Hello,
Seems like my Freel haves a new problem. About a month ago, while I was towing a tractor engine(~800kg), I felt a judder when the car tried to change from 5th to 6th gear, with a "Transmision Fault" message. The following days, the same judder appeared when changing from 1st to 2nd, but only when the engine was cold.
I am not sure if this earlier problem is related.

I had always felt that the gearbox is the weak link of the car. From the first day I had it, there was an electric car/train/vacuum cleaner noise in 1st/2nd gear. I had been told that the noise is normal, to all FL2's, but an indy shop told me there might be a problem with the first gear.

A few days ago, I was at a LR dealer and after diagnosis I was told that the torque converter is faulty and that it haves to be changed. While the car was up on the ramp, there was a buzzing sound when Drive was engaged.

From my previous experiences, it is cheaper to change the whole gearbox, rather that try to repair it.
I have found a few gearboxes on ebay. And I have a few questions:

-What 'box do we have on the Freel? On wiki it seams that we have the Aisin TF-81SC (AF21).
-Which cars share the same 'box with the Freel?
-Can I get a 'box from a SD4(190hp)/RR Evoque? Or from a front drive(eD4) FL2/Evoque?

Right now I am tempted by a TF-81SC, code: BJ327000BA from an Evoque.

Thank you!

That "Transmission Fault" message on instruments is indication that a fault code was stored on transmission ECU.
Can you read the codes from the transmission and post them here?
Maybe is not the converter and maybe it's something else.

Did you ever change the transmission oil?
What's the car's mileage?

And yes, it's TF81SC.
I didn't hear until now about a box from Evoque to be put on FL2.

Beware that somewhere around MY2011 was a change in box type on FL2/Evoque.
The new box, still from Aisin, uses a different type of oil and it's a little different.

I wasn't told anything about any code. As soon as I will be able to read any codes, I will post them here.
I changed the gearbox oil 15-20000 km's ago, when I swapped the engine.
Right now the car haves 135k kms.

I did knew that there were changes on the 2011+ FL2's box, but I was hoping that they were minor and a swap wouldn't be problematic.

Did you ever change the box for the newer BJ32 7000BA ?
Did it work?


I have an earlier (2008) FL2, probably looking at a "new" gearbox, lots of the later type ones available, very few of the earlier ones. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

No, I did full rebuild which included a new valve body. The box died completely while I was on a holiday trip right on top of a mountain peak. I had to be towed down by a VW Touareg...
It costed me just over 2000 euros.

Which hurt more, the 2000 euro, or being towed by a VW?

Thanks for the quick reply

Andy Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

They both hurt the same

NinelW wrote:

I had to be towed down by a VW Touareg... .

English is not my first language. I was up on a mountain, so I assumed that it would be correct to say it like that

and yet your English is 100% better than most of our Romanian

Hahaha, thank you.

Apologies, your English is pretty good, it hadn't registered that it wasn't your first language. I am learning French and c'est tres difficile !  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

"Towed down" is fine! My FL1 died on top of an Alpine pass (I put petrol in the tank and it still managed to get to the top of the mountain before it died). I had to get towed down too. Can't remember if it was a VW.
As a matter of interest, the nice Swiss garage owner emptied the tank for me, refilled it with diesel and it never missed a beat after that. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.