Knowing whether a clutch failure in a second-hand car is covered or not by the warranty or it is possible to make a claim for hidden defects is the subject of many doubts. Throughout the day we receive innumerable inquiries from subscribers or possible contacts, who tell us about their specific cases so that we can advise them.
Undoubtedly, one of the most repeated questions is related to warranty coverage or hidden defects. There are many who ask us if certain parts of the car and their consequent breakdown are covered, and if it is the seller’s responsibility to repair it.
Is clutch failure covered by hidden defects or warranty?
Within these doubts, if we had to mention one part of the vehicle that we are asked about most often, it would be the clutch. A very high percentage of vehicle owners who have warranty problems or hidden defects are affected by car clutch problems.
The main question is to know if this clutch failure should be paid for by the seller of the car (purchase or private) and the answer is no.
In general, we know that the parts or breakdowns of the car, as long as they are considered elements of wear and tear, do not fall within the scope of responsibility of the seller.
Therefore, the clutch is almost never considered a hidden defect or warranty type problem with few exceptions.
Exceptions that include the clutch as the responsibility of the seller
These assumptions are:
Recent failure
Kilometers handled
Vehicle that is not in its normal condition
The third case refers to the failure of a car clutch, which has been recently «repaired» by the seller or by his corresponding mechanic. We are talking about a vehicle purchased with a previous clutch repair and that was supposedly fixed (usually at the seller’s expense), regardless of whether or not we were aware of it at the time of sale. That is to say, that we can demonstrate, for example through an expert, that an attempt has already been made to repair that clutch.
These assumptions are very exceptional situations. In general, when the clutch failure corresponds to normal wear and tear on the vehicle, it is not covered by warranty or hidden defects.
