60k Bad Slave cylinder?

2013 Golf TDI 6spd MT

I have a post buy back TDI. I bought the car with 48k miles I am now at 60k. About a week and a half ago I drove the car to Lowe’s (about a 25 minute drive) all is normal.. went inside returned to car and when I started the car the clutch felt real funny. The clutch engaged way way low to the floor compared to it’s usual bite point. I turned the car off turned it on it was normal again. About a week went by with no issues and now the last few days every morning I start the car to go to work the clutch is on the floor and I cannot get the car in gear without pumping the clutch by lifting it and then pushing it back down several times. Once I do that it feels normal. No visible leaks. I checked the brake fluid and it is up to max capacity. I am awfully stumped i’ve read some forums and talked to a few of my friends. A failed slave would not be intermittent you would think? I brought the car to the shop they’re saying failed slave $1300 repair. Although they have not found any fluid leaking. I believe when we talked they had not done any work to the car just drove it . ( when I dropped the car off the clutch was acting fine) I am really stumped here I really do not want to dump $1300 into the car and have the issue not be fixed

Same thing happened to me. Bought a 2011 Golf 6MT post recall in November of last year. Had 79k on when purchased from a VW dealer. Less than 1500 miles later my clutch pedal was acting just like yours with the same intermittent problems. One day while pulling into my driveway it went straight to the floor and even manually pumping it with my hand it wouldn’t gain pressure. I was hoping best case scenario was the clutch master cylinder and worst case was slave cylinder. Same as you I saw no visible fluid leaks. Ended up being the slave cylinder which can only be replaced by removing the transmission. There was a good amount of fluid built up with clutch dust when I pulled the trans. While I was in there I replaced the clutch/pressure plate, flywheel and rear main seal. although they were still fine. Figured it was good insurance for the future.

Before you drop the trans to check/replace the slave. Check the flex and hard clutch lines from the master cylinder to the bleed block on top of the transmission. There are a number of push connections with clips that have "o" rings, check and replace all the "o" rings. Same thing happened to my 2005.5 clutch was fine, then one afternoon it dropped to the floor went starting. Was a bad "o" ring.

So the shop wants to do a $1300 repair without evidence of a leak. I guess when that doesn't fix it and you bring it back they'll say "It's the master. Good news, only $500 this time".

Seems to me that if there's no fluid loss it has to be the master. A bad slave or a leak will loose fluid. Pedal going to the floor should push a significant amount of fluid somewhere if it's leaking.

Try to make it not work. Push the pedal slowly and if it's in failure mode don't try to make it work, keep doing slowly until you see the fluid level drop or are convinced it's the master.

you can rebuild them really easily. only way they really go bad is over traveling when bleeding and chewing up the orings or letting the brake fluid go for years and years and years and just pitting the crap out of parts. I have yet to see a brake caliper or master that i was not able to bring back to perfect life with just some 400 grit, new orings and seals and an ultrasonic cleaner. and i have rebuilt ones from 1970's cars that still had the original brake fluid in it. My 1971 buick skylark and my g30HD chevy 2 ton both had brake fluid 2x a thick at 90w transaxle fluid and 2x a dark!. a few flushes and rebuilding all the parts and it was new gain. took 7 flushes and 2 soaking the lines and system in ATF to get the lines cleaned out.

dont get ripped off like a shill from the dealer on this. rebuild whatever you want how you want.
a good ultrasonic cleaner that will fit your parts is about $100
seals and all the orings will run you about $30 and some purple power for $8. get to work