IanMetro wrote:

The more I read the highlighted paragraph in my previous post the more I believe it is a faulty Steering Pump.

The variable displacement is controlled internally in the pump using an analogue hydraulic system without any external inputs.

From your reported symptoms it does not look like the pump is changing displacement at low RPM.

I noticed a post from Andy131 in this linked thread which said that early FL2 Steering racks suffered from heavy steering due to welding splatter.
It is towards the bottom of the page (127)

May be worth PM to him to ask for more details.

https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic20945-1875.html FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

Thanks for all the help guys, looks like I'm going down the route of a returned rack, wish me luck lol.

So I've now replaced the rack, flushed the fluid for a second time, a second reservoir in case first was contaminated and I'm happy to report it seems to have cured my steering issue. I now have a terrain response fault but my the steering is no longer heavy at idle or low speed.

It was a fiddly job and it wasn't helped with the lashing down rain all day but got it done

Good morning, I am a Spanish owner. I have never entered this forum, greetings to all. I bought a freelander 2 190cv Automatic - 2011 with 160,000km 1 month ago. The steering rack was broken with a lot of play, the mechanic installed a rack from a scrapyard and it happens to me that when cold the steering works correctly. But when the car heats up the steering is very hard, at low speed the pump makes noise and I don't know what to do. The mechanic changed the fluid twice. first the green one and then he said that the used zipper brought red liquid. I have read about changing the tank and fluid. but I don't know what to do anymore. whether to buy a new pump. or try changing deposit first. I don't think the zipper is broken even if it is from a scrapyard. What do you recommend?

Welcome.

"zipper" ???

I'd start by changing the PAS filter.

The plastic PAS fluid tank has the PAS filter inside which cannot be replaced or cleaned. You need to buy a new tank which will include the filter, they are not expensive.

You should only use the correct fluid it is usually clear or light green, CHF 202 or equivalent.
The red stuff may be not correct. Jules

If you change the rack for a used one from a scrapyard. the car runs fine. but when it heats up and gains temperature the steering becomes very hard and noise is heard in the pump, the mechanic changes from the green liquid to the red (to test if it is the liquid but it has not improved) Do you think that the PAS deposit together with green liquid can solve it? I see myself changing zipper again and pump...

Finally, I replaced the steering fluid reservoir and it didn't work. I changed the steering pump and everything worked perfectly again!

Glad to hear you have been susccessful.

Im still curious as to what a "zipper" is though  Jules

Sorry, I'm Spanish and I use the translator. zipper here I call him at sttering rack