Freelander 1.8 52 plate 4 wheel drive not working...i think

Hi guys, bought a freelander 1, 1.8 3 door, 52 plate, after 2 weeks there was a vibration under the car in the centre when going round corners and a grinding noise, i took it back to the garage and they said the vcu had seized. They fetched the car back 2 days later saying it was fixed, and true enough the vibration and grinding had stopped. However, I've recently been for a little mess around in the car, going up a very steep muddy/grassy hill which the car conquered easily. No tyre spin, just straight up it. It doesn't sound much, you'd have to see it to appreciate it. Anyway i don't know anything about VCU or IRD unit but i know that the vcu controls when to put the car in 4x4 mode, when the front tyres are struggling. In my opinion, the vcu must be working for me to get up the hill with no problems, as i honestly believe that if it was in 2 wheel drive it wouldn't have made it and the front tyres would of been spinning. However, tonight i have been for a little play on a field near me that is very wet and obviously muddy, not sure if it's boggy but the car seemed to struggle. The field is on a slight hill but i can't understand why it didn't drive through with no problems. The front wheels were spinning, and it seemed to be struggling as though the rear wheels weren't kicking in, it seemed like i was going to get stuck and the car was sinking in. Any ideas please? I'm new to 4x4's and don't have much knowledge about the freelander.

Hi, easiest way is head back to the muddy field and get someone to watch the rear wheels spin (or not) tyres make a big difference with off road grip, so even in 4wd you can struggle if you have road tyres on. Good luck

Thanks for the reply, so should the rear wheels be spinning? Then it's an issue with my tyres? If the rear wheels aren't spinning then there's no power going to them? Is that right? My front tyres are pretty shocking to be fair, I've not had time/money to get good ones. The back tyres are Toyo T1 sport 225/55/17 which i doubt are very good off road. Is there ant that you recommend? That aren't a rediculous price. Thanks

if the front wheels spin and not the back then either your vcu has had it or the drive to the back wheels which could be possible being as the vcu had gone .

Watching for rear wheels spinning is not a great way to tell whats going on - remember that a freelander has an open rear diff, so its quite possible only 1 wheel will spin and it quite possibly wont be the same wheel each time, even on the same spot of ground.


Oh and Toyo T1 in a muddy field - I think you might be expecting a bit much. I have them on my C2 VTS - I wouldnt even vaguely consider them for anything offroad.

They're permanent 4x4! The vcu should always put drive to the rear and lock up if the front spins faster. There are firms that sell dodgy vcu's that slip all the time. Park up in the muddy field, stick your handbrake on and try to drive off. If your front wheels spin you have a vcu out of a Christmas cracker not a real one!

You don't need a wet, muddy icy field to determine if you've got 4WD - just jack up a rear wheel and see if you can turn it by hand. If you can, see if only 1 prop turns - it will be the VCU not working, if both turn its the IRD been adapted to 2WD.

GrumpyGel said:

You don't need a wet, muddy icy field to determine if you've got 4WD - just jack up a rear wheel and see if you can turn it by hand. If you can, see if only 1 prop turns - it will be the VCU not working, if both turn its the IRD been adapted to 2WD.

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If the vcu has a bit of grip you won't turn it by hand tho! True about checking ird

Thanks for all the replies, sorry if this sounds daft but where is the IRD? And is there a way to tell if it has been converted to 2wd? Could there be a problem with the vcu and not there ird? Or a problem with the ird and not the vcu? Or do they come hand in hand? I'm not sure what the ird does...sorry if this seems a rediculous question

I think the IRD and VCU have a Mutually Assured Destruction pact. If the VCU fails then it will tend to crock the IRD. If the IRD fails then there will be no drive to the VCU.
At least that's how I understand it. But I'm no mechanic.

thanks is there anyway to check the IRD is in 4 wheel drive not 2?

Find some gravel and try a handbrake turn! If you can you have 2wd if you can't you have 4wd!

lol, might look a d!ck but i'll give it a go

Or put it on axle stands so all four wheel are off the floor and drive it with the handbrake on. If it drives only the front its 2wd if it stalls its 4x4. Usual way to make them 2wd is remove part or all of the propshaft. There was a dodgy firm selling 2wd vcu's which I presume has no guts in it but it'll make it look standard. Or the ird could be bodged to make 2wd but look standard, it's on the back of the engine with the propshaft coming out of it.

Dom's method is more fun

it's in for a service next week, do they check things like the vcu and IRD or would i need to ask them to check these? think i'll give doms method a try ha, + get some decent tyres slapped on it

They don't as part of a standard service. So I'd ask them to check it personally

ok thanks for your advice

BigShuggs said:

lol, might look a d!ck but i'll give it a go

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I wouldn't as it's easy to damage the IRD.
Doing the one wheel up test is by far the best way to test the VCU.