So tonight I was driving home & my clutch pedal started making wierd popping & clicking sounds. When I depress the pedal it clicks about 3/4 of the way down, and will sometimes make a muffled popping sound about halfway down. I can also feel the pops with my foot. There are no issues actually engaging the clutch, only when pressing the pedal. I've done some googling & have read that it could either be a loose bolt where the pedal attaches to the firewall, a spring that need oiling, or the clutch solenoid. These were not neon-specific answers though. Has anyone experienced this & what did the problem turn out to be?

I've only got 48k miles on this car, my clutch better not need replacing already or I'm gonna be really pissed. I'm getting kinda worried cause sometimes when it's cold the clutch will slip in 1st & I'll have to re-engage the gear to get it to stop.

I guess I'll also ask my other question here to avoid creating another thread. I have also been hearing a loud creak whenever I turn left. My ex says it's my steering column but I thought I'd gather some opinions anyway. What on earth could be creaking ONLY on left turns?

Oh, and I can't afford to take it to a mechanic so I really hope these are non-critical issues

 

There is a little black plastic clip, I believe it is on the top of the pedal itself, that can break. Might crawl under there with a flashlight and take a peek.

 

Thanks, I will check that today.