I have recently acquired a 2010 mk3.5 1.8 ltr with 29k miles on the clock and full main dealer service history.
I’m finding the clutch pedal feels stiff / heavy, there is also very short travel on the clutch pedal (1 maybe 2 inches max) before the clutch bites.
I have previously owned NC MX5’s but not for around 3 years and can’t remember what the clutch felt like. Is my description of the clutch operation typical for the NC model.
Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Well I have the same model and my clutch sounds very much like yours. You could try changing the clutch hydraulic fluid as that might help and won’t do any harm. I have heard other people say that they are heavy though.
Ian
Hi I hope this will help as I also have the same problem on my mk3.
http://www.mellens.net/m...ata-2006-2007/clutch.pdfI have booked the car into the Mazda Dealership I purchased the car from for Thursday 27th June to have the stiff clutch pedal and short travel on the clutch pedal investigated.
I have only had the car for 10 days and its supplied with a 12 month Mazda used car warranty.
The car itself drives really well and the gear change is excellent.
I will update this post with the Dealership findings when I get the car back.
I took the car in a day early today as the dealership had a slot free.
They checked the clutch settings and they are as factory spec. The clutch fluid was changed during the service prior to me collecting the car. The service manager went through the settings with me along with the technician who test drove the car and checked the clutch adjustment.
They had another low mileage NC for sale which they let me have a drive in, guess what - the clutch was exactly the same as my car.
The technician did comment that the clutch on the NC does tend to feel heavy, and some are worse than others. I Still think it should be better than it is though.
There is a bit of pedal adjustment for the bite point problem
I’ve always thought that the clutch on my car is (& always has been since the car was new) a little bit heavier than those on most other modern cars.
Never been a problem, I soon got used to it - I remember how heavy some clutches were when I learned to drive almost 40 years ago. In comparison with the cars which I was driving then (particularly a 1972, MK1 Ford Capri I remember having a go in), the MX-5 clutch is quite light!
I did the adjustment as IanC links to, made an improvement to the bite point, I previously had to bury the pedal to the carpet to get a smooth change. Just adjust around one full turn first and go for a drive, then tweak as necessary, don’t over do it. You need to contort yourself as the adjuster is right up under the dash
I came to the MX5 3.5 from a Daihatsu Copen where the clutch was more like an on/off switch. The only time I find it difficult to get on with is reversing up a drive negotiating other parked cars (as I’ve had to do for the last fortnight) and I tend to let the revs drop too low to the point the thrust bearing gave a light squeal in protest.
Re stiff clutch pedal and low bite point on my NC.
Today, for a second time I took the car into the Mazda dealership I bought the car from 4 weeks ago.
I had already e.mailed the adjustment instructions on the link supplied by IanC to the dealership service manager.
The dealership carried out the adjustment while I waited. 10 minutes to carry out the adjustment and 3/4 of a turn on the rod. The car is transformed, the bite point feels spot on and the pedal feels less heavy.
Its amazing. I contacted a number of Mazda dealerships and non of them were aware of this simple and effective adjustment.
Well done the owners club forum!