Freelander 1 Automatic TD4 problems

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Thank you for all your help. The problem is when my car has stood for a long time, eg over night or whilst I am at work for 8 hours. I then start it up, it drives but wont change gear, it runs for a while then it goes into limp mode and F4 flashes on dash, the first time I did this I turned the car off then re started it and it ran ok and changed gears. as each day this has happened it is taking me more stops and starts to get it to run normal, today it took 6 time to stop and start the engine before it ran normal. Is this a gear box oil problem?
As your Freelander 1 is able to drive in numerours forward gears, change gear, display correct gear status... then the issue can only be in the electrical wiring harness to the auto gearbox which includes the barrel connectors. You need to check the barrel connectors. The resistance test will confirm the fault. It may be a solenoid itself but that woiuld be real bad luck if you've just had them replaced. It is unlikely as the fault is intermittent. Unfortunatley it may be the connection to the solenoid (the actual wire connecting to the solenoid being lose) itself which requires the front solenoid panel removed to get to it. This wiring is still part of the electrical wiring harness but sadly you can't see it without the cover removed. Hence performing the resistance test to check the electrical connections without taking the solenoid panel off.

Driving it with the problem you have isn't ideal. You risk losing drive which may put you in danger.

There's lots of spoof idea's on the web about fixing auto's. The Jatco is so well known for F4 flashing on Freelander 1's it's unreal. Search for it on the web and my video pop's up at the top telling ypu what to check and how. The problem you have is related to the work you have had done recently. The garage who did this work should be ashamed of themselves for not knowing this. I suspect they do know and don't want to help as it may damage their profit margin. They could have easily caught the wiring harness (causing it damage) or not plugged the barrel connectors together fully (causing intermittent connections).

You either have a problem with a solenoid (very unlikely to be intermittent coil) or the electrical connections to them (the wiring harness). There's plently of spoof idea's on the web about removing the floor mats... fitting a new aerial... and the auto started working etc. The easiest option is to check the barrel connectors (watch the video to see how they connect together and fail by sliding apart slightly) and if the problem isn't fixed do the resistance test (watch the video to see it being done). The barrel connectors are easy to find. Make sure the engine is switched off and preferable cold so you don't burn yourself. Location info in the link I posted somewhere above.

You may get someone on here local who wants to help if you put up a rough location. Be careful/safe on the web. The alternative is to put it into a LR main dealer for a non intrusive inspection which is a fixed price of about £100+vat. Tell them the fault and ask them to check the barrel connectors and perform the risistance test. Give them a copy of this post/thread.
 
Thank you. I have booked it back in with the people who changed the solenoids. Hopefully this will sort it. They can't get me in till next week though :-( will try and check those barrel connectors before, thank you so much for your help everyone
 
Before I take my car back to the mechanics can you advise me if there is a particular gearbox oil that should be used please, in case they have used the wrong one, also the gears work once the engine is warm, is this something to do with the gearbox oil warming up to, I just want to be armed with stuff so they cant fob me off again
 
Before I take my car back to the mechanics can you advise me if there is a particular gearbox oil that should be used please, in case they have used the wrong one, also the gears work once the engine is warm, is this something to do with the gearbox oil warming up to, I just want to be armed with stuff so they cant fob me off again
What don't the gears do properly when the engine is cold as opposed to warm? F4 flashing isn't caused by oil. It's electrical.
 
It drives off the drive but then it doesn't change gear it just reves up and then goes into limp mode then F4 flashes, if the engine is warm it drives ok
 
Hi Julie, have you looked up the garage online to see if their any good ?
It may pay you in the long run to cut your losses and take it to someone who knows what their doing.
Only my opinion, good luck with it and keep us all posted.
 
I've seen very low fluid levels give the F4 warning!
How? The jatco used in the FL1 doesn't know what it's fluid level is. It has no safety check to disable vehicle movement if it's low like on more modern vehicles. It will happily slam gears when changing if the oil level is low without warning of a fault. For you to see F4 flashing there must have been something else wrong at the same time electrically.
 
How? The jatco used in the FL1 doesn't know what it's fluid level is. It has no safety check to disable vehicle movement if it's low like on more modern vehicles.

It doesn't know the fluid level, true. It gave a code, which a can't remember now. But the code related to a turbine to output spead to gear speed mismatch. I guessed that the low level caused the torque converter to spin freely or there to be so little pressure the clutchs just slipped as the vehicle would hardly move.
 
Took it back to garage they said it' something wrong inside the gearbox. If u leave the engine to warm up for 10 mins then drive it then it' fine. He can' mend it. Any ideas what this could be. Is there anyone local to Wednesbury that can mend It?
 
Well I'm hundreds of miles away, so that puts me out of action.
2 options
Bite the bullet, find a transmission specialist and get it fixed.
Hope to hell someone on here is close to you and will spend some time on it.
For what it's worth, I'd replace the ATF fluid and put a bottle of stop slip in and go from there. But that's just my opinion.
Mike
 
They said it' a crack in the gearbox when the engine gets warm the metal expands and the crack joins then I can change gear. They can't fix it. Has anyone heard of anything like this. If I run the car till it' up to temp it will change gear ok
 
Has anyone heard of anything like this. If I run the car till it' up to temp it will change gear ok

The main piston has been known to crack. It's not a particularly difficult job to replace, but do the clutch discs at the same time. The gearbox doesn't need removing to replace the piston or clutches.
Is there anything that you can put into a gearbox to seal a crack

No. Get the job done by a reputable auto gearbox specialist. ;)
 
Quite agree re specialist Julie. Look around your area I'm sure a specialist will come to light or another member will recommend one.
Think the first so called garage are an absolute disgrace and should be avoided like the plague.
Sure someone will know but isn't there some sort of federation that decent gearbox specialists belong to ?
 
Took it back to garage they said it' something wrong inside the gearbox. If u leave the engine to warm up for 10 mins then drive it then it' fine. He can' mend it. Any ideas what this could be. Is there anyone local to Wednesbury that can mend It?
Search for TS Auto's who were a gear box repair specialist. I think he's not far from you. He was around on the rover forums some years ago and knows about the jatco auto. He can repair and take them apart. Can't search at the moment. Failing that Ashcroft Transmission are the no1 on jatco and will suply a replacement fully reconditionned/tested auto. Also have fitters in Luton. Bit far but you get it fixed for good. Need to go but will comment later.
 
It doesn't know the fluid level, true. It gave a code, which a can't remember now. But the code related to a turbine to output spead to gear speed mismatch. I guessed that the low level caused the torque converter to spin freely or there to be so little pressure the clutchs just slipped as the vehicle would hardly move.
That's an interesting fault. It will normally flash F4 for electrical problems like open circuit sensor but it can also do the same if a sensor reading is considered out of range in comparison to what it is currently reading from others. In this situation it doesn't know if it's the sensor itself is at fault or the value measured is wrong because the auto isn't functioning correctly like running at half speed half way through the chain of power. I think this would be the case in the situation you had. Like knowing the revs of the shaft into the auto but sensors further on read different to what it would expect. The auto's computer monitors feasibility of signals for comparison which would cause it to think something's wrong then enter limp with F4 flashing. It's a shame mine didn't do this when the dealer told me to drive it and see how it goes, knowing it was leaking. They knew I wasn't aware of the leak so it trashed the torque convertor. I'm still bitter about this.
 
I can't log into the rover forum. Does anyone else have access who can find the contact detail's for TS Auto's? Not sure if he's still around.
This forum: ttp://forums.mg-rover.org/
 
Back
Top