I have a fairly expensive problem and any advice would be appreciated. Last week my 2007 Freelander Hse (automatic) came up with warning messages of transmission fault not all gears available. This was following an HDC warning several weeks before which was fixed by a simple plug in and clearing of the faults which drastically improved the performance. Currently the car has very rough gear changes and from cold doesn't always find gears. It also loses power whilst driving so if you put your foot on the accelerator nothing happens for 10 seconds. The garage did a software download which hasn't fixed the problem and say the torque convertor may be at fault and hence need to strip the gear box to fix it. Very expensive!

To add to the issue I read on this forum about the safety recall Q106 which was a software download for transmission slip / flare which was advised in August 2010 but I hadn't been contacted about. I am currently having a disagreement with Landrover as to why i wasn't contacted and if I had been would the download have prevented the breakdown.

So my queries are
1. Is £2k about the right price for fixing the torque convertor? It's with a Landrover specialist not a deaership
2. Is there any way to prove the download would have prevented the breakdown?
3. Has anyone had similar problems?
4. Should I expect any type of guarantee or warranty on the work?

All advice would be great as this is getting expensive between hire cars, cancelled trips to Ireland and garage bills.

1. Roughly yes, depending on the details. You using Morrisons of Stirling?
2. No, they wont admit liability, nor is there a way to prove it. You might get a goodwill gesture if you use a LR dealership for the repair, if it's been regularly serviced by a main dealer, if you dont go in with all guns blazing, but it's a chance you take.
3. No
4. Some garages 3 months, others longer. Ask.

Hi - Thanks dunroof for your reply - it is at Gemm 4x4 in Larbert as their labour costs are half of the main dealership. Have you ever used them?

Could be also this: https://www.freel2.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11383/q059ex.pdf
Even if it isn't for the cars sold in your country, it is not the first time when a specific action became a general one.
Check your VIN against the ones in this Service Action Q059.

No, but heard good things about Morrisons, then as always, the odd bad comment. They appear reasonably priced. Likewise heard Team Valley at Gateshead is excellent and very reasonable rates, if you can get it there.

Vicky, before you do anything have you tried a flush through followed by a change of transmission fluid and a change of filter - on RRS/D3/FFRR this often cures LR gearboxes that don't change smoothly and may be worth a try before getting the gearbox dropped out. Land Rover auto boxes are "sealed for life" but in fact it has transpired that life in LR's eyes is 3 years (or until the warranty expires!)

GEMM 4x4 - I use them for my Defender and have many friends who use them. The team there are all Land Rover trained and did their time at Morrison's up the road. I find them good but also have heard of some folks who were less than satisfied with the quality of GEMM's workmanship. They did a fully replacement chassis on my 90, along with all new suspension and braking system and fitting of a hydraulic winch. I was pleased with the way they did the job. How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green

alex_pescaru wrote:

Could be also this: https://www.freel2.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11383/q059ex.pdf
Even if it isn't for the cars sold in your country, it is not the first time when a specific action became a general one.
Check your VIN against the ones in this Service Action Q059.

Tim - Thanks - I'll mention this on my daily call with Gemm today. As for LR's expectation of ''life'' it's a little shorter than my expectation of ''life"!!!!

The meaning of "life", in Ford's eyes, is 150.000 miles or 240.000 km.
Check Ford's maintenance schedules - where the AWF21 automatic gearbox is used on some of their cars (Ford designation is TF-81SC) - and see that.
Indeed, there is the need of changing the oil in TorqShift type transmission at each 60.000 miles (96.000 km), but that is another, much stronger, gearbox.

Also Volkswagen, which uses the same gearbox (designated 09G) on its cars (from Polo to Touareg, of course with some modifications), also states "Fluid filled for life. No change.". Previous VW boxes needed the oil changed at 60.000 miles (96.000 km).

If you want to be on the safe side, then change it every 60.000 miles (96.000 km).
No manufacturer recommends autobox oil changes earlier than 60.000 miles (96.000 km).
And the JWS 3309 type of oil used on our AWF21 Aisin Warner gearboxes can handle much more than that.

Well the saga continues - does anyone know automatic automotives in Edinburgh?

A name from the past, but here a review I found.

Automotive Automatics, 14 Gordon Street, Edinburgh - oilleak (01/12/2009)
ProblemAfter grounding my car I had to remove the damaged splash guard / under tray as it was broken. I noticed there was an oil leak underneath my car. Not knowing where it was coming from I got it booked into Automotive Automatics in the hope that they would solve the problem. Having used this garage before to get my automatic gearbox serviced, without hesitation I went back to them. Week 1I dropped the car off on a Tuesday at 1230 so that they could take a good look at it. With the amount of oil underneath they suggested that they would steam clean the engine bay to confirm where the oil leak was originating. They phoned at 1658 and it was explained I would need a new sump pan, sump gasket and an oil change. I authorised them to carry out this work and call me the next day once completed. No phone call so I called them to find out there was a delay in getting the parts. Fair enough I though. On Thursday I called at 1715 having had no word to be told it was ready and could be collected. I said I'd come during my lunch hour on Friday to collect. Called them an hour before to confirm my arrival at 1230. I settled the bill and picked up the car. On Saturday morning I had a look underneath the car, the oil leak had returned, assuming it had left in the first place. I called them up at 1128 to notify them of this and was told there could be an oil leak coming from somewhere else. Hang on a minute... didn't I just take the car in to have it looked at with them confirming it was the sump pan and gasket?! Week 2Phoned up on Monday at 1015 to arrange for the car to be booked in. I dropped it off on Wednesday. I called them at 1608 to get an update. They hadn't even look at it. This was after me dropping it off at 0715 with them knowing full well. I was on annual leave Thursday & Friday so told them they could have the car until Monday which suited. Week 3After a relaxing long weekend Monday had arrived. I called up at 1031 to get an update, car was ready. Having heard this story before I quizzed them to discover that they had not changed the sump gasket, but re-used the original. This must have been why it was still leaking?! They had also not steam cleaned the engine bay on their first attempt. Apparently this was never agreed and they do not do this on-site. Sounds like a miscommunication between staff at this garage. They wanted to charge me a further £30 for the steam cleaning. I stood my ground and refused to pay on the basis that they had already agreed to do this from the start. I was bluntly told to just pick up my car. On collection I noticed that there was oil smudges on the exterior paintwork, specifically on the bonnet. Also oil prints in the driver?s foot well. Engine looked like it has been steam cleaned and a quick glance under the car looked like there were no oil leaks. Tuesday morning and had a look under the car. Guess what... there is oil dripping off the sump. Phoned them up yet again, they suddenly said it is the rocker cover and meant to mention this to me yesterday. ConclusionAt this moment I'm thinking that there was nothing wrong with the sump in the first place, apart from a couple of scratches from the impact. I was intact and hadn't dropped the entire contents of the engine oil. I could be that now I have no splash guard / under tray an oil leak which was there before is now more obvious. What stands is that I have paid almost £400 for this garages guess work! They are poor communicators and even worse mechanics. Avoid at all costs. | Report this