Clutch issue

I have a 2003 beetle alh 5 speed. I was driving yesterday and came to a stop light and the clutch felt different. When I went to take off, the friction zone was only about 1/2 inch off the floor and it was very difficult to go in 1st and 2nd gear. I got it home and now everything seems to be back to normal. Anything I could check or try? Car has 227,000 with the factory clutch. But it has been driven by me for it entire life and the clutch always worked as intend up till now. Thanks for any info that could help.

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Check your brake resivor and make sure the fluid is up to the line. The brakes and clutch share the same resivor and the tap on the side for the clutch line is the first place air enters the braking/clutch system if the fluid start to run low.

Do you have any brake fluid leaks? Caliper? Hose? Rusted through hard line?

227k on a factory DMF is pretty good usually it would have went about 50k miles ago. It’s probably time to start thinking about a new clutch.

Could be the clutch is on it's way out. One service that can get overlooked is the every 2 years flush and bleed of the hydraulic system, might help.

Tdijarhead said:

Check your brake resivor and make sure the fluid is up to the line. The brakes and clutch share the same resivor and the tap on the side for the clutch line is the first place air enters the braking/clutch system if the fluid start to run low.

Do you have any brake fluid leaks? Caliper? Hose? Rusted through hard line?

227k on a factory DMF is pretty good usually it would have went about 50k miles ago. It’s probably time to start thinking about a new clutch.

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I think you nailed it. On this beetle, it is buried up under the cowl panel. The level is just below the tap for the clutch system on the reservoir. I am gonna fill it up and see. Plus is was coming up to a down hill traffic light when it started. I think it just sucked in some air.

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If your reservoir is low you likely have a leak somewhere. Clutch slave cylinder, caliper, hard brake line or rubber lines leading to the calipers.

Tdijarhead said:

If your reservoir is low you likely have a leak somewhere. Clutch slave cylinder, caliper, hard brake line or rubber lines leading to the calipers.

Click to expand...

The slave wasn't leaking to the extent that it lost all of the fluid yesterday when this happened, but it is wet from a very small leak because it is covered in a very thin layer of fluid but has dirt stuck in the fluid. I have a slave and master on the way and will replace them anyways.

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Tdijarhead said:

Check your brake resivor and make sure the fluid is up to the line. The brakes and clutch share the same resivor and the tap on the side for the clutch line is the first place air enters the braking/clutch system if the fluid start to run low.

Do you have any brake fluid leaks? Caliper? Hose? Rusted through hard line?

227k on a factory DMF is pretty good usually it would have went about 50k miles ago. It’s probably time to start thinking about a new clutch.

Click to expand...

This car was bought new and it is all highway miles up till now. And I take it easy on the clutch.

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