Land Rover Freelander 2 L359 (2007-2015) Avoid buying a broken LR2 (TD4, Si4, Si6) Common problems

Land Rover Freelander 2 L359 or LR2 2006-2015 Buyer’s guide for 2.2 TD4, 2.2 SD4, 2.2 eD4, 2.2 TD4.e, Si4 2.0 turbo, and Si6, 3.2 inline six engine. Are you trying to decide between a Range Rover L322, Discovery 3 and Discovery 4, or the smaller Freelander 2 for a car to enjoy on-road and off-road? Avoid buying the cheapest broken Land Rover Freelander 2. In our review and buyers guide also include and owners guide tips, and advise how to avoid the mistake of buying a broken LR2 to fix as a project and it becoming a money pit by explaining common faults and common problems. This buyer’s guide covers the L359 Land Rover Freelander 2 from 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2014, and 2015 in all trims from XS, SE, HSE, GS, HST other limited editions. Our used buyer’s guide will help you buy and find the right car for sale so that you can say you bought a Land Rover Freelander that isn’t a project and instead is something you can enjoy from the test drive to your home. If you are an owner looking for a guide or considering changing our video should be useful but we also have videos on the L322 Range Rover, BMW X5, and Volvo XC90, Jeep Grand Cherokee and many more that you may also be interested in.
The issues discussed in our buyer’s guide for the L359 Land Rover Freelander include faulty central locking, fuel gauge not reading correctly, handbrake not working, and expensive clutch replacement among others.
The Freelander 2 has Ford engines for both petrol and diesel models although Volvo source the Si6 motor. Land Rover stopped making the Freelander 2 to release the Discovery Sport and discontinued the Freelander name. Overall the Freelander 2 is consider a reliable car with good scores particularly for the 3.2-litre engine.
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Legal and disclaimer - Any content not originally created by The Miles Driven remains the property of the original owner and is editorialised for media reporting. All content is used within the confines of media reporting/editorial use and is transformative in nature to inform others with new information and content about cars and vehicles. We use no more of the original content than necessary in alignment with U.S copyright law for fair use and U.K fair dealing. We accept no liability for the purchase of vehicles using our guide and suggest thorough due diligence by individual professional inspections before making a buying decision.

[@themilesdriven]

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[@kelly1269]

I had two 2008 diesels, first one was an auto, second was a manual. First one went through a steering rack and a rear diff. Second one went through a gearbox and starter motor solenoid. All covered by warranty. However, it was a great car to drive, the wife loved it and it was fantastic in snow and ice. Landrovers... wonderful to drive, horrible to own!!

[@stormrider8236]

Thanks for the information, a useful, to the point video with not adverts, sponsorship or bullshit. Very much appreciated.

[@jacksamurai1]

Very nice video. I own a 3,2 i6. Great car. Had some maintanance replacements, but just very logical with a 308.000 km on the road and some dust. Very nice traveling car. Holidays in the Pyrreneen and to the North Cape. No problem.

[@ianbrown4242]

I have had a 2014 SD4 HSE for several years, and I love it. Totally recommended.

[@collenmathebula6479]

Do you know which year model was recalled for front suspension

[@clivebarwise2678]

We have had one for 10 years now It went on an overland trip to Morocco and went everywhere any other 4x4 went Only drawback was ride height

[@stufer17]

2010 TD4 150k miles, had it 18 months and just needed new battery but that’s about it. Previously had Range Rovers but my wallet is glad I’ve gone for the FL2 this time.

[@mistersitati]

Have a 2011 3.2I6 auto with 100k kms and still running great. Couple of issues... some jerkiness when using normal drive after use of sport mode, though this resolves itself after a couple of days. Occassional whining from the rear diff but this has reduced after an oil top up - haven't had it checked for a bearing replacement yet. Pleasant to drive both on and off road...just the mpg 🙆‍♂

[@stuartspragg9630]

Great video and very informative, thank you. I'm considering buying one and this is very helpful.

[@themilesdriven]

Great to hear it was helpful 😁

[@ben5748]

I love my FL2 TD4 S from 2014, its the the best car i have ever owned. 100000 km, no problems. Its a beast in snow!

