[Cluster2]

My 6.5 year old diesel i30 with DCT has just finished 165,000km of problem free driving, but I have noticed the car getting louder at idle. It sounds like a loud rattle, and since it's a diesel I assumed the engine was the cause.  On some cold starts in the morning I can feel the idle being a little rough, with the tacho needle moving slightly at random.  The rattle is only there at idle, and never under load.

The dealer says the loud rattle is coming from the DCT, and has recommended a clutch and flywheel replacement. I imagine this is going to cost the thick end of AUD$5k. Are dealers qualified to do this repair, or does it go to a specialist?  I am waiting for a quote, but the dealer already said 'flywheels are expensive right now'...

So now I have a choice. The rattle has been happening for years and I don't have any clutch slip or problems driving.

Keep driving it? Book in for a repair after shopping around? How likely is it to cause an actual failure to drive? How long is a piece of string?

EDIT:  Quote has now come in.  Parts/service pricing for the clutch pack noise fix is AUD$4327, of which $3255 is parts.

[Cluster2]

Hyundai workshop currently has my car apart, and the news isn't good.  They've shown me photos of the flywheel teeth with significant wear on the edges, and strongly recommended a flywheel replacement.  This adds another AUD$1000 onto the bill, and about a week's delay while the part comes in.  This is turning out to be one very expensive repair.  At least I have a free loan car during this phase of the repair.

The workshop reports they usually only change the clutch pack on rattling DCTs, and this is the first time they have to replace the flywheel too.  Can anyone add their experience to this?

While I like the way a DCT drives, I just can't see myself ever buying one again over a traditional automatic.  An AUD$5300 repair bill at under 170k km is really quite a lot.

[Cluster2]

Repair done, car picked up. It now purrs like a diesel kitten instead of rattling like something is about to break. Repair cost AUD$5333. That didn't tickle.

The rattle was so loud, that I could hear when the clutch disengaged while slowing down to a stop. With the windows closed.

The question is, would a normal automatic last longer than the DCT? Quite possibly. Regular automatics have clutches bathed in oil while Hyundai's DCT is a dry clutch. I rarely drive in peak hour traffic and don't abuse the DCT, yet it had a serious problem from about 150k km. That to me, is not good enough.  I won't be buying another DCT vehicle.

[liability]

I had exactly the same problem with exactly the same model. Also cost me around $5K for the clutches and flywheel.

Although mine made it to a bit over 300,000kms before it crapped itself.

[Cluster2]

I had exactly the same problem with exactly the same model. Also cost me around $5K for the clutches and flywheel.

Although mine made it to a bit over 300,000kms before it crapped itself.

Hmm, interesting.  Yours lasted a lot longer than mine.  Did you replace the clutch with the car still working, or did it fail so the vehicle didn't drive anymore?  300k km is about what I would expect from a dry clutch.  I was disappointed in having to replace mine so soon.

I suspect there may have been something not quite right with my car for quite a while.  On cold start up in the morning I had to press the accelerator a little harder when the transmission shifted from first to second, otherwise there would be a slight jerkiness to the change.  Subsequent gear changes for the rest of the day weren't a problem.  That doesn't happen any more with the new clutch/flywheel.

Car is 6.5 years old.  I plan to drive it another 4 years and sell at around the 275k km mark.  Any more than that, I think I'd run a risk of requiring another clutch change.

[liability]

Sorry for the late reply, been out of action for the past few weeks.

I lost the odd numbered gears in my DCT. It was still driveable, but would only use the even numbered gears. The loss of the odd numbered gears was sudden - drove to the shops and it was okay, odd numbered gears gone when I drove home.

In hindsight, there had been a few possible signs of a problem, it would randomly make a 'clunking' noise as I slowed down to stop and would 'jerk' to a stop when I pulled up. This happened probably once every 30 or stops.

I didn't notice it, but the wife also said that the engine is much quieter after I got the DCT fixed - possibly noise from the old flywheel?

I am reasonably happy to have got 300,000kms out of the DCT. Dealer said it is the first one they have had to replace, as most people don't do those sort of miles.

[Cluster2]

I remember losing the odd gears and reverse in my i30 around 30,000km.  It only happened once, and the car was still driveable, but obviously almost crippled.  Restarting the car a couple of times was enough to clear the error, and it never happened again.

Hopefully both are cars are good from here on.