Tests new Freelander 1 owners should do on their car

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Hoops said:
Great Post.
I have a 2L TD4 and recently started feeling slight vibration that wasn't there before, checked all mountings, bearing play, even tyre weights then caught this thread. did one up wheel test with 1.2m bar and 5KG weight. took over 6 minutes to drop from 45 degrees to horizontal!! My un-expert opinion tells me the VCU has virtually seized so can't drive the car in its current condition as understand this can screw everything that is expensive. Can i remove rear prop just until i find a replacement VCU
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Sounds like it probably is seized, but maybe worth repeating on another wheel, just in case you have a binding brake. What happens when you try to drive it slowly in a circle on full lock, forwards or backwards? Does it feel OK in a straight line, but like the brakes are binding on full lock?
 
good point about the brakes binding so may as well try the other side. before the one wheel up test I reversed on full lock both ways and it felt like the brakes were on
 
Hoops said:
Great Post.
I have a 2L TD4 and recently started feeling slight vibration that wasn't there before, checked all mountings, bearing play, even tyre weights then caught this thread. did one up wheel test with 1.2m bar and 5KG weight. took over 6 minutes to drop from 45 degrees to horizontal!! My un-expert opinion tells me the VCU has virtually seized so can't drive the car in its current condition as understand this can screw everything that is expensive. Can i remove rear prop just until i find a replacement VCU
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Yes. I would take it off immediately regardless of what it feels like when reversing as this test is very much subjective. Do you know exactly how it should feel as a little tightness is normal?
As GG says, the front bolts are torx but I've never used torx sockets to take them off. 1/4" hex sockets work just as well.
Remove the bolts from front and rear props and support the prop shafts with a bungie or similar, then remove the bolts for the VCU and lower it down onto a milk crate or similar.
 
GrumpyGel said:
These points have been written so many times, I just want to put them in a thread by themselves so a link can be used rather than typing them out each time! This relates only to Freelander 1 vehicles.

Freelander like all cars can have many different faults. Lights can stop working, leaks can occur, engines can run rough etc etc - they just need to be fixed as with any car. Generally I've found my Freelander to have fantastic reliability and have suffered very few faults.

However, the way the Freelander transmission works is unlike most cars. If not cared for, it will often destroy the transmission with a good chance that it won't be economically viable to fix. However, there are some simple things that should be done to stop this happening...

1) Does your car still have its prop shafts installed? If you look under the car, you will see the exhaust running from the front to back, but you should also see 2 prop shafts separated by a 'device' supported by 2 bearings - this is the Viscous Coupling Unit (the VCU). Are these bits there?

These props run from the "IRD" at the front to the rear differential and provide the drive to the rear axle to make the car '4WD'. If they are missing, your car has been converted to 2WD and the following points do not apply.

2) Are all the tyres the exact same make and model and pumped to the same pressure? You do not necessarily need to know why, but it is vital that they are. If they are not, you need to change as many as needed to make sure they are. It is by far the best practice to replace all 4 tyres at the same time, but if 2 tyres have been replaced, they need to be on the back wheels - ie the tyres with the most tread should be on the back wheels. Essentially all the tyres need to be very near to exactly the same circumference. The only way to ensure this is to use tyres from the same manufacturer as different ones, although they may be the same (for example) 195/80R15 spec, will have different characteristics.

3) Is the VCU to tight? Over time the VCU (described above) will get to tight - it will not be as loose as it needs to be to allow for those slight difference in tyre wear and cornering differences between wheels. You can immediately detect if this has occurred if when turning corners the car feels like it is applying the brakes. However, problems can occur before you feel this sensation, so the VCU should be tested. This can be done using the "One Wheel Up Test". You jack 1 rear wheel up, put a 32mm socket on the hub nut in the middle, strap a bar tot he socket's ratchet and a weight to the end of the bar. You take the time it takes to turn 45 degrees from "1:30 to 3". To get accurate timings use a bar of 1.2m and a weight of 5kg. You are looking for a time under 1 minute. It has been said that LR recommend that the VCU be treated as a "service item" and replaced every 70,000 miles. However, there's no documentation to back this up plus some fail before this and others last much longer, so testing the VCU is the only sure way of knowing how it is performing. You can buy replacement new GKN VCUs or reconditioned ones. Only buy reconditioned ones from a reputable supplier as there have been many scams with recon VCUs over the years.



