Hi.
I was hoping for some advice please.
I took my FL2 into an authorised Land Rover dealership, [farnells] with what i thought was a problem related to my haldex unit. My 4wd had stopped working, and my terrain response system didnt work either.
I got a call back saying that the mechanic had followed the wires and the issue was that my wires had 'rubbed on the subframe' and that i needed to replace them. [And that would solve the problem. It didnt]
So they replaced the wires at a cost of about £450. Once the wires had been replaced I got another call telling me that the solenoid/gear box needed replacing, and the control unit and an oil seal also needed replacing, and the offside bottom ball joint cover was split, and it needs a new front suspension arm.

So, the cost is going to be high. And Im on a budget due to disability. They said the control unit would cost about 807.39, the gear box/solenoid was £315, the offside bottom ball joint and front suspension arm about £538, with Labour costs it comes to over two grand.

I dont know much about cars. My FR2 is still at LR, and I want to know if it would be a lot cheaper to get a list of what needs doing and take it somewhere else?

As I say I am on a budget, dont have much money. Any suggestions would be welcome. Whats my best option here?

Thankyou.

Hi , First , your location seems to be Yorkshire . There are quite a few independent specialists in Yorkshire . However , I noticed over the years the costs of using them seemed to get closer to main dealer prices . Green Flag in Leeds , and Copley in Halifax being two who would certainly have the knowledge to do the job and be a lower cost than Farnells , but they would not be that cheap . The best value specialist I found was Maltings Off Road outside Doncaster for a balance of knowledge v costs . Their premises were still what I’d call village garage not chrome and glass . You could give Maltings a call and ask for their pricing . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

My nephew ( a farmer) recommends The Landrover Centre at Lockwood, Huddersfield.
https://www.landrovercentre.com/service-dept/ Jules

What is the control unit / solenoid control unit they are referring to and how have they come to the conclusion that it's faulty and needs replaced? They initially diagnosed chafed wires causing the haldex problem but now they have changed that is it a case of 'change more parts until we find the solution'. I had similar loss of haldex function and it turned out that the screen filter on my pump was almost blocked. Cleaned it, replaced main filter and new oil and all good. Total cost on a diy basis about £50.
I'm by no means an expert but have had similar loss of 4x4 on my wife's vw tiguan which uses a similar haldex system on 2 occasions and each time its been filters or pump screen clogged.
I suspect you are being taken on an expensive fishing trip.
I'd be seeking at least a second opinion before handing over any more money.
If I was close to you I'd help give the haldex a service and see if that cured the problem. Perhaps there is someone on here living near you might offer to do similar?
Keep us updated, hope you get sorted with considerably less expense! Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Many thanks. Im grateful for the responses!

Ive rang Land Rover Farnells this morning and I asked them for a list of the parts and labour and how much it will cost to repair the problems they have identified.

Control unit 807.39 Part
Gear Box Solenoid £315 Part
Bolts £70 Part
Wiring on subframe £413.06 Part [and Labour]
Total: 1869.72 Parts and Labour

Offside balljoint cover and a new front suspension arm £538.12 Parts and Labour

Timing belt and water pump worn £924.37 Part and Labour

Total: £3332.21

I cannot pay for all this to be done.
My FL2 is due for an MOT, and I am unsure which of these problems I should adddress first in order to pass an MOT?
Then I was planning on calling the companies who you have reccomended above, and asking them for quotes. Im not sure which of these jobs to prioritise so it passes an MOT?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Thankyou.

Get the suspension arm / ball joint done its the only issue that mot will fail.
Disable the haldex by removing the fuse for now. Take it to or ring a few indys for quotes. I'd suggest timing belt and water pump change should be less than £400.
£70 for bolts??? They are having a laugh. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Right. Thanks Bob. Thats very helpful. I dont have a clue on costs.
I'll cal these local outfits and take the landy elsewhere then.

Main dealers are expensive, especially the labour - they tend to have much higher overheads - someone has to pay for the young lady who offers you a nice cup of coffee when you walk in and the big airy bling bling show room.

Mind you , my local JLR dealership was excellent in supplying me with the new brake pipes I needed - available for collection within 24hrs.

For reference a genuine suspension arm is about £200 and an aftermarket one about £100. The timing belt kit (belt, water pump, gaskets, crank bolt, idler pulley and tensioner pulley) is about £100. All inc VAT. Jules

Well Im glad I came on here and asked.
The full story is that I had tohave the car taken off the drive and to a local gargae for an MOT last year, and the mechanic said to me it was likely a haldex unit fault. I told Farnells this, when i booked it in for a diagnostic test. They rang me back and told me it was the wiring on the subframe. Then they replaced the wiring that and told me it was a control unit and solenoid/gearbox issue and gave me a quote without mentioning the haldex unit.
They wont give me the part numbers.
In the end i talked to someone in parts who, very reluctantly told me the control unit they have quoted me for, was for 'the control module for the haldex unit as a whole' and then he said, whilst he was looking at his computer that 'the solenoid was taking him back to the haldex page',
And that the most i could get out of them, which I find irritating as I brought this car in, for a diagnostic test, to diagnose what is broken, but they wont tell me what is broken.
It was like pulling teeth.
Anyway, taking it elsewhere, and never again!

Ah well, dealers definition of diagnostic test, is we will plug it in and tell you it's knackered, you need to ask for diagnostic detailed report which will be extra, and it's not just LR that do this my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

I took my Fiesta ST3 into my local Ford Dealership regarding an engine oil leak (18 months old, 7K miles), which I thought was coming from the rear of camshaft cover.
Long story short, it took 3 visits to the Dealership with me getting underneath to check their work after each time;
1) the leak didnt stop after the camshaft cover seal was repaired and pipework had not been replaced properly so the engine cover didnt fit - it was really obvious.
2) they then said it was a leaking crankshaft oil seal (even though oil was not coming out of the bellhousing drain hole) and took the gearbox off and damaged a support (I think they stripped a thread but no-one would give me details) - waited 2 weeks for new "gearbox support" from the EU.
3) But was still leaking oil. They re-did the camshaft gasket seal (no actual gasket, only some goo apparently - reapplied).
That worked.
In all took about 2 months. They refused to admit they had misdiagnosed the crank shaft oil seal despite it having only done 7k miles.
They also refused to give me any kind of document indicating the work done and parts used, claiming this was policy for all Ford Warranty work.
Needless to say I had the next annual service done at my local Indy garage using genuine parts. Jules

Deeky wrote:

Well Im glad I came on here and asked.
The full story is that I had tohave the car taken off the drive and to a local gargae for an MOT last year, and the mechanic said to me it was likely a haldex unit fault. I told Farnells this, when i booked it in for a diagnostic test. They rang me back and told me it was the wiring on the subframe. Then they replaced the wiring that and told me it was a control unit and solenoid/gearbox issue and gave me a quote without mentioning the haldex unit.
They wont give me the part numbers.
In the end i talked to someone in parts who, very reluctantly told me the control unit they have quoted me for, was for 'the control module for the haldex unit as a whole' and then he said, whilst he was looking at his computer that 'the solenoid was taking him back to the haldex page',
And that the most i could get out of them, which I find irritating as I brought this car in, for a diagnostic test, to diagnose what is broken, but they wont tell me what is broken.
It was like pulling teeth.
Anyway, taking it elsewhere, and never again!