Clutch Slave Cylinder replacement & repair made easy

The clutch slave cylinder receives the hydraulic pressure created by the clutch master cylinder when you press down on the clutch pedal. It then releases the clutch from the flywheel allowing you to change gear.

This is a completely different type of repair to the external cylinder type. The mechanic will have to carry out a complete clutch replacement, which may require the vehicle to be taken into the workshop, depending on the size of the engine or the vehicle's location.

For more information on clutch replacement, please refer to https://www.clickmechanic.com/help/articles/283/clutch-replacement

Unless you are a qualified mechanic with the required skills, training and equipment to do the job, we strongly recommend a clutch slave cylinder replacement is only carried out by a professional mechanic. ClickMechanic can help get you a vetted and local mechanic to carry out the work. Just enter your postcode and your car's registration number at the top of this page and select the work needed to get an instant fixed price up front.

Usually, clutch slave cylinders do not completely fail, in other words, the pedal doesn’t suddenly lose all resistance and drop to the floor. Generally, the problem will start with having to pump the pedal to change gear or you gradually have to use more of the pedal travel to change gear. This isn’t always 100% true as with any mechanical operation, so it can occur if there is complete failure of the unit.

If you are able to, you can check the level of brake fluid in the reservoir under the bonnet, which will start to drop if there is a leak in the slave cylinder. You may also notice drops of fluid under the car, but this isn’t always the case with an internal concentric slave cylinder.

On average a clutch slave cylinder replacement will usually take around 1 hours, but can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. The time that the job takes will depend on a range of factors. For example, your vehicle's make and model, year, as well as other factors. Select your car at the top of this page for information on job time and cost for your vehicle through ClickMechanic.

As soon as any issue arises with the clutch mechanism, it is important to get it checked as soon as possible before a breakdown occurs.

Being typical of any mechanical component that is in constant use that has rubber seals, clutch slave cylinders fail on all cars quite regularly.

Driving with a bad clutch slave cylinder can prevent you from properly changing gear. Usually, clutch slave cylinders do not completely fail, in other words, the pedal doesn’t suddenly lose all resistance and drop to the floor. Generally, the problem will start with having to pump the pedal to change gear or you gradually have to use more of the pedal travel to change gear. This isn’t always 100% true as with any mechanical operation, so it can occur if there is complete failure of the unit.

If you suspect there is any issue with your clutch slave cylinder or there are concerns about its age or condition, book an inspection with a professional mechanic immediate effect.

If you experience an issue with the clutch and are not sure whether it's the master cylinder or slave cylinder then it is advisable to get help from a professional mechanic. They can identify exactly which part is at fault and advise on next steps.

If the slave cylinder is bad and it has been diagnosed that it no longer performs to the required standard then usually it is advised to replace the unit, you would not normally 'repair' a clutch slave cylinder.

No, a bad clutch slave cylinder normally does not lead to an MOT failure. The MOT test only checks for safety-critcal components on a car, the condition of the transmission, clutch and its hydraulic parts is not part of the MOT checks.