[@thurstonhowell3569]

I had a Freelander 1 ES with the BMW engine and I had no problems. Subsequently, I've had two Freelander 2 vehicles and they were fantastic cars. My wife has her own SD4 HSE and she loves it. There is a huge amount of FL2's in my part of rural Oxfordshire/Berkshire which is testimony to how reliable and versatile they are. And they still look great. Although, 32-36 mpg is more realistic than 45 mpg. I've put 69K on my three year old Range Rover Evoque with none of the 'armchair' reliability problems that are supposed to occur.

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for adding your ownership experience, no doubt this will be handy to buyers out there 👍

[@silaschinoya4739]

Great informative video. What are the differences between the 2010 and 2011 3.2L ( Petrol ) models?

[@user-ud3yt5uq7g]

Love this car

[@fubar12345]

Fantastic video, really helpful thank you. If I could add one thing - the Haldex unit is often not included in routine servicing, but it is important to save a potentially costly replacement. Reasonably easy to service it yourself with one of the kits, it's only a small unit.

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for adding the additional info 😁

[@bobroberts6155]

Good advice, the Haldex was considered by JLR as a “sealed for life” unit, meaning for the life of the warranty. These units are expensive to replace but relatively cheap to service. If you get the panic inducing ‘gearbox fault reduced traction’ code coming up then a flush and refill of the Haldex could be all you need.

[@wimpiepieterse1228]

Thank you for the video. Have a 2013 SD4 SE. Purchased at 98 000km and I'm the 3rd owner. Colling fan controller at 45 000km, had to have the Rear Diff bearing replaced at 150 000km as well as a faulty door lock which was a niggle a while before already (door locks are very expensive). Other than this nothing except services. Awesome fun to drive. Super comfortable on the road and soft roading. Don't suggest any track that says "4x4". ample grip, but bottoms out on the middleman every time. Note on the SE's 18" tyre size. Can't find anything all terrain anywhere except for Dunlop in South Africa. You'll have to do with Highway Pattern.

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for adding your ownership experience, no doubt it will be helpful for those shopping around for a Freelander. Especially the tyre limitation on the 18" wheels 👍

[@pantoffelslippers]

Dankie. Hoe lyk jou diesel verbruik?

[@innovruptly1769]

The haldex gen 3 was used in the 2007/8 LR2's.

[@equaliser2265]

I got Freelander 1 TD4 facelift, 200,000 miles perfect not a problem.

[@unick2569]

Had a XS 2012 TD4 for a year now done 44k had the water pump and belt changed and a new EGR,seller payed for that ,otherwise no problems great car very comfortable powerful great driving position and yes great off road as well as moterway

[@themilesdriven]

Good to hear your experience has been positive, thanks for sharing, 👍

[@carlospereda3069]

I just bought LR FreelNDER 2 TD4 2.2 2008..ITs been a pain in the neck. Lots of issues due to poor maintenance. I have changed 1 inyector, fuel return lines, water pump, transmition system, crankshaft seal, and fuel pump (intank pump) it lasted 90kms and die. NOW I have to get a new fuel pump. Hope to enjoy this car one day.

[@02mansoor]

LR2 is the best SUV ever I used. If you do the proper maintanence, LR2 / Freelander 2 is the ever best runing car.

[@AK-pw1vz]

Hi which engine you have ? Thanks

[@02mansoor]

@@AK-pw1vz 3.2L P

[@tomsearle9488]

Power Performance can be a problem too with restricted performance (limp home) issues. Upgrade intercooler hoses and ECR valve at the earliest opportunity. Tyre wear is horrendous too as well as central locking faults.

[@damayanthirathnayaka4010]

❤

[@markmoore6264]

Fantastic video for any potential buyers, we've had three Freelander 2's and loved them all. My choice would be the Sd4 as this and the autobox really suits the cars nature. Swapped ours for a 2.2 Discovery sport but prefer the Fl2 if I'm totally honest.

[@themilesdriven]

Great to get an owners opinion in the comments to help others with their choice, many thanks 😁

[@MrMargo48]

Hi Mark, I'm about to buy a 2013 SD4, 70k on the clock and well looked after. I was surprised by the trim quality as there's no mention of HSE on the car spec but it does mention that it's some sort of limited edition called 'dynamic'. Are you aware of this?

