I have an FL2, 2008 SE manual, 110k miles. It’s kept regularly serviced and had its 10 year service earlier this year (ouch!), and has just had the steering rack replaced. Over the past month it is sounding increasingly like a tractor. I know, being diesel, it is inherently noisy, but it is getting worse - definitely tractor-like. It’s been to the garage, and they can’t find anything obvious - no split hoses, no exhaust problems. The mechanic shrugged his shoulders at me and said it’s just noisy, but at least he drew the line at calling me a silly woman (although his body language gave that one away).

Has anyone had a similar problem, and if so what was the outcome please?

At the bottom of the steering column is a seal and as you had a rack replaced my money would be on it’s missing or not located properly. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

I was going to say which make of tractor. Was it a John Deere, Ford or Massy Ferguson etc ? However that wouldnt be very helpful. And whilst I was typing Ive been beaten to it.

Im afraid you dont give us much to go on apart from it sounding like a tractor. Could you be more specific.

Did the noise appear just after the steering rack was changed ?

Can you describe it .
Is the noise there all the time or does it come and go or does it appear at certain speeds or under load (going up hill for instance). Jules

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic10559.htm...olumn+seal FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

Thanks for the tips about the steering column seal. I’ll have a look tomorrow. I was getting a whistling noise, but it turned out to be from the failing steering rack and fluid leak, which resulted very quickly in a loss of power steering on the M25 - what an exciting trip that was. I hadn’t noticed any other whistling, but that could be because of the racket from the engine.

I am, of course, referring to a vintage Massey Ferguson tractor, possibly a red one.....

Think the normal chugging sound you get from a diesel engine, but magnify it. I have been able to compare it to other FLs of similar age and model. The basic sound is the same, but mine is much louder. I have also made the same comparison with the bonnet open. It is particularly loud when first started up on these colder mornings. It seems to quieten at constant speeds, but is noisy again when accelerating or going up hill. There doesn’t seem to be any loss in performance or fuel economy (I use BP diesel normally).

Sadly it's not the seal around the steering column. I just checked and it is firmly in place. By suddenly appearing out of my cars footwell I have managed to give my neighbour the fright of his life though...

I would try another garage then as a developing knock could be expensive. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Any ideas on what could be causing it?

Far too many permutations at a distance. Make a video clip ? FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Try removing the AUX belt and start the engine to see if the noise has gone. That will eliminate if the AUX units are causing the sound. I had a seized alternator pulley on mine which made it more noisy.

Try this thread, it deals with alternator pulley clutch seizure.

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic31456.html FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

With apologies for not responding to the latest helpful posts - my FL2 has been back in the garage again. The new steering rack failed and has been replaced, and one of the seals on the replaced differential failed. All done under the garage’s warranty on repairs. I remained calm..... Whilst my car was being mucked about with, the mechanic discovered that one of the engine mounting brackets was loose. I can’t explain in more detail as I had lost the will by that point. All I wanted to know was that the loose bit was no longer loose, and that the engine is a lot quieter now.

Last year my wife finally decided to get a hearing aid, on the day she came back from having it fitted she asked me to have a look at her car as it sounded a bit rough all of a sudden.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE