FREELANDER 2 AUTO BOX JOLTING

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Viro

New Member
Posts
6
Location
Gloucester
Hi, new to this forum but have looked at helpful postings before and decided to join. I have a 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 automatic, done around 36,000, dealer service history. Over a year ago the gearbox changed really harshly from reverse into drive, proper thrown against the seatbelt force. Landrover fixed it, mentioning re-mapping the gearbox. Over the past few months it has been doing something similar, mainly shifting from 1 through 3 and down again, and definitely worse if stationary or slow moving for long periods in traffic- in fact, I have to take it out of drive and into neutral, as if I simply keep the footbrake applied in drive when stopped in traffic, when I release the brake the car pauses and then jumps forward urgently. Out of extended warranty, so worried what the problem might be and how expensive. Last main dealer service May. thanks.
 
Welcome to the forum
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This section is for introductions only. Yer be betterer to post technical questions over in the safety of the Freelander section, over ere:

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/forum/land-rover-freelander.9/
 
Hi, new to this forum but have looked at helpful postings before and decided to join. I have a 2013 Freelander 2 SD4 automatic, done around 36,000, dealer service history. Over a year ago the gearbox changed really harshly from reverse into drive, proper thrown against the seatbelt force. Landrover fixed it, mentioning re-mapping the gearbox. Over the past few months it has been doing something similar, mainly shifting from 1 through 3 and down again, and definitely worse if stationary or slow moving for long periods in traffic- in fact, I have to take it out of drive and into neutral, as if I simply keep the footbrake applied in drive when stopped in traffic, when I release the brake the car pauses and then jumps forward urgently. Out of extended warranty, so worried what the problem might be and how expensive. Last main dealer service May. thanks.

To Viro: we have the same vehicle as you and the same age, with the same problem.
The automatic gearbox jolts when releasing the footbrake to move forward when in heavy traffic after slow moving for some time.
The garage found a fault with sticking valves in the auto transmission valve block and did a replacement.
After a couple of months it started doing it again. The gearbox valve control box was replaced again and it seemed OK until heavy London traffic recently, after about 20 mins in traffic started doing it again.
The box is still under warranty, but the car is behaving impeccably now when the garage try to test it.
So what to do?
Frustrating! Anyone else experienced this? Any possible solutions or suggestions gratefully received.
 
To Viro: we have the same vehicle as you and the same age, with the same problem.
The automatic gearbox jolts when releasing the footbrake to move forward when in heavy traffic after slow moving for some time.
The garage found a fault with sticking valves in the auto transmission valve block and did a replacement.
After a couple of months it started doing it again. The gearbox valve control box was replaced again and it seemed OK until heavy London traffic recently, after about 20 mins in traffic started doing it again.
The box is still under warranty, but the car is behaving impeccably now when the garage try to test it.
So what to do?
Frustrating! Anyone else experienced this? Any possible solutions or suggestions gratefully received.
Hi, sorry to hear that. Very annoying as one main reason for having an auto is to not have to bother with operating a clutch all the time in traffic. I haven't done anything about mine yet, just tend to leave in drive with electronic brake on, or regularly put in neutral when in traffic. The issue seems to have progressed to problems reversing up hill, e.g. when parking- tends to roll forward a little and engage harshly. What would be really helpful to know is whether if it is the valve issue you mention, does leaving it risk a bigger problem? Thanks.
 
Hi, sorry to hear that. Very annoying as one main reason for having an auto is to not have to bother with operating a clutch all the time in traffic. I haven't done anything about mine yet, just tend to leave in drive with electronic brake on, or regularly put in neutral when in traffic. The issue seems to have progressed to problems reversing up hill, e.g. when parking- tends to roll forward a little and engage harshly. What would be really helpful to know is whether if it is the valve issue you mention, does leaving it risk a bigger problem? Thanks.
One other thing that may be relevant. When the car had done only around 25,000 miles it developed a really harsh downward gear change when coasting to lose speed gradually and really badly when parking and changing from reverse to drive (jolted forward similar to hitting an object at slow speed)- was under Landrover dealer second hand warranty and it was fixed by re-mapping the gearbox software. Maybe it is another effect of a software problem, but if your garage found a valve fault, maybe not. Anyway, I'm not keen on checking this out at the moment, as software is probably best done by Landrover, and they charge a lot per hour for diagnostics, never mind repair.
 
on ZF box's a simlar symptom can be attributed to gearbox adaptions and ecu software..

However sticking Valvebody solenoids is most likely your issue

Not sure what 'box in in a lander 2
 
Land rover main dealers provide fixed price options fer non intrusive diagnistics. 1 hour labour normally. Then yer walk away with knowledge of what they think it will be.
 
Thanks for the replies- a further update, the autobox never really has worked as well as it should, some probably just how it is designed, some definitely a fault. Will still jolt when either moving from neutral to drive or taking foot off brake or disengaging electronic brake whilst in drive when engine is hot. Also will roll forwards when reversing uphill until sufficient throttle. The latest is after a trip to local airport, was about to straighten up car in parking space having reversed in and a loud (best described as a bang like metal of metal) noise occurred and the car would not move forward- as it was such a worrying sound I quickly put it back in neutral, tried again, did same thing- so left it and got on a plane. One week later, drove it out of the space without problem.
Wonder if anyone new has something to add now.
I'm taking it to an automatic gearbox specialist for diagnostics.
 
Does it have problems all the time or are the problems intermittent?
Intermittent but not random for the jolting when moving off in drive as seems to be mostly associated with hotter engine/ being in slow moving traffic. The rolling forwards in reverse seems to always happen, but I don't tend to have to reverse uphill on a significant gradient much. Thanks.
 
Car serviced regularly but gearbox is a sealed non serviceable item I thought- anyway hopefully that will be checked when I take it to specialist for assessment
The auto fluid isn't checked/changed as standard. The service sheets are sometimes wrong. The auto fluid needs replaced. Seasoned Freelander 2 owners do a partial change every 50k miles to ensure good operation. Mine will be done on 50k mile intervals anorl.
 
Intermittent but not random for the jolting when moving off in drive as seems to be mostly associated with hotter engine/ being in slow moving traffic. The rolling forwards in reverse seems to always happen, but I don't tend to have to reverse uphill on a significant gradient much. Thanks.
Hello Viro
I have exactly the same problem as yours on my freelander 2 2014. Have you found out how to fix the problem. When it happens on mine I switch to semi auto and the problem go away but return again on auto until I turn off the car completely and leave the system to reset then start again the problem goes away until it happens again after few days under similar conditions, hot weather and lots of traffic. Wondering if this has been sorted out on your car? Thanks
 
Just picked up this thread, my 2013 Freelander 2 also experiencing same problem. Agian intermittent, jumping when shifting from Neutral to Drive and a fairly aggressive downshift from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd (can't really rell which). Now I think of it, never happens when cold, normally on longer journeys. @Viro and @Tito2030, did you get yours fixed?
 
Just in case anyone's still following this thread, put my FL2 into White's (LR specialist in Edinburgh, brilliant guys btw) and they updated the gearbox software.Hey presto the problem has gone and gear change is as smooth as Connery with a martini.
 
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