Hi all, I have a 2007 Freelander 2 TD4 SE with 70k on the clock with ever increasing problems. Problem No.1 was the drive belt shredded after the alternator broke up. I had a new alternator, serpentine belt and belt tensioner fitted at the garage. Picked it up and after driving only 5 miles broke down. Problem 2 this time the mechanic told me to purchase a new fuel filter, which he fitted. When I went back to pick it up he said he had to fit a cam sensor(problem 3) as well as the drive belt had broke the connector when it shredded. This I thought was very plausible as the cam sensor is at the back of the engine. Got a call from the mechanic to pick up the car as it was all fixed then came Problem 4, got in the car to start it and the clutch pedal is now on the floor. I can start the car but cannot select the gears. The mechanic just shrugged his shoulders and said your going to struggle driving that! No Sherlock was my response. Does any body out there have any ideas that don't involve the slave or master cylinders as I am sure these are fine as I didn't have any problems with the clutch at all before it went to the garage. Could the mechanic have damaged any pipes or cables from the clutch pedal while he was changing the cam sensor connector as everything was fine with the clutch before he fit that.

Pull the pedal back up again by hand and see if it resets itself, problems with the auto adjuster might cause it?

Our 08 reg FL2 once had an incident when the clutch dropped to the floor while my son was driving it in town. He pulled the clutch up with his foot and it was OK after that, very strange. Never happened again but I did get rid of the car a few months later. May have been a sticking slave cylinder perhaps. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Thanks for the reply, I have pulled the pedal back up by hand but when I press it it just stays down again. To me its as though the pedal has been disconnected from the rest of the system.

Presumably you have checked fluid level and any sign of leakage around the gearbox? The slave cylinder is in the gearbox and you have to remove the gearbox to see/replace it. Quoted time is about 6 hours and you might as well do the clutch while you are in there. Hope it's something simple. I would be up under the dash to see if something has broken or fallen off. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

To replace the cam position sensor you need to take the wheel off, it is plausible that something was damaged when doing this and as the brake system uses the same fluid as the clutch it is a possibility. As Dorset said said check everything you can starting with fluid and working your way to the more complex items. The initial issues you had are typical of more complex modern cars and the dumbing down of mechanics who wouldn't know where to start unless the computer tells them what to do. Keep us informed, good luck.

Thank you, the mechanic didn't take the wheel off as he said he couldn't find the locking wheel nut key(in the wheel well)and pulled the inner wheel arch out and changed the cam sensor and repaired the connector that way. So it is possible that he could have trapped something maybe, (but as we don't like to accuse the professionals). If you could give me an idea as to what was possibly trapped I can convey this to the mechanic. Thanks again!!!

Quick update, I saw the mechanic today who said he can't find out what the problem is. He said that he has tried to bleed the clutch but there isn't any pressure and there is no clutch fluid. My reply was that if there is no clutch fluid where has it gone as there are no puddles under the car and why if there is no fluid why are the brakes still working and not spongy. He said he will get it on the ramps tomorrow and have a closer look.

Question is, if the slave cylinder has gone, does the clutch fluid seep into the gearbox and if so will it cause any damage?

Also, I have downloaded the full Land Rover Freelander 2 work shop manual all 3200 odd pages of it, if any body wants it could you tell me how to upload it on to here or send me your email and I will attach the pdf to an email back to you.

If the clutch slave cylinder seals have gone and its leaking i would have though fluid would eventually appear under the car, but if its a problem with the master cylinder maybe its leaking the other end into the car interior, are the carpets wet under the pedal say?

The under tray may be able to hold the amount of fluid that has leaked out? Just a thought.

I had a similar problem with my clutch pedal. The fluid was out of sight in the reservoir but after topping it up and pumping the pedal by hand it seemed to be ok. There was no sign of any leaks. Took it into the local independent specialist who could find nothing wrong. When I picked the car up I drove about a mile and the pedal stayed on the floor again. Pulled it up with my foot and made it back to the garage. They ended up removing the gearbox and found the slave cylinder was soaked. Seems like the fluid was getting sprayed around the bell housing so you won't necessarily get any puddles under the car, I didn't. Anyway a new clutch, dmf & slave cylinder and £1000 lighter and it's all sorted.

Mike Freelander 2 HSE TD4 2007

Just a thought, I dont nkow where the clutch pipe runs on the FL2, I dont have the car here to check..

but is it possible that the belt has damaged the pipe? if it damaged the plug, it could also crack/ crease a pipe,

Like I say i dont know if the pipe runs anywhere near there, I know on the FL1 it runs along the bulkhead then over the top of the gbox via a quick release connector.

my slave went while in the south of france (~1000 from home, near Derby) so I had to drive it back without a clutch pedal, starting it in 1st etc, was hairy getting onto the ferry! I've also replaced a couple of master cyl's on thr FL1, they are 10 minutes to fit and "bleedless", come with fluid inside them and you just plug them in... never seems to work though and have to end up bleeding..

Just a thought anyway..

Also... having been a mechanic (for HGV's) for 10 years, your "mechanic" sounds S t! If he cant find what the problem is, then you should get another mechanic, there is after all only a hand full of compenents on a hydraulic clutch system.. granted it's slightly more complicated with the brakes sharing the system, but still not that complicated..

If you're lucky, its just an anomaly and needs bleeding and it'll work again, next you need to hope its thre master cyclinder, a fractured pipe or linkage where the pedal joins the master cyl.. then i'm afraid you'll be looking at having the g/box out to check/ replace the slave..

Don't let your mechanic sting you on diagnosis, get somone who knows what their talking about.. go to a dealer, or somewhere like Mr Clutch where they can diagnose and fix quicker..

too many cowboys out there these days.. MY2011 Freelander 2 GS Santorini Black
MY2004 Freelander 1 Sport Java Black
MY1986 Defender 90 Stornoway Grey - Fully Rebuilt this Year

Landiroamer wrote:

If the clutch slave cylinder seals have gone and its leaking i would have though fluid would eventually appear under the car, but if its a problem with the master cylinder maybe its leaking the other end into the car interior, are the carpets wet under the pedal say?

It's very unlikely that the bell housing is sealed well enough to hold in clutch fluid.. It would find its way through the join.. MY2011 Freelander 2 GS Santorini Black
MY2004 Freelander 1 Sport Java Black
MY1986 Defender 90 Stornoway Grey - Fully Rebuilt this Year

I would have thought the bell housing would have a drain or slot in it anyway? To let out water, say if youve driven through deep water and also for cooling?
I know the smell of burnt linings can get out as mine started to stink once slipping began trying to reverse up a steep slope.