Stiff Clutch Pedal

 

Backstory: I purchased the car in September after having decided on a 2007-2009 Legacy GT over a new WRX. It was to be a replacement for my 2003 Honda Accord. I was planning on test driving the car when I went to visit some friends over a long weekend. Unfortunately the Accord met its demise the week before my trip, and I was forced to nab a rental car for the trip. Nine hours in a Mazda3 is enough penance for all of the terrible things I have ever done.

 

Got rid of the rental car, went to the dealership, drove the GT which was decidedly more pleasant than my memories of driving an Impreza and FAR better than the Mazda I had been stuck in. I had put 70k+ miles on the Accord and had learned to drive stick on a Civic, I noticed some things I didn't care for in the GT, but I figured there would be changes, and I would just get used to it. In the months after I acquired the car, I became more adjusted to it, but I never had the same ease that I did with the Accord.

 

The main gripe I continued to have about the car is the force required to push down the clutch pedal. Most of the other posts I have found about this say there is nothing to be done about it, or "go to the gym, wimp," and while I may not be in peak physical condition, this is assuredly not a case of weak legs.

 

I've taken the car to two different Subaru dealers and a transmission shop. They have all said, that while the clutch is stiff to operate, it is within spec, and there is nothing physically wrong with it, and nothing that can be done to change the force required to push down the clutch pedal. A replacement clutch MIGHT change the pressure required, but typically aftermarket clutches make it operation stiffer.

 

I have had a half dozen or so people sit in my car and attempt to drive, or even operate the clutch pedal, including two Legacy owners (one 2007 GT Spec B, and the other 2009 base model). The owner of the Spec B turned the car on, exclaimed how horrible it was, put the car into reverse and was backing out of the spot when he pulled the parking brake, proclaimed that my car was horrible and he would not be driving it. He had me drive his, I nearly put the clutch pedal through the frame of his car, the pedal was so light to push. After my clutch, I hardly felt like I was even pressing anything down, just waving my foot at a motion sensor that operated the clutch on my behalf. The owner of the base model only sat down in the driver seat and pumped my clutch pedal several times before muttering, "poor bastard" under his breath, telling me he completely understood why I couldn't stand it, and invited me to try his car. His pedal was not as pleasant as the Spec B, but was still like butter compared to mine.

 

I spent a bit more time fiddling with the base Legacy's clutch, including operating the pedal with my hand, while observing the motion. The movement and operation of the clutch were much easier than mine, and I noticed a fluid motion all the way through the range of motion. The amount of pressure to depress the clutch pedal to the floor, and then to steadily move it back never changed. Going back to my car I pushed the clutch pedal down to the floor and noticed the first inch or so of motion required decidedly less force than the rest of the trip down to the floor. I looked underneath and noticed that the assist spring (serves to return the clutch pedal to the resting position, see picture 14) is not stretched until after the pedal is depressed an inch, and as the spring is extended, the tension increases. This is something I hadn't noticed when I operated the clutch with my foot, but I could definitely feel sitting on the ground next to my car, pushing on the pedal.

 

I really am getting to the point where it's making me want to get rid of the car, and the only two things stopping me are that I have no idea what else I would buy, and I still am holding on to hope that this is a fixable issue. Has anyone had any experience changing out the assist spring, or the entire clutch/brake pedal assembly? Am I even looking in the right direction? At this point, I'm really willing to try just about anything.

 

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.

My guess is the pressure plate has something wrong.

 

PM BAC5.2 he's good with tranny issues, may he'll have idea.

 

If you like the rest of the car, I'd put a different ckutch in it.

Had the dealer pull it apart; turns out the previous owner had installed a aftermarket clutch and it was still sold CPO.

Subaru of America got everything straightened out and it's got an OEM clutch in there and running amazingly.

Thanks for the update.

 

But a after market clutch by its self would not cause this.

 

A lot of us have different clutches on our cars. There must have been something wrong with the clutch or PP.

Are you positive its the clutch not the assist spring? ive got exactly the same problem to the point where I dread having to drive it (3.0r 6 speed)but im really hoping i wont have to replace the clutch

Thanks for the update.

 

But a after market clutch by its self would not cause this.

 

A lot of us have different clutches on our cars. There must have been something wrong with the clutch or PP.

 

No way man. I have an ACT HD street clutch... and I got used to it. I thought it wasn't that stiff, but recently in April, I stepped on someone's stock OEM clutch and was surprised by how much heavier the ACT HD is compared to OEM.

 

An aftermarket clutch can easily cause that...

My OEM clutch has always been quite heavy. I've been in cars with really light clutch pedals and I find the heaver clutch easier to work.

I dont mind a heavy clutch but this one uses only half an inch of travel to fully disengage and its right at the top of the stroke. To make matters worse there is no feed back what so ever. does this sound like the stock clutch? I bout the car as an import so i have no idea what it has in it

Both Spec clutches I've had were/are both very stiff. On Saturday, a racing instructor told me how stiff he thought it was. He drives a 560whp Z06.

 

I feel like even the OEM clutch was fairly heavy, especially compared to most other cars. I can operate the clutch on my wife's GLi with just my pointer finger.

Pulling this back from the grave I too have a moderately stiff clutch pedal. Ive driven three LGT recently and one of those had a clutch pedal feel closer to that of my 2.5i vs my current LGT. Im guessing its the stock clutch pack (im the second owner) and as it wear it gets stiff. Ill order a new Exedy replacement and have Mach V install it and adjust things. Hoping that will return it to stock like.

 

As far as the comment about the clutch or PP causing this stiffness, it has to be to the PP the clutch is a disc is is not actuated or modulated in anyway it is either clamped by the PP or released. So the PP is one of the fee components that could contribute to stiffness.

I had the same issue on my 2005 LGT Wagon. Took it to my master tech at the dealership, he drove it 1/4 mile, stated that the pressure plate was bad, and had an entire new clutch system (flywheel-to-the-transmission) installed under warranty. Buttery smooth again, and issue resolved.

Hi, I've got the exact same issue as goxxy, I think the PO had a performance clutch installed, am trying to track down additional paperwork. After driving a '91 volvo w/ hydraulic clutch for years I've gotta say this Subaru clutch sucks..

My ACT HD is pretty darn stiff. Firestone guy even commented the other day about how stiff the pedal is. Not insanely hard to push, IMO, but still pretty stiff.

Quick first round of fixes:

I cleaned all accessible linkages and lubricated with white lithium.

PO had filled master cylinder reservoir nearly to the top, used a paper towel to bring the level down to ~80%.

 

Results:

Noticeable improvement but still not acceptable.

 

Next steps:

Sorting through PO's shop reports shows a clutch was installed at 150k (vehicle currently at 180k) but this work was not done at a Subaru dealership. The clutch kit on the report does not have the OE part number or say OE, neither does it say 'performance'. I will try changing the fluid and installing a new pedal pad. Short of dropping the transmission what else is there to do...

my clutch pedal feels fine to me even though everyone complains. It's because I don't skip leg days