Thanks everyone for your input with this. Quick update: 2 local garages said that my clutch could not have been the cause of the problem. It was worn as would be expected after 43,000 miles, but there was still plenty of miles left in it. They said it would be slave cylinder failure or air in the hydraulic line causing the problem. The dealer originally said that the cylinder was fine when we suggested that was likely to be at fault, but they replaced it anyway, but I believe that is standard practice when a clutch is replaced. Vauxhall are still saying they can't provide any of the information I have requested & I am waiting again to hear back regarding my findings. I shall try to get an appraisal of my clutch & cylinder from another dealer.

I've had a reply from Vauxhall (only 4 days late). I can't say I'm surprised. "As with any manufacturer we are unable to guarantee the life expectancy of any part as we do not expect them to fail at any predetermined age or mileage. Some items, such as the clutch, are deemed to be a wear and tear item as their longevity can be heavily influenced by user operation. " I didn't ask for a guarantee of life expectancy, I asked for expected or design life, under specific conditions if need be. If this is the case, how do they know if the part is performing as it should? Who would buy parts not knowing how long they should last? "We appreciate that this may not always be the case, but the dealer have advised that the failure cannot be attributed to a manufacturing or material defect. In view of the fact that there is no defect with the part, I regret that a failure report has not been completed, and we are therefore unable to provide you with a copy." If they are following processes they should have documentation supporting their findings. How does the dealer know? What if the dealer has got it wrong? Fortunately I have way too much spare time on my hands to pursue this.

Thanks for the advice. A representative from the Vauxhall MD's office initially told me that they would not have any documentation regarding clutch life, but I emailed them saying that it made no sense that Vauxhall would purchase clutches & not know how long they were expected to last. I then got a reply stating that they would have the information, and a fault report for the original clutch, no later than 16th October, for which I am still waiting. I have the original parts removed from the car: the concentric slave cylinder & the 2 parts to the clutch itself. The main parts on the invoice are: 55581279 - Clutch kit 55565331 - Slave Cylinder, Clutch. There is no mention of a DMF. We have a mechanic of nearly 40 years experience in the family, and he will examine the clutch parts & go over the information from Vauxhall, if I ever get it.

I purchased a 19 month old Vauxhall Insignia in May 2014 from EMG in Ely. On the whole the car gave me excellent service, apart from a few niggles, which were rectified under the Vauxhall 3 year warranty. However, in September this year, I noticed that it was getting more & more difficult getting the car into gear. The car was just under 3 years old, and had covered 43,000 miles. I took the car into York, Ward & Rowlatt, in Wellingborough to have it looked at. After a test drive, they said that the clutch had failed & it would not be covered under the warranty, and would cost £982 to put right. I then phoned Vauxhall Customer Service, and was told that it COULD be covered under warranty, but only if the failure was deemed to be manufacture defect, and not wear & tear, and, I would have to agree to an inspection involving removal of the gearbox. This had to be done at a dealership, and if the findings concluded wear & tear, I would have to pay for the inspection, but it would be included in the repair if I paid up. Needless to say, they came back to me with "wear & tear". After several phone calls to Vauxhall, they said that they weren't interested. They would not even offer a good-will gesture. As far as I could see, the clutch was not worn due to bad driving, otherwise it would have been slipping, and I would have noticed a drop in fuel economy. Once in gear, the clutch was fine. Eventually I agreed to have the work done "under protest". I asked Vauxhall for a fault report on the original clutch, and also information on the expected life of the clutch. Originally they said that they would not have that information, but I pushed them, as I couldn't believe that a manufacturer would buy in parts for which they had no idea how long they would last. I was promised this information "no later than 16th October". It is now 18th October, and needless to say I am still waiting. Whilst I am not happy with Vauxhall, the people I have been speaking to have been courteous and as helpful as they could be within the company guidelines. I am a great believer that any problems I have with a company, it's not the fault of the person on the other end of the phone. There are numerous motoring forums on the www, and most seem to have disgruntled motorists posting complaints about Insignia clutches, some of which are after only a few thousand miles. This is quite clearly not an isolated problem, and it's about time Vauxhall got their act together and helped their (hopefully valued) customers.