[@markmoore6264]

@Matthew Mager The Dynamic is an XS spec with a body kit fitted, they do look the best Fl2 in my eyes with the body kit on 😎

[@leewatkeys9065]

Me too, prefer the FL2 to the 2018 disco sport we traded it for. Now going to buy a FL2 as well. 👍🏻

[@user-gg8qb2vh3f]

I had a freelander 2 for a couple years now. One time the entertainment system froze, but a quick hard reset by unplugging the battery fixed it. Also the lock mechanisms for the trunk and the door failed, but that was also easy to fix. Recently I have been getting looses in power. Sometimes it runs great, sometimes it can barely move. Checked the engine and there seemed to be no problem with it. My next best guess is that it has something to do with the gear box.

[@Suicidebummer88]

Did you solve the problem?

[@lostinlike1938]

Good video

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks, hope it helps if you are searching for a Freelander 2 😁

[@Antti_Iltanen]

Great guide, as always. 👏 If you are able to, could you do something similar with the T31 Nissan X-Trail? So '07-'14 if I remember right. I've had one and know it fairly well, but thinking of getting one again in the future and i always enjoy watching well produced content and getting more information about these sorts of things. I'd also love to see more quality videos on KZbin about gen3 Pajeros/Shoguns, Nissan Pathfinder R51, Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, maybe even gen2 Honda CR-V...

[@themilesdriven]

Many thanks, keep a look out for the T31 X-trail guide as it was already on the list of upcoming videos and so will likely be released before the end of the year 👍

[@Antti_Iltanen]

@@themilesdriven fantastic!!! I knew I could count on you 👏🥳

[@themilesdriven]

T31 X-Trail video has just gone live, hope you enjoy 👍

[@Antti_Iltanen]

@@themilesdriven brilliant!!! I'll watch it first thing tomorrow so I can properly concentrate on it 👌👏

[@henriquenicolau]

Excellent video! I was wondering how would I know if the 4x4 aid would engage due to tire pressure differences. Does it light up any warnings in the dashboard? Thanks

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks! It may give a TPMS warning although from memory the TPMS sensors updates every 15-20 seconds, and unless the engagement was happening as the TPMS scan was active the system may not detect it 👍

[@odiSVM]

Great car had it for 3 years now and yes had to change the hydraulic pump twice and also the crankshaft position sensor. And also the wiring is not great, nevertheless it's a great experience driving this beauty don't want to change it soon.

[@themilesdriven]

Great to have an owners experience in the comments, thanks for adding 👍

[@fubar12345]

Yes I also had the crankshaft position sensor go. Thankfully it's such an easy fix - if anyone reading has this issue, it's a couple 10mm bolts under the drivers side wheel arch. 5 minutes. Has been a great car otherwise, very nice.

[@AK-pw1vz]

Ho,which engine you have ? Thanks

[@odiSVM]

@@AK-pw1vz I have the 2.2 150hp diesel engine

[@MuhaCraft11]

Is the 2009 2.2 TD4 Automatic a decent buy?

[@sorayataibi1382]

I have freelander 2 2012 325000km what oil Can chose for m'y car thinks

[@Spidernel]

I've got the 3.2 litre petrol engine and never had any problems

[@HaggisMuncher-69-420]

If like me you have a turbo underboost, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, check your catalytic convertor first before loading the parts cannon. I've replaced turbo, intercooler, boost hoses, turbo actuators. Cost me thousands. Turned out to be a damaged catalytic convertor.

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for adding this info, some great insight from (sadly no doubt expensive) real world experience 👍

[@stephenstephen5753]

Good to know! Was this the diesel or Si4 petrol model Haggis? And when you say the cat con was "damaged" was that a part failure from age/wear or contact damage as result of off road use?

[@peterspencer7244]

I should have watched your video first. Albeit I had a third party Red Book inspection and report they failed to identify every single thing you mentioned. The Si6 engine runs well and has heaps of grunt BUT, that's it - within 4 weeks of purchase the whirring started in the rear diff. Metal swarf detected in oil by Land Rover and quoted $5K fix. Also, the fuel gauge only this week showed half full yet it was filled up. As I drove along the kilometer range increased from 102Klm to 290Klm the further I travelled. The engine light also came on two weeks ago but decided to go out again this week. God damn "pomies" - They can fix themselves. Anyhow, a real bucket of "POO". I will cut my losses and trade it this week. Never again. Heading for something of quality like a Toyota or Isuzu.

