Got an 08 se and regularly check all levels. The oil light came on today about 1/4mile from home. Checked oil level on the dipstick and all was ok about 4mm from top mark, topped upto to mark, Started the engine light goes out drove 16 miles and light came on again but within 400m of the light coming on, a total engine stop (christ it is hard work with no power steering) rolled to a safe place, checked oil level all ok but engine appears to be siezed solid. Got recovered to local garage

Anyone know of any other major failures like this and what was the cause?

Now waiting on verdict from the garage...Happy Xmas

Ben (GONE) FL2 2008 SE (manual) Santorini Black, the expensive one
(LEFT WITH) 300tdi Defender 90 the cold, reliable & sensible one

The oil light is for oil pressure, not for oil level. If it comes on you should drive no more.....

It is interesting that the light went out though. garioch43

2009 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE - Santorini Black/Black Leather
2002 MGF 1.8i - British Racing Green/Cream Leather with loads of walnut and chrome bits

Now that I know the light is oil pressure (previous poster) I can only assume that topping up may have created enough pressure to switch it off to travel the 16 miles before it came back on and stopped?

Totally miffed wih modern Land Rover, after the rear diff pump failure @ £450 repair, I'm getting the engine sorted and then getting rid! This was a one owner full main dealer serviced vehicle, I still love it but regret it at the same time.
Unless I become a millionaire will not go back to the modern Land Rover badge again.

My 1994 Defender as uncomfortable and cold as it is just never fails even when left for over a month it just starts first turn and goes but my short time with the freelander 2 which I was warned not to get by many has put me off for ever.
Looking at trading for a 4x4 Skoda Yeti, when it is fixed £££!
 (GONE) FL2 2008 SE (manual) Santorini Black, the expensive one
(LEFT WITH) 300tdi Defender 90 the cold, reliable & sensible one

Your oil pump is chain driven, this is what pumps the oil arround the engine lubricating everything from crankshaft bearings to piston rings, it also draws heat away from the moving parts and helps to keep it cool.
Loss of oil pressure will stop these vital parts from being lubricated causing mass heat build up.
Moving parts not being properly be lubricated will expand with heat from the friction of the moving parts and will if not stopped very quickly will seize the engine causing perminant damage.
If caught early enough at low revs damage can be avoided. An engine should then be partly stripped down to access big end bearings/ Camshaft bearings etc etc so all bolts inculding the renewal of stretch head bolts can be re tightened to their specified settings not forgetting a new oil pump etc etc.
If your engine has fully seized then its a major job which will probably need reboring and oversized bearings/pistons and rings fitted along with the crankshaft checking or replacing with new bearings and so on.
Top of the engine your looking at new camshafts/bearings etc provided nothing has cracked along with the head and mating face being scimmed.
To be honest I would be inclined just to go for a new engine. Another route you could go would be to have a second hand engine fitted or opt for a fully reconditioned engine, these vary in price depending on which route you decide on going down.

I'm sorry to hear that defenderben. I know you have been disheartened with the beast already.

I would be very interested to know what is found ? and the cause ?. i wonder whether it suffered a stuck pressure relief valve and starved the head of oil and seized the cams ?

There has been another on here that suffered oil pressure issue after an oil change and jacked the lifters up and bent the valves & i do wonder whether its pressure relief valve related ?

Please update us.

defenderben wrote:

Looking at trading for a 4x4 Skoda Yeti, when it is fixed £££!

And proof it's not always greener on the other side

Last edited by npinks on 5th Dec 2012 8:23 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Although SWMBO recently sold our late 07 XS, we'd had it from new and in that time I fitted 1 sidelight bulb, the seat cover on the side bolster had crazed a little, but apart from that and routine servicing done by me, it never, ever missed a beat, or required a single part, adjustment or repair.

As for my 08 TDCI 110 station wagon, well that truly believes in preventative maintenance and emptying my wallet at every opportunity!!!!

Regards Keith def2 interloper

Probably a bit of a rant more than an action (px for Yeti) having just got in from my day from hell, I really do enjoy the Freelander but never owned a vehicle in all my years of driving that has cost so much in such a short space of time and to think I was considering a D3 at first!

Once I get the total verdict on what is damaged and the cost etc I'll get it done and then probably will end up keeping it, I'll be reluctant to get rid due to the £££ investment.
Ben (GONE) FL2 2008 SE (manual) Santorini Black, the expensive one
(LEFT WITH) 300tdi Defender 90 the cold, reliable & sensible one

I know what you meen.Nowadays you get problems with just about every new car out there. A few years ago I bought a brand new serries three bmw.
Must of got a rouge one "friday car" everything that could go wrong with it did go wrong. I bought bmw because it was ment to be the ultimate driving machine, what utter it was a pile of , never again. My mate is a manager in bmw and he told me when they sold a £50,000 x5 and drove it down the road from the show room the engine blew up, needed a new engine, ok, warranty job would would you think? shocking.

May not be completely lost. My D2 had a seized steering pump and the engine wouldn't turn over - too much friction on the drive belt. You may have something similar.

Personally I think that it is a problem with all makes of modern cars being over-complicated and having too many unecessary internal gadgets. My 11 year old BMW 3 series is on 145 K miles and is still on the original clutch, original diff, original battery, original wiper motor (unlike my FL2 !) etc. I know that crash and emissions regs have forced manufacturers' to introduce certain items but I think that many items are just introduced because the R & D department has invented something and not because it is really needed e.g. auto-wipers, electronic handbrakes, light control modules etc etc. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Mona Geeza wrote:

defenderben wrote:

Looking at trading for a 4x4 Skoda Yeti, when it is fixed £££!

Was at Skoda today in fact, they had 3 in with broken crankcases due to the conrods going in the floods,

That's not a Skoda problem - thats down to the P s driving them in floods.

My current FL2 has been faultless (touch wood) since new, my previous one only suffered from a knocking noise which was eventually cured but mechanically that one was perfect, before that I had 2 BMW's which were so unreliable I knew the BMW Assist technicians by their first names! Most reliable new car I have ever had was a Vauxhall Vectra  Now - 2017 BMW X3 M Sport Carbon Black
Gone - 2014 BMW X3 M Sport Space Grey, faultless!
Gone - 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Bali Blue with xenons
Gone - 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Rimini Red with bodykit