I bought a 2004 1.8 petrol Freelander 2 years ago with 42000 miles, impulse buy and didn't research them or never would have bought the petrol model. The Head Gasket went after 2 weeks and it was skimmed and sorted under warranty (It was then I found out the long list of problems!)

Anyway, I am just about to tax it and get it back on the road as it has been parked up for 12 months as the engine management light came on and the whole car juddered as I drove. I moved closer to work and didn't really need to drive it so the MOT lapsed. I had it in garage yesterday and it flew through the MOT after having a new back box (£44 fitted) and then £35 for the actual MOT. I asked them to check why it was driving like a pig and they said they couldn't see anything and it couldn't be anything to do with the air/fuel mix as emissions test was passed easily but they could use fault code reader for £35 (I was undecided if I was even going to put it back on road at this point as hoped MOT would throw up some problems for me to cost the repairs). I limped the car back home and with the bonnet up I heard a cracking noise so took off the cover and saw that one of the HT leads wasn't working properly - £19.18 later and the warning light has gone and it purrs like a kitten again. (Yes off road for 12 Months for a £19.18 set of leads).

I have a banging from the rear when I change gear badly - read this was the rear diff front bush and a cheap fix so went to local independent LR repairer and he said the bush was no problem but then pointed me in the direction of the Viscous control unit, IRD, drive train or something and a lot of other things and then said about.....£1200 to change.

QUESTION -I am very nervous now, these 'common faults' does anyone know what percentage of Freelanders they affect, will they always fail on every Freelander and should I just take it and get rid whilst it is 12month tax and test after changing the bush - I like the look of the car and can afford to run and the minor repairs but what is likely hood of HGF again, VCU going, IRD going and anything else I haven't heard of yet as my wallet really can't take it at the minute

Sorry for long post, been reading a while but never actually signed up

Try doing a search K series Gaylanders are a death sentence to ya bank balance. l

I am beginning to understand the Gaylander label might skip the repairs and buy a bowler bobcat then instead might be cheaper!

But surely the VCU and IRD etc will be the same fault for all engine freelanders not just the 1.8 just wondering if they are unreliable on the whole or if they seem even worse because most people only post on the internet when things go wrong (me for example) and are there more people who have no problems or do most people have the same problems not just the people posting on here if anyone knows a reliable answer

As I said do a search plenty of posts on here.

MrBeaker said:

I have a banging from the rear when I change gear badly - read this was the rear diff front bush and a cheap fix so went to local independent LR repairer and he said the bush was no problem but then pointed me in the direction of the Viscous control unit, IRD, drive train or something and a lot of other things and then said about.....£1200 to change.

QUESTION -I am very nervous now, these 'common faults' does anyone know what percentage of Freelanders they affect, will they always fail on every Freelander and should I just take it and get rid whilst it is 12month tax and test after changing the bush - I like the look of the car and can afford to run and the minor repairs but what is likely hood of HGF again, VCU going, IRD going and anything else I haven't heard of yet as my wallet really can't take it at the minute

Sorry for long post, been reading a while but never actually signed up

Click to expand...

Banging from rear - could be subframe mount or cracked chassis.
what percentage - high and can be repetative. It is not guarenteed, but its a high likelyhood. Easy checks can be done on the VCU - any signs of possible problems you can go "Mondo" mode.

Cheers, will take it to find out what is actually wrong then, have found out it makes a great garden ornament whilst parked up so it may be adorning my front garden once again!