These are simple tests that all Freelander owners should be aware of and perform regularly. If your car is failing the tyre or VCU tests, you should resolve them as quickly as possible, or remove the prop shafts until you can.

There is lots of information on LandyZone, and the internet in general, about how the Freelander transmission works. If you read it, you will understand why these tests are important.
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wonder if you can help me again I have a 2005 Freelander TD 4 facelift model auto , cad the when I select drive (D) I have noticed that on the selector the (d) and the (R) light comes on ? and on the dash its showing the HDL light on as it flashes F- 4 alternately , when I drive it like this it seems as if it is not getting up to the top (D) gear , not sure if it is 5 or 6 everything else works ok
 
Spitfire2 said:
wonder if you can help me again I have a 2005 Freelander TD 4 facelift model auto , cad the when I select drive (D) I have noticed that on the selector the (d) and the (R) light comes on ? and on the dash its showing the HDL light on as it flashes F- 4 alternately , when I drive it like this it seems as if it is not getting up to the top (D) gear , not sure if it is 5 or 6 everything else works ok
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Not applicable here.

Start a new thread about it. There is also quite a bit of info about F4, some of it within the last couple of days, that you can search on.
 
If I may add to the list of Freelander 1 troubles, I don't know how common it is but if mine is left for more than a day or two with the handbrake on, particularly in wet weather, the brake will be seized when I try to move off. It can usually be rocked free but after it was left parked up for a week the brake was so badly stuck that the shoes broke up and had to be replaced.
 
Bluetoe said:
If I may add to the list of Freelander 1 troubles, I don't know how common it is but if mine is left for more than a day or two with the handbrake on, particularly in wet weather, the brake will be seized when I try to move off. It can usually be rocked free but after it was left parked up for a week the brake was so badly stuck that the shoes broke up and had to be replaced.
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That used to happen to mine too, eventually I just used to leave it in gear with the handbrake off.

Col
 
Bluetoe said:
If I may add to the list of Freelander 1 troubles, I don't know how common it is but if mine is left for more than a day or two with the handbrake on, particularly in wet weather, the brake will be seized when I try to move off. It can usually be rocked free but after it was left parked up for a week the brake was so badly stuck that the shoes broke up and had to be replaced.
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I think that's an issue with all older cars, even new cars suffer the same, I don't think Freelanders are worse than any others.
Cleaning the rust off and the handbrake mechanism, replacing anything too rusted up and making sure everything moves freely should help. It's probably just a bit seized up.
 
Alibro said:
I think that's an issue with all older cars, even new cars suffer the same, I don't think Freelanders are worse than any others.
Cleaning the rust off and the handbrake mechanism, replacing anything too rusted up and making sure everything moves freely should help. It's probably just a bit seized up.
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With mine, it was a case of the brake shoes sticking to the drums. All the linkages and cables were free.

Col
 
+1. If I'm leaving anything with drum brakes parked-up for more than a few days, just shove it in gear and leave the handbrake off. Learned that the hard way with my trailer after leaving it with the handbrake on for several months...
 
Avocet1 said:
+1. If I'm leaving anything with drum brakes parked-up for more than a few days, just shove it in gear and leave the handbrake off. Learned that the hard way with my trailer after leaving it with the handbrake on for several months...
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Yes, I hardly ever use the handbrake on my series when I park it, the noise it makes when the brake
suddenly lets go frightens the bejesus out of me.

Col
 
With regard to rust etc this wasn't the problem with mine as while replacing the shoes everything was thoroughly cleaned but the shoes had stuck again overnight, luckily they freed off easily. Since then I only ever use the handbrake if I have to park on a steepish hill.
 
Alibro said:
I'll add a few common issues I've come across.

Is the boot door handle about to fall off? Bend down and look up to see if there is a nasty big rust hole.
Does the boot window drop nicely to let the boot door open?
Does the boot door close nice and easily and the window go back up? Boot door lock and window issues are very common.
Are all the leccy windows working smoothly including the boot window? Regulator failure is VERY VERY common.
Is there anything left of the fuel tank support? They tend to rot.
Do all the doors unlock from the fob? Quite common for the passenger door lock to fail so you have to unlock it from inside.
Do the rear doors open smoothly or are the door stays sticky/broken? It seems the rear door stays seize if not used much and can break.
Is the horn working? Maybe an odd one to say but I've seen the clock spring connections fail.
Are all speakers working? Quite common for them to fail.

That's all the Freelander specific issues I can think of for now apart from normal service items that can be an issue on any car of that age. I'm sure I'll think of more tomorrow. :confused:
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Hi very new here!!,
I’m really worried now! I’ve just acquired a Freelander1 in mint condition for its age 04 plate V6 with only 36000 miles on the clock! I know very little about car mechanics I fear now that I’ve made a huge mistake! I’ve noticed already that it’s got different make tyres front and back! The drivers door doesn’t open on the fob (but will with the key), there was a lot of damp inside the space where the jack is kept and where a funny looking box thing is that has something to do with the radio I think? And last night someone told me that the rear N/S brake light isn’t working! For all my previous cars I’ve used the same reliable garage to maintain my cars and they’ve been brilliant. Will they be able to cope with my Freelander1 I’m starting to wonder or do I have to take it to a proper Land Rover garage? (That if course I’ll be paying a fortune for), You were talking about looking under the vehicle for those things but I’m that clueless! I only know how to do the usual basics! ....... panic is starting to set in!! Should I be even thinking I’ll be able to cope with an old Freelander1??
 
Freelanders are brilliant although the v6 is a bit thirsty. Water getting into the Jack storage area is a problem, I never worked out how it was getting into mine, the brake light will just be a duff bulb, a five minute job. You need to change the tyres for all matching make and tread before damage is caused to the vcu and other transmission parts. The door lock is a problem common to all cars these days. Any half decent garage can repair freelanders.

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
Freelanders are brilliant although the v6 is a bit thirsty. Water getting into the Jack storage area is a problem, I never worked out how it was getting into mine, the brake light will just be a duff bulb, a five minute job. You need to change the tyres for all matching make and tread before damage is caused to the vcu and other transmission parts. The door lock is a problem common to all cars these days. Any half decent garage can repair freelanders.

Col
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Hi Col, thanks for the reply!, phew you’ve made me feel a who lot better saying that.... thanks very much! Nearest place to find the correct bulb now is Halfords 14 miles away and my luck it will be a unusual bulb and they won’t have it!!
 
Pinkgin said:
Hi Col, thanks for the reply!, phew you’ve made me feel a who lot better saying that.... thanks very much! Nearest place to find the correct bulb now is Halfords 14 miles away and my luck it will be a unusual bulb and they won’t have it!!
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They are standard bulbs as far as I remember, I had to change one of mine once and it was an easy task. Doesn't your local supermarket sell some car related stuff, how local Sainsburies does. If you have to travel 14 miles get a couple of bulbs cos once one goes, the other goes soon after.

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
They are standard bulbs as far as I remember, I had to change one of mine once and it was an easy task. Doesn't your local supermarket sell some car related stuff, how local Sainsburies does. If you have to travel 14 miles get a couple of bulbs cos once one goes, the other goes soon after.

Col
Ha ha!, you should see where I live!..... in the remotest part of Wales!!..... Tesco is also 14 miles away!......thanks for the reassurance re bulbs though I do appreciate how nice people are on landyzone!
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Most things on a Freelander are easy, except for a few key items, like AWD system repairs, as most places don't have a clue, much like tyre places when fitting tyres.
The Freelander is hyper fussy on tyres, all must be identical, and the least worn of those must go on the rear.
If this isn't followed, the serious damage can be done.

Bulbs and stuff is just normal, as is the fish tank in the boot. My V6 was dry when I owned it, but it was wet in there, when I had it back recently for some repairs before selling it.
 
Colthebrummie said:
Freelanders are brilliant although the v6 is a bit thirsty. Water getting into the Jack storage area is a problem, I never worked out how it was getting into mine, the brake light will just be a duff bulb, a five minute job. You need to change the tyres for all matching make and tread before damage is caused to the vcu and other transmission parts. The door lock is a problem common to all cars these days. Any half decent garage can repair freelanders.

Col
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On mine the plastic gutter at the roof line that the window slots into has a longitudinal crack in it and the rain runs down the inside of the glass and fills the boot box up with water
 
Madmustang said:
On mine the plastic gutter at the roof line that the window slots into has a longitudinal crack in it and the rain runs down the inside of the glass and fills the boot box up with water
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That's interesting, I wonder if that was my issue. My freelander has gone to a new home so I'll never know.

Col
 
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