Hi, I have just purchased a 2011 4.4TDV8.

I thought I had found a really nice example, but am now slightly panicking that the gearbox could be shot!

In reverse and also a bit in when slow speed manoeuvring in drive, it feels like the clutch is slipping. In every other respect the car drives really nicely.

Any information would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Justin

Have you had Autos before?

There’s no clutch in an auto box, if it goes forwards and up and down through the gears nicely, it’s probably fine, but if it’s struggling to pull it up hill in reverse and needs loads and loads of revs, then you may have an issue. Could be a solenoid in the gearbox brain which is sticking maybe. The ZF boxes are very robust and even on here we don’t really hear of many, if any failing.

Reverse is quite a low gear so will require a few revs, there isn’t really any friction material in an auto box to wear out. It might be worth a gearbox oil and filter change as a precaution, but a good auto box specialist should be able to fix it if there is a problem. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Thanks for the reply.

I have had autos before, but am much more familiar with manuals.

I didn’t really explain it well, but the feeling is like on a manual car when the clutch is slipping. The rearward movement, doesn’t seem to be in proportion to the revs applied (if that makes any sense?)

I am adding more revs than I would have thought necessary, to actually move.

It sounds like one for a specialist. There’s probably an auto box specialist near you, who can have a look. If it’s a solenoid going on the box a whole set of ZF ones is about £300 off eBay.

If you aren’t good with spanner’s it’s definitely one for the pros, if you are confident then dropping the gearbox oil and getting to the mechatronic unit on a 322 isn’t too hard. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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I’m would say I’m fairly competent with working on cars.

I have had a quick Look at the oil level check procedure, it seems to suggest that I will need all four wheels off the ground, so drive can be engaged. Does that sound correct?
I don’t fancy doing that on axle stands!

From memory and it’s been a while, you fill with the engine running but not in Drive, at a specific temp which I did with a laser thermometer on the sump to get a decent idea, definitely didn’t do it on stands, swapped the oil and filter on mine with the car on the ground and suspension in up. Just enough room to do it.  There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Thank you, I appreciate it.

SJR wrote:

I have had a quick Look at the oil level check procedure, it seems to suggest that I will need all four wheels off the ground, so drive can be engaged. Does that sound correct?
I don’t fancy doing that on axle stands!

Thanks Phil, I really appreciated it.

I will let you know how I get on.

This may only 'seem' to be an issue. Mine has always taken more of a push to get it going in reverse. I also have lots of turbo wastegate 'whoosh' in reverse too. I reckon it could be a feature of the car sir!  The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

That’s really interesting, I briefly manoeuvred the car about yesterday, and I was starting to wonder if it was designed like that for more control while off roading.

My wife has an Alfa Romeo Giulia, which also uses the same ZF gearbox, this is really “quick witted” all the shifts are really quick an precise, the response of the gearbox to throttle inputs is instant, it only requires a tiny throttle input in reverse, and you are off.

Obviously though the Alfa weighs 1400 kilos, and is a performance car, the Range Rover is 2700 kilos? And I imagine the gearbox software is programmed completely differently.

This is my first 4x4, I have always had “performance” cars, so they are very different.

Cheers,
Justin

I have to reverse mine (405 but same box) up hill out the drive, not a steep hill but a hill non the less..

In the morning when cold it always takes a good shove of the throttle to get it moving...

Remember it's a fly by wire throttle so I presume it is a "feature"

 Pete
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Thank you, that is very reassuring.

Find a steep hill and reverse up it. If it goes up it then it’s probably fine. As I said initially and the chaps above have pointed out. It does require quite a few revs in reverse.👍🏻

If you can find someone with one nearby maybe they can have a go in yours to see if it seems the same. Either way, a gearbox fluid and filter change is pretty straight forward and well worth doing even if you find it’s not a specific to you problem. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial