2003 L322 auto box trouble

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Ulysis

Member
Posts
36
Location
South East London
Hi,
Just wondered if anyone could shed any light on my new (to me), 2003 diesel l322 Range Rover problem. First thing in the morning it will go into reverse ok but when I select drive, it does not engage. I rev it and at around 2500rpm it engages. Seems a bit sluggish after that for a while, but once warm drives faultless. Only had it for about a month and a half, warranty only covers repairs upto £500! So hoping gearbox isn't on downhill slope. Dealer says wasn't like that when they where driving it before I bought it but been doing ut from day one. Happy to keep if they foot bill for repairs as everything else is fine. Dealer is a 2 hour drive away so hope if work needs doing i can get it done local and they pay. Any advice appreciated.
 
Do a search there are threads and threads and pages and pages on the gearbox issues. And before the grumpies arrive, it is considered good manners to introduce yourself before asking for assistance.
 
Hi,

Yeah, done it a bit backwards, posted intro secondly! :)

Have scoured the forum for a few weeks know looking up stuff, think I have a rough idea what the prob is. Need it confirmed by a garage just really need a bit of advice about if it is worth pursuing the dealer to replace gearbox if it comes to it as it would cost more than warranty covers but surely it would of started to go down hill before I bought it so would they have to foot the bill? (only had it just under 2 months) Have it booked in at my local Land Rover specialist garage for auto box flush and filter change to see if there is any swarf in there.
 
Personally I would do a gearbox oil change first. If you do have the dreaded L322 box issues, all a flush will do is spread more crap. Change the oil and see what comes out. If you want to do a flush after that well .............
DISCLAIMER : I know less than a gnat's penis in comparison to the gurus who may give you different advice. :D
 
Might be wrong but usually if you ask for a flush you'll get a flush 'to clear it out'. Seeing crap is one of the reasons to flush. Why not just do it yourself. It's an easy job.
 
Gold Rover is right, only do an oil change, I.e. what's in the sump only....a flush will pull all the oil out which can disrupt harmless debris caught in places wrecking havoc when it comes loose.

Change the oil, replace the filter and see what condition it is in first....

Doesn't sound to good mind :eek:
 
Drop the oil, see what comes out. I imagine you'll find lots of glitter.

By the way, the line "it didn't do that with us" is standard bull**** line. They know there is a fault and now they will be trying to find ways of getting out of a fix. A new box is 2k so I doubt they will stump up that much for a vehicle you probably got for 5-6k.

But until you drop the oil, stop driving it. If the box is on the way out, driving it will make it go pop sooner than you'd like. Especially if you're having to rev to 2.5k to get it to engage gear, that is wearing things out faster than you can shake your penis.
 
Just dropped off at garage, told them I was a worried about flushing it. They said they use a flush that flows the same way as oil will and not a pulse one that can make things worse. There gonna investigate and hopefully just a clogged filter but he said he would take some pics for me when he has it open. I have used them for my other cars a lot and there very good, not a rip off merchant, friendly family place, don't see many of those anymore, hard to find good garages you can trust.
 
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Got car back but still in the morning have to rev hi to get going. Only slight improvment is it engages drive and creeps every so slowly forward in tick over but still needs to rev to 2500 rpm to get going then is perfect. Need to get it further investigated. :(
 
Got car back but still in the morning have to rev hi to get going. Only slight improvment is it engages drive and creeps every so slowly forward in tick over but still needs to rev to 2500 rpm to get going then is perfect. Need to get it further investigated. :(
Is that not normal? The P38 needs about 2500 rpm to get going out of my drive.
 
I have only been the owner for a couple of months and dont know if this is the norm or not. I assume it would be like any other auto ive owned and be able to drive away from start all beit holding gears longer to warm up or something. Has anyone got this every morning, is it the norm? Would like to hear what is normal for these cars, do they need to idle for few minutes in the morning or what? :confused:
 
I have only been the owner for a couple of months and dont know if this is the norm or not. I assume it would be like any other auto ive owned and be able to drive away from start all beit holding gears longer to warm up or something. Has anyone got this every morning, is it the norm? Would like to hear what is normal for these cars, do they need to idle for few minutes in the morning or what? :confused:
It's a very heavy vehicle, my last vehicle with auto also needed quite a lot of revs to get going from cold.
I assume the oil level is correct and the correct proceedure has been used to check it?
 
Yeah, oil level correct, was all replaced at the weekend with flush and new filter. I have just spoken to garage that carried out that work for me and they say that if anything it should of improved so there is definately a problem there and as I bought it 2 months ago I should get it back to wear I bought it from and get them to sort. Am quite peed off now as in the 2 months of ownership I have not been able to drive it alot. One day 1 noticed a warped disk so had to drive 2 hours back to dealer for them to sort only they didnt sort, they "cleaned out caliper" which obviously didnt. Another 4 hour round trip for them to this time change disks and front pads, also caliper as that was binding and although they said they would replace with a new one, didnt they used a second hand one. Then noticed another problem like a wonky wheel feeling which i worked out was a damaged tyre wall with the biggest bubble ever on it which I sorted by changeing with spare. Really the MOT they gave it should of not passed with that. Now gonna call them tomorrow and let them know it has been to a specialist wh has flushed out box and replaced oil and fault is still there so they can sort it. So another 4 hour round trip to drop it off, well longer as I will have to get the train home!!!
 
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