Freelander 2 winter hack

[MarkM]

As some of you know I bought a cheap-ish L359 Landrover Freelander 2 a couple of days ago, it’s September 2007 2.2 TD4 XS with 153k miles on it and generally in good shape. I looked at quite a few FL1 and 2s and they were rough as hell, this one fits the bill of being decent but needing tinkering on, so I’m happy.

Not cleaned the exterior yet but pics anyway

Few immediate jobs to do

The offside front fog lamp was smashed, luckily there was a new one in the door pocket, easy 10 minute change

Next up a daddy long legs in the headlamp so out it comes

Passenger dash air vent was missing the adjuster, again, replacement bit in the glove box this time!

 

[MarkM]

Random, liking this a lot more more than I expected too

 

[Lappintyre]

Solid looking yolk. Any snow action in it yet?

 

[MarkM]

Solid looking yolk. Any snow action in it yet?

Nothing hardcore but performed well yesterday and up and down my very icey hill today it’s been great!
Typical Landrover though, something’s broken already lol drivers door doesn’t open from the inside, new latch needed!

 

[colin84]

I don't know what it is with Freelander's and their locking system, it's *****, along with window regulators. Also, expect the rear handle to come off at some point, it happens to them all.

 

[MarkM]

I don't know what it is with Freelander's and their locking system, it's *****, along with window regulators. Also, expect the rear handle to come off at some point, it happens to them all.

Haha I’ve already ordered the facelift wider handle for the boot lid, it’s rubbing and there’s a rust spot that I’ll treat and it’ll cover it......and the micro switch is ****ed anyway

 

[Artoir]

Nothing hardcore but performed well yesterday and up and down my very icey hill today it’s been great!
Typical Landrover though, something’s broken already lol drivers door doesn’t open from the inside, new latch needed!

Amateur move. Leave as many small things broken as you can tolerate. If you fix them, you are 100% guaranteed to have another fault crop up the next day.

 

[MarkM]

Another easy free fix! Pulled the door card off and the cable was hanging, clicked into place and put a spot of glue on it and all’s good again

 

[MarkM]

Rear parking sensors now present and correct and another free fix as the sensor was just pushed into the bumper!

 

[Nickyyy]

Always nice for a few easy fixes! My Rangie needed a few fuses and it has been grand since *touch wood*

 

[MarkM]

Always nice for a few easy fixes! My Rangie needed a few fuses and it has been grand since *touch wood*

Kiss of death there!! I was so tempted buy a couple of Rangies at similar money but completely bottled it Maybe next time

 

[Nickyyy]

Kiss of death there!! I was so tempted buy a couple of Rangies at similar money but completely bottled it Maybe next time

 

[MarkM]

Both keys are worn badly, so got a couple of shells off eBay for £17, easy swap and much better looking!

 

[MarkM]

@RubberLover sorting the alignment, hopefully!

 

[MarkM]

Alignment sorted, 1st time at Ivan kerrs and found them very professional, nice to see a wheel nut being torqued instead of murder tight with the gun.

Few other very minor jobs done, led side repeaters to replace the gross originals, silver rings round the tweeters I had for years, don’t even know what I bought them for but fit perfectly and match the other silver bits, got rid of the orange indicator bulbs, again had a pair from the old Clio, and then washed it and the van, my time off has now come to an end
Part of the reason for getting this now was to get Emma to work on bad days, she’s now told she’s working from home, so for sale ad soon........maybe

@Big Pimp Purge much needed!

 

[Cookies]

Lovely motor! I remember reading that all the switches in the inside were designed to be able to be operated while wearing a pair of gloves.
Cooks

 

[MarkM]

Lovely motor! I remember reading that all the switches in the inside were designed to be able to be operated while wearing a pair of gloves.
Cooks

They were! I found this lot,


1. Lowered centre bonnet profile reduces reflection glare

2. angled rise on centre of bonnet reduces rain/water running over bonnet/onto windscreen

3. Outside Edge of bonnet marks center of tyre track

4. water jets on Bonnet mark axle centres for easy wheel placement. The rear edge of the back seat aligns the centre of the rear axles

5. doors cover sills to keep clothes clean when entering/exiting vehicle

6. