What is under the steering wheel dash area?

[buenoshun]

What is under the steering wheel dash area?
I have a 2018 Mustang Ecoboost stick shift.
Whenever I lift my foot off the clutch and lift my foot a little too high, my foot touches something, scratches my shoe, and some white grease is stuck on the tip of my left shoe.
Is this normal? What do do about it?
Other cars I had before allowed me to left my foot a little higher (by 1-2") when/after releasing the clutch without my foot being stuck or without any grease on my shoes. I experienced something similar in my friend's Mazda Miata also, but without the grease.

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[ChromaticGrey]

Take a quick look and tell us what your kicking

I haven't noticed this, but i have a 2017 GT. Maybe it's eco specific?

 

[raydog1]

Yeah, slide the seat all the way back, grab a flashlight, and prepare to do some yoga. I've had my whole head under there installing the sport pedal assembly and I never saw anything hanging or greasy. Basically, put your feet flat on the ground, your back on the seat, and slide your shoulder blades down to the floor. Remember to stretch first!

Or, just turn on your cell phone camera and reach under there.

 

[buenoshun]

It is the spring that is attached to the clutch, and the edges of the bottom plastic panel, I think.
And there is a vertical metal plate next to the spring with sharp edge also.
Why is the bottom of the spring full of white grease?

View attachment 342386

 

[ChromaticGrey]

I'd imagine the grease is to reduce friction/prevent sticking, and any noise that may result if it was just in there dry.

 

[buenoshun]

On my old mazda, there wasn't any sticking out metal spring holder on the clutch pedal arm, especially not one with open grease on it.
Also several sticking out screws and very sharp edges in the area. This part of the Mustang was a sloppy design job.
I have to add soft foam insulation to workaround these issues.

 

[GT Pony]

Why is the bottom of the spring full of white grease?

Just wipe the excess visible grease off the bottom edge. Grease is only needed on the top side where the spring perch sits on the pin.

 

[poncho@home]

How big is your left foot?

 

[ChromaticGrey]

May the odds be ever in your favor.

 

[buenoshun]

My left foot is size 10. My right foot is... also size 10.
Sometimes when I release the clutch, I slide it, so my toes end up in the area of that sharp greasy metal part and touch it. My nice (left) shoe have lots of small scratches on it because of this. That is why I made the foam cover last night, to prevent further shoe damage. Its just I'm afraid the duct tape will loose grip and slide down the pedal arm some point in the future.
I think this clutch pedal is a bad design. The Mazda, and the VW I had before that allowed a lot more space. Also the screws sticking out are pretty bad.

 

[poncho@home]

I think typically people usually depress the clutch pedal with the ball of their foot, I know I do.

You seem to be much closer to your heel on the pedal, is that accurate?

 

[buenoshun]

I think typically people usually depress the clutch pedal with the ball of their foot, I know I do.

You seem to be much closer to your heel on the pedal, is that accurate?

I depress it with the ball of my foot also, but like to release it sliding with my heel on the floor. this worked well before in several different cars.
Also I sit closer to the front than most American drivers, my foot has more torque on the clutch by having my knee more bent. When I slide the seat back, then my heel cannot get so close to the pedal and the toe incident with the metal part is less likely to occur, but it is more force to press the clutch and less reliable with the clutch bite. Sitting far back is a habit that probably comes from being used to drive automatic transmission cars, which I don't have as I moved to the US from Europe and always driven manuals like almost everyone there.

 

[Endokendal]

Just when I’d thought I’d read about every single possible problem with an S550...

 

[GT Pony]

Just when I’d thought I’d read about every single possible problem with an S550...

I'm sure there's some room for the bar to be set higher yet.

 

[NoVaGT]

You lift your foot??

Huh, my heel is always on the floor. I just flex my foot.

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