Garage just told me my 4wd is a 2wd!?!

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MellyJ

New Member
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7
Hello,

Can anyone help please! I bought a 2003 Freelander TD4 GS Diesel, 1951cc 2 door car 4 months ago from a garage 4 months ago (with 3 month warranty)

The Traction control and descent orange warning lights came on recently. Many of the forums say this could just be a problem with a switch etc. So I took it to a garage and the garage told me that the car is actually a 2 wheel drive, not 4 wheel as the rear prop shaft has been removed!

He said that sometimes this is done when the front diff is faulty? He said to reinstate this would be a specialist job (he could not do) and it would be over £1k he'd imagine!! :eek::eek:

Does any of this make sense to you guys? I don't know what recourse I have on the garage after my warranty period, I could argue I was missold and he should have declared a major alteration. I have a feeling he did not know either!

Re the job, is that normal / sometimes done / is it a big job? I bought a 4wd as I live in Scotland and want it for winter. Will it be a big problem with 2wd?

Many thanks for your help!
 
not unheard of, quite common for the rear prop to be removed when vcu seizes or stiffens to prevent further damage to ird (front diff)

how long have you had the vehicle ?

you may have cause to reject the vehicle, read the crock of sh*t thread (link below)

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/buying-crock-****-if-you-already-have-76002.html

will be a bit skitish as fwd, likely to wheel spin when pulling away.

also, need to tell insurance co.
 
MellyJ said:
Hello,

Can anyone help please! I bought a 2003 Freelander TD4 GS Diesel, 1951cc 2 door car 4 months ago from a garage 4 months ago (with 3 month warranty)

The Traction control and descent orange warning lights came on recently. Many of the forums say this could just be a problem with a switch etc. So I took it to a garage and the garage told me that the car is actually a 2 wheel drive, not 4 wheel as the rear prop shaft has been removed!

He said that sometimes this is done when the front diff is faulty? He said to reinstate this would be a specialist job (he could not do) and it would be over £1k he'd imagine!! :eek::eek:

Does any of this make sense to you guys? I don't know what recourse I have on the garage after my warranty period, I could argue I was missold and he should have declared a major alteration. I have a feeling he did not know either!

Re the job, is that normal / sometimes done / is it a big job? I bought a 4wd as I live in Scotland and want it for winter. Will it be a big problem with 2wd?

Many thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

It's considered good manners to introduce yourself here -

Introduce Yourself - Land Rover Zone and also using the search button before wading in.


Very few problems have not been discovered on Hippos, especially 4wd - 2wd.

Start reading here, it's all documented -
UK Based Land Rover Forum, Land Rover Gallery and Land Rover Links. - Search Results for propshaft missing
 
Optimus Prime said:
not unheard of, quite common for the rear prop to be removed when vcu seizes or stiffens to prevent further damage to ird (front diff)

how long have you had the vehicle ?

you may have cause to reject the vehicle, read the crock of sh*t thread (link below)

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f16/buying-crock-****-if-you-already-have-76002.html

will be a bit skitish as fwd, likely to wheel spin when pulling away.

also, need to tell insurance co.
Click to expand...

Very skittish
I spend 4 month driving without a prob shaft as I didn't want to risk damaging the IRD

The freelander definitely is not designed to have only front wheel drive
 
Last edited:
The thing I do find funny is that the OP has had the vehicle 4 months and he hasn`t had to get underneath it yet.

Usually a fully skilled mechanic by now.
 
Hi,

Thank you so much for all your help guys, it is much appreciated. Sorry for not introducing myself first. I was in a bit of a panic after my call with the garage and came straight on to see if you guys could help and whether what had been done was normal, ok or very wrong. I tried a search to begin with, but I could not find an answer.

Afraid I am not very technical myself and I would not know where to start in getting my hands dirty! I moved to Scotland 10 months ago and bought this 4wd to keep my toddler and I on the road in all weathers up here. It is my first Landy, so I have a lot to learn!

Thank you so much for your help guys. I have left a message for the garage to call me back and will assert my rights re the 6 months window. I bought the car on 30.04.13 so just over 4 months. I have a feeling they took it in as a trade in and probably never knew themselves.

