My car bucks.

[pogipie]

from an article in road & track
for those that dont have a tach this might help

gear.............max rpm(mph)
1st 6500 28
2nd 6500 49
3rd 6500 74
4th 6500 90
5th 4500 90

enginge rpm's at 60mph in top gear 3000

[fpage77]

I had stop and go traffic this mourning maybe moving at 5 mph and the car bucked. I put in in 1st gear like suggested and it still would shudder from time to time just like when I was in drive. It's weirdest feeling it's like the car is shaking for a few seconds then smooths out.

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by fpage77

I had stop and go traffic this mourning maybe moving at 5 mph and the car bucked. I put in in 1st gear like suggested and it still would shudder from time to time just like when I was in drive. It's weirdest feeling it's like the car is shaking for a few seconds then smooths out.

Have a dealer look at your car there is somthing wrong it should not do that. Software glitch or sticking clutch plate, makes no difference take it to the dealer to make it right. There is a problem they need to fix.
karl

[mrc59]

Originally Posted by headless

this is an excellent answer, I could'nt have put it better, I have a smart roadster 04 so it is a bit different, but it does exactly as you stated in the first post and this answer is what I have come up with over the near 5 years of ownership, i think the clutch plates get hot if there is a lot of stop start driving, so follow the above post and it cures it.
Ellis

I agree. Used to happen to me in a Carmen Guia all the time. You were horizontal in that car your body would go back and forth the the inertia of the car!

[John_H]

Originally Posted by fpage77

I put in in 1st gear like suggested and it still would shudder from time to time just like when I was in drive.

A "shudder" is new info. Sounds like a hard issue rather than just an ECU nuance. If you can figure out how to easily reproduce the problem for the service person, you'll be in superb shape.

One of Murphy's corollaries: when a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman it will work perfectly.

[chieftmc]

Originally Posted by John_H

.....One of Murphy's corollaries: when a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman it will work perfectly.

Murphy was an Optimist !

[fpage77]

Originally Posted by John_H

A "shudder" is new info. Sounds like a hard issue rather than just an ECU nuance. If you can figure out how to easily reproduce the problem for the service person, you'll be in superb shape.

One of Murphy's corollaries: when a broken appliance is demonstrated for the repairman it will work perfectly.

My sales guy told me today it's the clutch trying to keep car from stalling at such low speed.

[headless]

Originally Posted by fpage77

My sales guy told me today it's the clutch trying to keep car from stalling at such low speed.

The sales guy is wrong!

My roadster did this for quite some time, (the shudder as you pulled off then it smoothed out thing), I thought it was just a little foible of the car until I mentioned it at a service and was told the solution is to get the clutch adjusted, there are 2 separate adjustments, one mechanical and one electronic, and both have to be done, the mechanical first then the electronic clutch bitepoint relearn.
Now the car is as smooth as a baby's bum and the power now comes in a lot smoother and it picks away at junctions faster with no hesitation, and no lag.
Hope this helps.
Ellis

[rfernatt]

A small stumble/stutter/shudder upon engagement of the clutch (which will happen a lot in stop/go traffic) is likely normal depending on its severity. There is a short time between partial and full engagement of the clutch and I think the trans purposely slips the clutch a bit in certain circumstances and that probably contributes to the feeling IMO. If a tech drives the car and you can point out what you're feeling, he/she can probably tell you if it's normal or not.

[John_H]

Originally Posted by fpage77

My sales guy told me today it's the clutch trying to keep car from stalling at such low speed.

Your sales guy is probably correct except that the severity of your issue isn't normal. It sounds like headless knows the problem. I haven't experienced any feedback from the clutch anything near what you're describing.

Service call!