[@shootingsportstransparency7461]

Had one for a few years the mechanics of my garage could go on vacation a few times a year. For reliability and comfort, I now have a KIA Sportage.

[@valerydesaintambroise]

thanks for this very instructive video, i'm considering buying a 2.2 td4 Lr2 from 2013 it has done a lot of mileage ( 212k) to be exact, it's a manual disiel, am i in luck ? the car looks fearly well maintained

[@themilesdriven]

Is the mileage in miles or Km? Either way a service history that has proof of maintenance, especially for some of the bigger jobs may actually make a higher mileage purchase more appealing if it has already had extensive mechanical maintenance of the known faults 👍

[@valerydesaintambroise]

@@themilesdriven thank you for your reply, the mileage is in Km.

[@arthurmooney9482]

FL2 is still a sought after car and fetch a premium price for a well maintained and clean example.

[@williamrae9954]

Noticed that in bidding at a DVLA auction today...the wee TD4 was more than twice similar aged cars!

[@robinoliver6071]

Hse model I love it but it’s getting tired

[@hakanucmer6228]

I'm looking for a 2013 SE with si4 (2.0 patrol) motor. Do you have any feedbacks for it? Thank you :)

[@themilesdriven]

Additional to the tips in the video we would say its worth considering both the HSE and SE if both are available in your home market. This will broaden your choice a bit better as Land Rover pushed the HSE model more in later year production models to keep them competitive against newer model rivals 👍

[@stephenstephen5753]

I have a 2014 si4 SE with 6 speed auto. I love it. It is excellent off road and driven with care goes further than most would probably give it credit for. It's a beast in the sand thanks to its light weight, and copes well with anything you're likely to encounter in the bush on your way to a National Park camping ground. It's a good tow vehicle, helped no doubt in part by the relatively high power to weight ratio of the si4 motor. Our's happily tows a 1600kg (fully loaded) hybrid caravan and has no trouble maintaining highway speed and overtaking where necessary. Reliability has been pretty good. Ours is relatively low mileage (118k KMs). Have replaced a couple of central door locking mechanisms, and the thermo fan controller (both cheap parts from eBay) and easy to do yourself. At 100k ours developed a slow coolant leak (about 1.5 litres per year). I could have kept topping it off but eventually had the radiator and water pump replaced by my independent mechanic. That's the only major issue in a car now 10 years old. My first Land Rover and I'm very happy with it.

[@alexmillard6098]

So i have a 2008 Lr2 with the 3.2L and i dont know if im having engine troubles or electrical issues but i just have a msg on my dash saying engine system fault reduced engine proformance the car wont start but if i disconnect the battery for 10mins to reset everything then try and start it up and it runs fine for about 5mins then just dies and wont start back up again. Theres no codes from my OBD2 reader either any help would be much appreciated.

[@themilesdriven]

A quick mechanical check of the basics is always worth it when you’re having running issues. If you’ve got good spark, uninterrupted inlet air and no lean/rich fuel condition then check the outlet is unimpeded. If all that is problem free the engine should run even if it is rough unless a fail safe is shutting it down. Further advice is very tough to give out on the internet and an hours worth of a specialist time could save you hours of head scratching 👍

[@alexmillard6098]

It is most definitely a safety shutting the engine off as I can reset the engine by disconnecting the battery and after 10 mins it will fire back up again no problem but cut out after a few mins.

[@michaelkissieh1689]

I need it engin super

[@smarte.r.1450]

What are the 2010 auto gearboxes like please?

[@themilesdriven]

Are looking at the diesel or the petrol motor? Looking at the diesel there are several reports of a weakening shift from 2nd to 3rd so that is something to look out for. Freelanders that tow seem to have suffered this failure slightly more but if an owner has serviced the gearbox around 80,000 miles they generally seem to last better. Hope that helps 👍

[@smarte.r.1450]

@@themilesdriven brilliant advice. Makes sense the gearbox getting more use lower in the range exacerbated by the additional load. Thank you very much. Sub from me

[@blacktiger955i]

45mpg? You are having a laugh. Good cars but a bit thirsty. I've had both TD4e and SD4 and both got around 35mpg max.

