Clutch pedal stays down or feels loose
On a hydraulic clutch a pedal that drops to the floor and does not return is almost always loss of hydraulic pressure: fluid leaking from the slave or master cylinder, or air in the line. On a cable clutch it is a snapped or detached cable or a broken pedal bracket. The key observation is whether you can still get gears with the engine running: if not, do not force it, because driving home without a clutch costs synchros.
Urgency
Stop driving
Possible causes, most likely first
- Leaking clutch slave cylinder
External slave: fluid dripping from the bellhousing area or a wet boot. Concentric slave inside the bellhousing: no visible leak but the brake fluid reservoir (usually shared) keeps dropping and the pedal fades over days; replacement means gearbox out, so combine it with the clutch. - Failed clutch master cylinder
Pedal sinks slowly under foot pressure with no external leak, or fluid runs down inside the footwell carpet behind the pedal. Check the carpet and the back of the master cylinder for wetness. - Air in the hydraulic line
Pedal soft and low after a cylinder change or when the reservoir ran empty; it firms up with pumping. Bleed the slave cylinder, pressure-bleeding from the reservoir is the most reliable method on concentric slaves. - Broken clutch pedal return spring or pedal box
The pedal goes down normally but does not come back on its own, yet the clutch still releases if you lift it by foot. Look up behind the pedal for a broken spring or a cracked bracket weld. - Snapped or detached clutch cable
Cable cars: sudden total loss with a loose pedal and a visible loose end at the gearbox release lever. Check the cable end fittings and the self-adjuster ratchet at the pedal. - Collapsed release bearing or broken diaphragm fingers
Pedal effort suddenly changes, a grinding noise appears when the pedal is pressed and the clutch may not disengage fully. Confirmed only by removing the gearbox; usually found together with a worn clutch. - Low fluid in the shared brake reservoir
The clutch is fed from the top of the brake reservoir; when the brake pads are worn and the level drops, the clutch circuit is the first to draw air. Check level and top up before bleeding.
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What you can check yourself
- Check the brake/clutch fluid reservoir level and look for fluid behind the clutch pedal in the footwell
- Pump the pedal several times: if it comes back and firms up, the hydraulics have air or a small leak
- Look under the car at the gearbox bellhousing for fluid drips
- With the engine off, try selecting gears: if they go in easily, the gearbox is fine and the fault is in the release system