Does your car need clutch repair? If your vehicle uses a manual transmission, then you’re hitting the clutch every few seconds to change gears. Over time this can cause wear on your clutch switch. A bad clutch switch won’t allow your car to start- even when the clutch is pressed all the way down. Your car may give you some warning signs before the clutch completely fails.

Car Won’t Start

One sign your clutch switch has died is the engine won’t turn over. You have done everything right including pressing the clutch all the way to the floor, but still your car won’t start. This is a sign of a bad clutch switch, which also means clutch repair. If this happens, the vehicle will be inoperable until you contact a professional mechanic to have your car serviced.

Car Starts Without the Clutch

However, if your vehicle starts without your clutch being pushed in, then you have a bad clutch switch. Believe it or not, this situation is dangerous for anyone in or near your car. You could lose complete control of your car if it slips into gear when the starter starts the engine. Imagine waking up to go to work and you turn on your car on without the brakes pressed, and then the car takes off without warning. Not cool.

Clutch Switch Works on a Circuit

When the clutch is pressed in, the sensor is closed by a mechanical contact so the circuit can be complete between the ignition key and the starter motor. This allows the vehicle to start. When the clutch is not pressed down, the switch is open and the circuit is not complete, thereby the vehicle cannot be started.

How the Clutch Switch Works

The clutch switch is attached to the pedal linkage. The pedal linkage is activated when the clutch pedal arm is pushed to the floor. The clutch switch is a safety device that was installed in manual transmission cars to help the driver to control the vehicle.