Should I change my Auto gearbox oil?

Hello all!

I'm new to the forum and picked up a 2009 Freelander 2 HSE Auto last September. It had 201,000 miles miles on but was cheap, excellent condition and with loads of history - so I took a punt on it with a 'it's only got to last me 18 months' mentality.

I've rather grown to like the car now, and it's nearly done 210,000 miles now with no trouble (other than consumables), so I'm thinking it's a keeper until it dies in a pool of oil and smoke!

There is only one real niggle and that's a juddering/hesitation you get and certain speeds and under low throttle response. If you are driving on the flat and hovering between 45-50mph it judders if you put on a little throttle to keep speed up.

Various people have recommended a gearbox flush and oil change, but I've just called my local Land Rover dealer for a price and they said they'd do it but it's not something they'd normally touch unless there was a major issue as they are a sealed unit. (They want £336 inc. VAT, local Landy indy - DLS Wirksworth - want £280 inc. VAT).

So - is a gearbox oil change a good precautionary step?

Cheers - and sorry for the lengthy first post!

the simple answer is yes, if you read through the posts on here you will find that not many agree with the advise from Land Rover that the box is "sealed for life" I did a partial oil replacement last year (ie drained and refilled) and will do that every year from now on. It is also a good idea to replace the oil and filter in the haldex unit and replace the oil in the diff as well.

The Service schedule says that the gearbox oil is due to be changed at 150,000 miles or 10 years so it should’ve been changed by now on a routine service. If there is any doubt as to whether it has been changed then I would change it anyway, it is quite expensive but that’s just one of the joys having an older car. Still a lot cheaper than replacing the gearbox .

muffinman said:

Various people have recommended a gearbox flush and oil change, but I've just called my local Land Rover dealer for a price and they said they'd do it but it's not something they'd normally touch unless there was a major issue as they are a sealed unit. (They want £336 inc. VAT, local Landy indy - DLS Wirksworth - want £280 inc. VAT).

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That's crap. It's not a sealed unit, as I had fill and drain plugs.

It's filled for life, but not changing the fluid shortens the life massively.

It is part of the 150k miles service, along all other transmission component fluids.

I'd get all fluids changed, as degradation of fluids, reduces the life if the components its supposed to be lubricating.

I would go to a different garage.

The land rover service schedule is a "best case scenario" in terms of what kind of life the car has had..

If at 200k it is still on its original oil have it changed NOT FLUSHED replace a litre of ATF with this too

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai...jm_IuB3p_rAhVZhlwKHbKpDvcQ9aACegQIDRBF&adurl=

At that mileage that "judder" is likely to be the converter lockup clutch, or low fluid...

Thanks all - will get it done. Just need to decide who to go with now.

Any recommendations for LR specialists in Derbyshire?

Out of interest - how much is a re-con gearbox for one of these?