We have an 02 Protege5 with 230K and over the past couple days I've noticed the clutch pedal feeling stiffer when depressed. The car is still shifting and performing just fine. I also noticed that on only one occasion, two days ago, the brake pedal felt like it had pressure loss which I attributed to icy roads and my imagination.

Noteworthy regarding the clutch pedal:
*Increased stiffness can be felt after driving w/o shifting for several minutes. After the first of several close succession uses, it feels normal until driven for distance again w/o shifting.

*Clutch was replaced and pedal was adjusted about 5-6 months ago. No problems after replacement, and I drive 100 miles/day.

*Fluid level looked full - almost to capacity with no obvious leaks with a quick check. Though from what I can tell, a leak should give the opposite pedal issue.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer. We have owned this car for 4+ years and continue to repair and use it. I'd like to reach 300K and the engine feels strong enough to do it!