[@Karsta_Dennis]

Just wanted to add that the 3.2 Volvo engine (aka t6) is a inline 6 and not v6

[@themilesdriven]

Just checked and it appears we agree as we state the '3.2 straight six from Volvo' (the Si6 engine) in the engine section. Did we refer to it as a V6 somewhere else? 👍

[@Karsta_Dennis]

@@themilesdriven subtitle at 2:03 says 3.2 v6 from Volvo

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention, the script was incorrect, I've updated the subtitle at 2:03 👍

[@danny007boy123]

no mention of peugoet engines i was told about ?

[@themilesdriven]

The DW12 (DW12C for Euro 5 emissions) engine is the Ford/Peugeot partnered engine that is fitted to the Freelander 2 as a turbo diesel 2.2. We’ve got that one in the engine section 👍

[@user-uw1vz5mo6x]

Interesting and informative but "return an average of 45mpg" (with respect to the diesels' fuel consumption @ 6:02), what colour is the sky in your world? Official figure for the four wheel drive cars is around the 40mpg mark with most owners agreeing that just around town it can be as low as 23mpg although on a long motorway run, 38mpg can be achieved, with a general average of 30-35mpg. Slightly better mpg figures are achievable in manual cars than auto and an occasional 45mpg has been reported, but no where near an average of 45mpg.....

[@themilesdriven]

Appreciate what you are saying, but we only use manufacturer WLTP or NEDC fuel figures in our videos to avoid bias based on forum claims/driving style. LR acheived 42-47mpg on the NEDC test, this isn't a perfect measure but the more accurate WLTP test was not used at the time. 👍

[@amstorm8954]

bough for 30yo suprise for myself xD first own car two year ago :D love it at start didnt like littlte nosy little plastic cracing but this car just wow when i drive it in rain/snow it is like driving military vehicle unstoppable also 2.2diesel 118KW is accelerating like wow >D maybe i just got lucky good maintained/serviced car at 200k kms and drives like new fixed few smaler things servo was fuked up , but after two years i dont care who have mercedes audi fuk them i drive my own military vehicle when weather goes bad im going safe :PPP 2009/118kw diesel SE

[@Broomehall]

All very well, but what about the most important issue of the hundreds and hundreds of failures of the Transfer box and rear differential ? So common there are specialist repair shops that JUST concentrate on refurbishing and exchanging old units, probably THE most important and common failure on the Freelander 2, yet you never really mention it ? 🤷‍♂️

[@themilesdriven]

Thanks for mentioning this. We do highlight the rear differential issues twice (timestamp 3.36 + 4.45). As you are right the 08-11 Freelander had a service bulletin for failed rear differentials. You are also correct that we don't refer to the transfer box in isolation so thanks for clearing that up for any potential buyers 😁 We would stress that we were unable to find a clear cause of transfer box failure, although as mentioned in the video asking a previous owner how much the vehicle has been used off-road and keeping an eye on tyre pressures may help avoid the issue to some degree.

[@cliveking6333]

@@themilesdriven working on these vehicles every day the transfer boxes are not that common a problem but when they do fail its down to oil loss between the transfer box and gearbox oil seal. also to note other points to look out for on older vehicles are corroded rear subframes, worn rear shocker top mounts, corroded power steering pipes, corroded rear arches/ sills and faulty Haldex units due mainly to lack of servicing. If looked after they are a very good vehicle to own and yes my wife has one she loves it and so do I but I also own a Discovery 4 why wouldn't I being a landrover mechanic 😉

[@themilesdriven]

@Clive King Some great additional info 👍 and a separate thumbs up for the Disco 4 👍

[@tristenbryson8805]

Hse all da way

[@equaliser2265]

Beg to differ, it will follow and go further than a Defender.

[@charlessk5653]

45mpg really? never had that

[@themilesdriven]

That's the official figure but worth noting that the Freelander 2 was tested under the old NEDC system rather than the new WLTP 👍

[@lornehampel1330]

Buyers guide? Simple. Don't do it. I spent $25k over 3 years to keep it running.

[@Watcherw1]

You buy the petrol or diesel?

[@lornehampel1330]

@@Watcherw1 petrol. it consumes about 12-15 litres / 100km still, the $25k is only for repairs, it does not include fuel.

[@Watcherw1]

@@lornehampel1330 You get the 6 cylinder?

[@lornehampel1330]

@@Watcherw1 yes. 3.2L made by volvo. It is the most reliable component in the car but is hard on gas.

[@Watcherw1]

@@lornehampel1330 what broke on it?