If your vehicle has a burnt clutch, you may be wondering if you can still drive it safely without having any issues.
This is a common question as many people will experience a burnt clutch at some point with one of their vehicles.
This is a very common issue and it can spring up out of the blue when you’re least expecting it. Like many things having to do with vehicles, this can happen suddenly and catch you off guard when you least want to have to pay for a car repair.
So how severe is a burnt clutch? Is it safe to continue to drive with a burnt clutch, or can this damage your car? These are all questions that many people have if their clutch is starting to have issues.
Keep reading to find out whether or not you can continue to drive with a burnt clutch.
Is It Safe to Drive With a Burnt Clutch?
If you have burnt out the clutch on your vehicle, this can be a serious issue that you need to address. For the most part, many people are able to get away with driving with a burnt clutch for days or even weeks.
If your clutch is very burnt out, you may not make it any further than a few hours after the fact. It just depends on the situation and just how bad of shape your clutch is currently in.
Some people manage to drive with a burnt clutch for several weeks before it gets to the point that it needs to be fixed. Or they may drive it until their car will no longer move and they have to have it towed to get it repaired.
It just depends on the situation, as your clutch may not be completely burnt out, but it is getting close to that point. In general, it is best to get this checked out as soon as you start to notice issues.
The clutch is very important in your vehicle, and it will not operate as it should if your clutch is burned out. Even if you are able to continue to drive your vehicle, eventually it will catch up to you, and you will have to get it fixed.
This is unavoidable, so it is better to not delay what is going to have to happen eventually. Especially as you do not want your car to stop working, as this can become a bigger issue for you than just repairing the clutch.
How Long Can You Drive With a Burnt Clutch?
A burnt clutch is one of those car issues that may not initially be something too concerning. This is because your clutch may start showing slight issues in advance, before it truly gets to the point of needing to be fixed.
This is why many people tend to put off getting it repaired and continue to drive their vehicle despite having a burnt clutch. This is possible, but you can only do this for so long before your clutch stops working altogether.
If your clutch is simply starting to slip a little or show mild signs of being burnt out, you can probably continue to drive it for several days or a few weeks. You may be able to get away with this if it has not gotten to a severe point just yet.
Though you may not be able to drive your car even as much as a few hours more if the clutch is really starting to show signs of being burnt out. This could result in your car stopping altogether and not going anywhere until the clutch is fixed.
So how long you can drive with a burnt clutch is going to depend on how bad your clutch currently is. Even if it is not very bad and you can continue to drive, you should be preparing to have it fixed anyway.
How Do You Know If Your Clutch Is Broken?
If you are not extremely familiar with vehicles or have never experienced a burnt clutch, you may not know what signs to look for. This can be important in catching this issue before it gets to the point where your vehicle no longer drives.
Here are some signs that may indicate that your clutch is burnt out or that it is getting to that point:
- Foul smell
- Clutch pedals feel strange
- Engine revving unexpectedly
- Trouble selecting gear
- Noises when changing gear
It is very common for people to start noticing a foul smell when they use their clutch or to experience noises or vibrating when driving. Eventually, you will also notice the gear itself not working very well or slipping when you try to use it.
If you start to notice any of these issues, you should assume that it has to do with your clutch and that it will need to be repaired.
Should You Drive with a Burnt Clutch?
If your vehicle has a burnt clutch, it is possible to continue to drive with this issue for days to weeks at a time. Though this is not the best idea since a burnt clutch will eventually catch up to you and result in your vehicle no longer driving.
This is not a car issue that you can just ignore, as a burnt clutch will need to be fixed, eventually. If left on fixed, it could even begin to cause damage to the clutch plate over time if this becomes a regular issue.