THANKYOU, THANKYOU :):):)
 
One thing that no-one has mentioned is that you have had it for less than 6 months and therefore it comes under the sale of goods act. Your car is not "fit for purpose". A freelander was designed as a 4wd vehicle and, as such, should be sold as such. It is the garages job to fix it free of charge.
Read the "crock of ****" thread and get writing. Its all in there.

Sorry Optimus - I missed your post.
 
Last edited:
The Mad Hat Man said:
One thing that no-one has mentioned is that you have had it for less than 6 months and therefore it comes under the sale of goods act. Your car is not "fit for purpose". A freelander was designed as a 4wd vehicle and, as such, should be sold as such. It is the garages job to fix it free of charge.
Read the "crock of ****" thread and get writing. Its all in there.

Sorry Optimus - I missed your post.
Click to expand...

There may well also be a case even if it is after 6 months, as the sale of goods act still applies. It's just a slightly different technicality. If you've had it less than six months the garage has to prove they didn't know there was a fault. If it's over six months, the 'burden of proof' reverts to you, and you have to prove the defect was there at the time of purchase. I think you should have a case here IMO.
 
MellyJ said:
Hi,

Thank you so much for all your help guys, it is much appreciated. Sorry for not introducing myself first. I was in a bit of a panic after my call with the garage and came straight on to see if you guys could help and whether what had been done was normal, ok or very wrong. I tried a search to begin with, but I could not find an answer.

Afraid I am not very technical myself and I would not know where to start in getting my hands dirty! I moved to Scotland 10 months ago and bought this 4wd to keep my toddler and I on the road in all weathers up here. It is my first Landy, so I have a lot to learn!

Thank you so much for your help guys. I have left a message for the garage to call me back and will assert my rights re the 6 months window. I bought the car on 30.04.13 so just over 4 months. I have a feeling they took it in as a trade in and probably never knew themselves.

THANKYOU, THANKYOU :):):)
Click to expand...

Welcome to Landyzone, MellyJ. :welcome2:

I think you've been had.

Any garage worth calling a garage would know that it was 2WD.

Whereabouts in Scotland are you?

You local Citizens' Advice Bureaux can help you too.

Get on to it asap as a 2WD Freelander is not much good when it snows.

S.
 
If they fix it for you,make sure they do it properly.
There was probably a reason the prop shaft was removed.
If I were you I would search and read the relevant threads on here so you are aware of any symptoms of drivetrain strain,that fitting the propshaft may cause.

You can be sure somebody on here will have had similar issues.
 
Thank you so much guys, I really appreciate it. I spoke to the garage today and he said he was not aware of it, but that it was 'common' for that to happen to some 4wd's as it makes them more economical to run. I am not sure if he thinks I was born yesterday. I explained that is irrelevant as I purchased the car as a 4wd. If I had wanted a 2wd, I would have bought a 2wd. He said I could pick a new prop up on ebay for £200. I asked at whose cost he thought that would be and he said "well, I will need to speak to the boss, but we may go halves" I said that I would not be paying any money to turn it into a 4wd, he had sold it to me as a 4wd, so I expect one!

He then asked me to speak to the boss on Monday, so I will be calling him first thing. In the meantime, I will be doing some serious reading as to weather I'd be happy to accept the same car with a new prop (but was it removed because of another problem?) or whether I want to go straight in and reject the car.

He said that he did not know it was missing as it was a trade in and they only do a mot and service and would not have seen. Surely, if they had done a service, they would have seen the huge prop missing? what do you think?

I live in Montrose, Scotland, moved here last September from Suffolk. I bought the car from Suffolk, so I will have to get it back there for repairs or get a garage up here to do and them pay the bill if I keep it.

Thanks so much again :)
 
Threaten with trade standards and not fit for purpose sale get all your money back AND go elsewhere. Where is Fanny when you need him....... He is house eggspert on this stuff, you will get it fixed or your money back. But talk to fanny on how to proceed
 
Thor1950 said:
Threaten with trade standards and not fit for purpose sale get all your money back AND go elsewhere. Where is Fanny when you need him....... He is house eggspert on this stuff, you will get it fixed or your money back. But talk to fanny on how to proceed
Click to expand...

Satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, sale of goods act upto 6 years.

Unless the vehicle discounted for issues then for consideration paid not fit for purpose.

Further to this European wide directives in my link below within 6 months it is dealers problem and compulsory two year warranty. Unfair commercial practices eu wide directive.


They either fix it at their cost or give money back as full refund
 
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