Vehicle Details: Freelander 2, Sept 09, HSE Auto, 16,300 Miles.

I have a problem where the vehicle is very sluggish ( engine sounds laboured and slight vibration through vehicle ) when trying to accelerate when the revs are between 1500 - 2000 RPM. Its the same problem whether your doing 30 MPH or 70 MPH, so it doesn`t seem to be vehicle speed related. As soon as you go over 2000 RPM the engine sounds smooth and the vehicle accelerates lovely. Also the problem seems to get worse when your going up hill. When people ask me to explain the problem I say its like driving a manual car and trying to accelerate in a to higher gear.

Trouble shooting I have carried out whilst driving:-
Whilst within that rev range, gone into sports mode, revs go above 2000 RPM engine note changes, vehicle accelerates no further problem.
Whilst within that rev range, gone into sports mode, revs remain the same, knocked it down a gear ( ie Command shift ), revs go above 2000 RPM, same result as before no further problems. Not very scientific I know.

So far its been back to 2 different Main Dealers 3 times. The first time after carrying out a road test with a Technician who confirmed the defect they replaced a Rear Diff pinion bearing. Defect still the same. It then went back to the same dealers again after there was a big oil leak from the Rear Diff. They fixed the oil leak and at the same time replaced the Torque Converter, reloaded the latest Q106 software and reset all other computers. Defect still the same. 3rd time different dealers, explained the problem again, detailed the work that had been carried out by the other dealer. This time they replaced the MAF sensor. Defect still the same. But I will say the vehicle is alot more responsive since the MAF sensor has been replaced. All the above work has so far been carried out under warranty.

I have reported the defect again to the 2nd dealer and they have said they will look again at the vehicle in the New Year. So prior to going back and confirming a date I would like to know has anybody else experienced this sort of problem, and if so has it been rectified. Many thanks.

What you describe sounds like the EGR valve is playing up, but I guess all that the dealer does is plug in a computer to try and find fault codes and if there aren't any stored then they're stumped.

Ask them to physically check the EGR valve rather than just relying on what the computer says.

P.S. Welcome to the forum  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Also sticky varible vanes on the turbo would cause that

Auto gearbox has adaptive memory, if you have been driving using light throttle for economy this will be in ECU memory as your driving style.
Try driving it (normal auto mode) briskly for a day or two which will educate box to change ah higher revs. Not as high as sport mode.
This will not affect ecconomy long term as you can use more fuel by being in too high a gear. All FL2's (3) Gone
2011 Mercedes C180 CGI Gone
FL2 GS Auto SD with heated leather, factory tints, alloy spare and a few other bits.

i have simlar problem since new turbo fitted its as though the car is in too high a gear and the engine is under load
and i get a vibration through the drive train and the body as soon as it goes above 2000 rpm the vibration goes also noticed that fuel consumption has gone up slightly  rainy-city
xs

Re vibrations:
No, all is normal (if not OK). Mine does the same, but I get used with it and to be honest I have a different driving style which rarely catch the engine around that RPM range.
The dealer from Bucharest, here, had the same head-ons with some cars. After long studies (with LR specialists from factory) they concluded that it's a characteristic of the car.
The problem is quite known by LR as on the newer cars (after MY2010) there are some vibration dampers around front frame and the rear part of the driveshaft, just to lessen these vibrations.

Re sluggishness:
That RPM zone is the worst for any turbo diesel engine as long as power request is concerned.
The turbo is on the surge zone and it's normal that the engine is struggling and generate vibrations and then... see above.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

hi alex the thing that troubles me is that b4 the new torbo was fitted to cure the flat spot i had it was not there as soon as i picked the car up after the new turbo was fitted the vibration was aparant i now wonder if thay may have disturbed somthing  rainy-city
xs

Thank you for the replies so for.

One point I forgot to mention on my original post is that I have recently driven two other 11 plate Freelander 2`s, one a XS the other a HSE, neither exhibited the symptoms I have described above.

