though because I'm a shortarse at 5'4"...

[hipposniper]

yes i had the same problem, its something to do with the clutch flywheel being smaller due to saving some weight to boost MPG and also to comply with new Co2 emmissions ... it will soon grow on you

[Dazzler]

Good tip Surferdude.  I may need to adjust my seat to do it though because I'm a shortarse at 5'4"...

Yeah, Trev doesn't have that problem he is about 1 foot taller than you...

[Surferdude]

Good tip Surferdude.  I may need to adjust my seat to do it though because I'm a shortarse at 5'4"...

Yeah, Trev doesn't have that problem he is about 1 foot taller than you...

Well, 10" anyway (and that's in height)

[hipposniper]

buhahahahah, brill reply

[gw]

Please refer to my reply post under PROBLEMS AND ISSUES-PETROL Dated 27-July 2010-Heading: SLX manual query-clutch friction point. Reguards GW.    I own an i30 petrol/manual sr model. I hope this helps.

[blumf]

I'm beginning to wonder if the stalling issue is down to the slow electric throttle. There is quiet a gap between pressing the pedal and the engine responding which makes it very hard to manage the car on the biting point.

Any idea if the engine management system can be set to check the accelerator pedal more frequently?

[agentr31]

man... toyota have the slowest electric throttle! ours is pretty fast by my standards, and ive driven many cars...