Passat Clutch Options - Replacements and Upgrades

Sep 2nd 2021

If you look between the flywheel and pressure plate in a car with a manual transmission, you'll find an elaborate disc. That's the clutch disc. The clutch disc is covered with friction material where the clutch comes into contact with the flywheel.

A clutch disc is a mechanical linkage between the engine and the transmission. When you drive with a manual transmission, you have to press down on the clutch pedal every time you want to shift up or down. When that happens, the clutch disc moves away from the flywheel and disconnects the drive wheels. This separates the engine from the transmission system. By doing this, you can change gears without any trouble.

The clutch is an important part of the manual transmission system. Without it, you can't change gears. When the clutch fails, it's either hard to shift gears or you can't do it at all. This can make it really challenging to drive, and a malfunctioning clutch can cause excess wear to the transmission.

The Most Common Volkswagen Passat Clutch Problems

Most clutches last 100,000 miles or so. If used enough, the friction material on the clutch disc will eventually wear down. Driving conditions and styles will greatly affect clutch wear. A vehicle driven aggressively in stop and go traffic will have a much shorter clutch life than a vehicle driven mostly on the highway. Clutch failure is pretty common in VW Passats. If you look online, you'll find many complaints from VW Passat owners about their clutch failing too early. Here are the most common reasons VW Passat clutches fail early, and some possible causes:

Clutch release bearing failure - A clutch release bearing (aka throwout bearing) can fail prematurely if the vehicle is driven in stop and go traffic often, and the driver has the habit of keeping the clutch engaged (pedal depressed) while stopped. The bearing is "working" when the pedal is depressed. The bearing is "resting" while the clutch is disengaged (pedal out), and the vehicle is moving, or in neutral. To prolong the life of the throwout bearing, it helps to shift to neutral and release the clutch if the vehicle is at a long stoplight. The primary symptom of a failed clutch release bearing is a rattling sound that can be heard when sitting in neutral with the engine running. The noise will stop as soon as the clutch pedal is depressed.
Worn clutch hydraulic hose - In some VW's the clutch hydraulic hose rests on an adjacent hose, which causes abrasion to the clutch hose. This will eventually cause a leak. When the driver presses on the clutch pedal, the clutch won't disengage fully, or at all.
Early wear due to excessive use, such as performance driving - When a clutch begins to wear out, the friction material is getting too thin. When this happens, the clutch disc will not have enough friction with the flywheel. The driver will notice that the car doesn't respond as well when first starting out, or when using a lot of power. This is because the clutch is slipping due to the lack of friction.
Clutch sticking to the flywheel - This happens when a car sits and is not driven for a while. The flywheel is metal, and the clutch friction material has metalic elements in it. The flywheel and disc can rust together if the car sits for a few weeks in humid conditions.

If you use your Passat as a performance vehicle, you have early wear to worry about. When the clutch disc starts to wear down, it gets thinner. When the clutch gets too thin, it can't transfer enough torque between the engine and transmission.

A worn out clutch is an annoyance at first, and then becomes a serious safety issue. The good news is that it's easy to upgrade your car with a new one. So if you notice symptoms of clutch failure, stop driving and order a new clutch.

You Can Upgrade Your Volkswagen Passat Clutch

It's no secret that the stock Volkswagen Passat clutch isn't all that well built. It has a reputation for failing early and the only way to fix that is to upgrade to a better clutch.

A good quality upgraded clutch will transfer 100% of the torque between the engine and transmission. As a result, you get smoother gear shifting. It also won't wear out as fast as a stock one. You can even buy a clutch kit with a high quality flywheel included. Also, whenever you replace the clutch disc, you should replace the clutch release bearing.

There are good aftermarket brands that build quality performance clutches for VW Passats. At XLR8Performance.com, we only carry the best quality brands, including South Bend.

Volkswagen Passat Clutch Options

If you have a VW Passat, and if you're looking for a new clutch, we have great recommendations:

1998-2005 Passat

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 1 - HD Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 2 - DAILY Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 2 - DAILY Use - FOR SINGLE MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 2 - DRAG Use - FOR SINGLE MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 2 - ENDURANCE Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 2 - ENDURANCE Use - FOR SINGLE MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 3 - DAILY Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 3 - DRAG Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL

South Bend Clutch Kit - Stage 3 - ENDURANCE Use - FOR DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL