Sometimes, usually after it has rained all night, the first few times I let out the clutch I get this creaking noise. It kind of sounds like "hooooooo".

What makes this sound?

 

Does it happen when you let it out in neutral, or only in gear? If in neutral, I'd guess it's a clutch pedal bushing or something that needs lube. If it's happening when changing gears, then do some searching here under keyword "chewbacca". That's a pretty common noise for a cold/wet MINI clutch to make - I think I've read that it's actually the flywheel causing it. My car does this when cold once or twice, and hasn't gotten any worse in the couple of years I've been hearing it.

 

Mine does that too every now and then...

From what I have heard, it's probably the fingers in the pressure plate creaking and/or the throwout bearing bushing. Either way...unless you want to get into some serious work, don't worry about it...let it creak

 

Yup...Mine has done it once or twice, a couple of days in a row....mine seems to be the actual pedal..
Seems to go away..no issues in my case....so I just go..."i hope it is OK" and ignore it..watchfully waiting.
When clutch times comes...will definitely change the cylinders(master/slave)!!
Some folks hear a bit of a "chewbacka" groan....that is a stuck OEM style dual mass flywheel....also can be ignored!! tends to happen in cool weather....it seems folks with this issue have often had hot clutches in the past....so might have been started due to excess heat?!
Big thing for me...it all works...so till something more concrete than a odd sound, I run it!!

 

Yeah, I'm not extremely worried about it. Was just wondering what causes this sound and if it were early signs of more serious failures

 

Whew, glad i'm not the only one with this problem. As ZippyNH said, i generally thought it was because the clutch was cold. Lots of nail-biting has happened worrying over it though.

 

Sounds like maybe the "Chewbacca" clutch. It's bc the clutch is glazed somewhat. As long as it doesn't do it all the time, your fine. Its considered "normal". I had my clutch and flywheel replaced not too long ago, and it still does it. Did it today, yesterday, day before. Usually when it's really cold or wet or both, and usually just once.

 

My clutch has groaned/creaked intermittently for years. It's definitely not in the pedal assembly, so I suspect the pressure plate "fingers". No problems other than the noise, though, so I don't give it a second thought.

 

Sounds like what my 2012 S just had done. They got in there and saw the pressure plate was damaged. My clutch made a ratcheting noise with every press. Car has 27 k on it and gas had the noise about 10 k miles.

 

Add mine to the list of creaky clutch pedals. Started about a year after the clutch was installed. I think it might be worse in hot weather, but I haven't kept good enough track of it to be sure.

Clutch kit is the Valeo single mass conversion one. Wish I knew what was causing it, but as long as the clutch is working, I try not to worry about it.

 

My creak comes and goes. Never sticks around long enough to trace it.

 

With mine, it's almost always there, but sometimes more noticeable than others. It's not just a sound, but also a "feel" of creaky-ness too if that makes any sense.

It sounds like it's coming from the engine bay, not the cabin. I wonder if it's coming from the clutch fork - the plastic bearing there as the rod rotates. Upper left of this picture: