Help ive bought a freelander

davethebarber said:

Many thanks for the reply.
Problem i have is no mot so cant get it to a local lr workshop.

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A £90 LR specific code reader will tell you what's up with the ABS.

Ok so now ive not got an intermittently on and off handbrake light.
Its changed to on upon start up and until handbrake disengaged then light goes out and wont come back on with brake engaged or not.
Then relights upon turning off n on again

Dodgy connector somewhere - either hand brake or level sensor. Most likely the handbrake. Pull off the harness plug, clean and reconnect - hopefully that will do the job

Cheers guys for advise and patience

davethebarber said:

Lord Hippo forgive my ignorance but where and how will i find this handbrake switch please?
Also can u advise how to get to and check switch under gear lever for 3 amigos purposes

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As others have said the hand brake switch is by the hand brake under the plastic surrounding the hand break lever.

It's been some years since I did this... so from memory...
Yer need to remove the cubby box. Lift the cubby box lid and undo the 4 screws. The inner of the cubby box will then come out if yer angle it a bit. Yer can now see the hand break mechanism through the hole yer just created by removing the inner bit. Depending on the switch position yer may not be able to see it. If yer can't then the whole cubby box plastic needs to come oft. Can't remember how to do this ont manual gearbox freelanders... on me auto yer had to pull the 3 heater nobs oft, undo the screws behind the plastic to allow the front section to move a bit. Undo the 2 screws either side of the transmission tunnel (located by driver/passenger ancle). Remove the small bit of plastic under the handle of the hand brake to reveal another 2 screws. Undo them. The plastic around the auto gear lever will now move forward a bit. Undo the 4 bolts holding down the main outer cubby box plastic - get to these through the hole yer made earlier when removing the inner section - use an extension bar if yer have one. Now slide the cubby box forward - angle hand brake lever to allow it to move. Yer now have access to the whole handbrake.
Forgot to mention the window switched - they will need removed. Yer may be able to leave them in and tilt the cubby box a bit.
If a manual FL1 is different someone will be along in a bit with the different steps to add.

Read the next post below by Grumpy anorl.

Pic of a hand brake oft a 2001 v6 auto below. Switch is the black thing with a black wire to the left of the pic:


PC300733 Csy0IGI

Hippo said:

As others have said the hand brake switch is by the hand brake under the plastic surrounding the hand break lever.

It's been some years since I did this... so from memory...
Yer need to remove the cubby box. Lift the cubby box lid and undo the 4 screws. The inner of the cubby box will then come out if yer angle it a bit. Yer can now see the hand break mechanism through the hole yer just created by removing the inner bit. Depending on the switch position yer may not be able to see it. If yer can't then the whole cubby box plastic needs to come oft. Can't remember how to do this ont manual gearbox freelanders... on me auto yer had to pull the 3 heater nobs oft, undo the screws behind the plastic to allow the front section to move a bit. Undo the 2 screws either side of the transmission tunnel (located by driver/passenger ancle). Remove the small bit of plastic under the handle of the hand brake to reveal another 2 screws. Undo them. The plastic around the auto gear lever will now move forward a bit. Undo the 4 bolts holding down the main outer cubby box plastic - get to these through the hole yer made earlier when removing the inner section - use an extension bar if yer have one. Now slide the cubby box forward - angle hand brake lever to allow it to move. Yer now have access to the whole handbrake.

Pic of a hand brake oft a 2001 v6 auto below. Switch is the black thing with a black wire to the left of the pic:

PC300733 Csy0IGI

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With the inner cubby box removed there are 4 screws holding the main console housing in place. The 2 rear screws go into those brackets on the right of the pic by where the hand brake cables disappear under the carpet - they can be accessed through the hole vacated by the inner cubby box. The 2 front screws are under the small rectangular cover at the front on the console which can be eased off with a screw driver.

There's no need to remove any heater knobs or any of the forward console pieces. The wires to the aux power socket on the back of the console will need to be disconnected (just pull off) as well as the window switches (I think these may need the switch pushed through first then the wires disconnected, not sure)

GrumpyGel said:

With the inner cubby box removed there are 4 screws holding the main console housing in place. The 2 rear screws go into those brackets on the right of the pic by where the hand brake cables disappear under the carpet - they can be accessed through the hole vacated by the inner cubby box. The 2 front screws are under the small rectangular cover at the front on the console which can be eased off with a screw driver.

There's no need to remove any heater knobs or any of the forward console pieces. The wires to the aux power socket on the back of the console will need to be disconnected (just pull off) as well as the window switches (I think these may need the switch pushed through first then the wires disconnected, not sure)

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Thanks. It's all starting to come back now.

Ok so todays progress.
I have the old girl getting a diagnostic right now so see what it says.
I have removed the back of center console and screws.
The 2 front screws are in so hard i cant get them to move.
Wd 40 d them overnight still cant budge them.
As such at the mo cant check handbrake switch

Diagnostic says nearside rear abs sensor for 3 amigos.
How hard is this to do myself guys??

I've never done one on Freelander, but I did remove an ABS sensor on my Disco and it just pulled out.

Having said that stuff is generally much less rusted over here and there are threads where people have had to drill out old sensors from the hub. I suggest you have a go and see whether it will budge.

Word of caution, it is probably the sensor that is at fault, however what the code really means is that its not getting (a good) signal from that wheel. It may be the wiring to the sensor or it could be the ring on the driveshaft that the sensor picks up on - these can break up inside the hub I believe caused by rust pushing on them. I've never had to do it, but I've read on threads people recommending that once you've got the old sensor out, have a feel or look through the holes at the ring to make sure it is sound.

Might be worth your while having a search on here for some of the words in the above para for more info.

Reading says voltage out of range on rear nearside sensor if that enlightens anyone at all??

Front sensor was a nightmare - had to remove the wheel hub and mash the old one out. No idea about the rear - hopefully a lot easier!!!

rob_bell said:

Front sensor was a nightmare - had to remove the wheel hub and mash the old one out. No idea about the rear - hopefully a lot easier!!!

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Rear can be worse than the front. The year makes a difference too.

Nodge68 said:

Rear can be worse than the front. The year makes a difference too.

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Now your making me worry guys lol.
Its gotta come out so..........

Yer probably find it won't come out by asking it nicely. They seem to seize in with time. It will snap and yer will need to poke/scrape the rest out. Only try it once you know what the replacement looks like first. It may not necessarily be the sensor. It might not be picking up the signal it detects. But most the time it is the sensor. Yer can measure their loop resistance of the sensor from the in line connecting plug or put a volt meter across it and spin the wheel to get an AC voltage.

Ok guys got replacement sensor.
After wirk today 1pm im going to attempt extraction of old sensor.
Yes its bloody snowing so lucky me lol.
Any last words of encouragement are welcome.
Also what tools or tricks has anyone used please?

davethebarber said:

Ok guys got replacement sensor.
After wirk today 1pm im going to attempt extraction of old sensor.
Yes its bloody snowing so lucky me lol.
Any last words of encouragement are welcome.
Also what tools or tricks has anyone used please?

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Lots of penetrating fluid and plenty of time is what's needed. I wish I had proper snow, I'm bored of snow in its liquid state. Good luck.

davethebarber said:

...Yes its bloody snowing so lucky me lol.
Any last words of encouragement are welcome...

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Wear 2 pairs of socks

Update time.
ive tried to get old bloody sensor out for nearly 3 hours on and off.
A mechanic has had it and had to use heat to get it to shift.
Anyway sensor off n replaced.
However aparently a break pipe was corroded and he split it when taking off hub to do job??
Also he now advises that there is a low grinding noise from front far side when turning. So thinks its the driveshaft??
What do we think guys??

Unlikely to be a driveshaft. The IRD is a common source of noise. So it's a good idea change the oil in the IRD and check what it looks like. The VCU support bearings can grind quite loudly.
Wheel bearings can make noise too.