Ref Flat spot
I don't have a flat spot and when towing mine pulls very hard between 1600 & 2200 rpm, & that's why I like it.

It does rather sound like the turbo is faulty. The vibration could be caused by a component touching somewhere.
To be honest most replacement parts are exchange and often remanufacturered. Whilst they are rebuilt & supposed to pass all required tests It always worries me as they have been removed from a defective vehicle before!

When I was involved with Rover technical we had loads of issues with R75 Diesels with flat spots which was almost always caused by Airflow meters & even the replacements Quite often we would get through 5 or 6 AFM's on one car before we found one that would get rid of loss of power or flat spot.

bigalf1961 wrote:

b4 the new torbo was fitted to cure the flat spot i had it was not there as soon as i picked the car up after the new turbo was fitted the vibration was aparant

Maybe now it behaves "normally", like it should be?...

Hi there!

I've also got the same problem and I had my FL2 TD4 HSE 2009 checked this week and they said they didn't noticed any un-normal with the car, they said that the diesel engine have low rpms and maybe thats why I feel that kind of vibration. The technician tried drove the car and he didn't react on any un-normal...
They said that the car didn't differ from any FL2 they've been tested... They updated the software but without any results...

I don't really believe them cause the vibration doesn't feel normal.
I haven't tested an another LR2 so I can compare, maybe it's the same?!

Is this a common issue for the Freelander 2 TD4 and is there just to live with it?
Anyone?

I feel the vibration in the seat (and the car) between when I drive in 1700-1800rpm och it doesn't matter what gear I drive on. When I release the gas pedal it stops vibrating, so it's there everytime the gas pedal is pressed a little bit and going into 1700-1800rpms...

Thanks for your help!

Hi gents
First sorry for my frenglish.... Not that easy to describe technical facts.
My car FL2 TD4 HSE auto 2007 60.000 km
It had from the first day some vibrations around 1500/2000 rpm
But since the last revision first run show more than vibration, strong noise deep tone, not always, but insupportable ! but beside the noise, I was feeling exactly the same issue than ilove : vibration around 1700 rpm. ..... Got a booking to return the car to the garage, but before got an inspection.... The air box and pipes appear to be loose - not well fitted, missing screws and bolt.... Very bad job for an oil and filter change.
They confirmed the issue And reassembled the air intake pipes and air box filter.
Road test and couple of kilometers, improvement, the big noise disappeared (was the filter box vibrating and interfering with the Carrosserie. But clear vibration peak at 1700 rpm when in slight acceleration or little climb, disappear if release the accelerator
For sur it was not there before the servicing..... I would have notice it as it is exactly arround 50 kph and 90 kph the 2 legal speeds for town and road.
I wonder if the ECU got an update during the servicing as I noticed that :
Engine pulls less ( I find)
Diesel consumption seems to increase a little...???

I bring some additional comment but no solution.....'-(

Hi

I have the same problem on my 09 FL2 GS Auto and was just wondering if anyone has found out what this problem is yet ? if yes what was it🤔 I have had mine for 5 months and it only started about a month ago ,, Thanks

Hi, i have the same thing with my manual. 1500 to 1800 rpm mostly in 5th and 6th. Feel it through the seat. Has always been there but got worse when I had the clutch and DMF replaced. I have had everything checked from drive shafts, prop and bearings. All seem okay. Short of swapping parts out to see if it improves anything no easy fix. Loads of posts on this forum but no simple solution.

I have just started driving round it. I tend to use 5th a bit more and change up a bit later. Then go easy on throttle till over 1800rpm. Not so easy in an auto I guess.

Cheers, JGH99. Freelander 2 GS Stornoway Grey
Jan 2007 Bought 71,000 miles. Currently 149,300 miles.

Thanks JGH99

I was going to take it in to get checked but it,s not that bad I can feel it more on the excelerator pedal and floor board when I touch the excelerator but If I put the box into sport it's gone there is no other noises only the whoosh whoosh when changing up from 1st and 2nd I will ask them to check it out on the next service

Thanks I will report back if I find out more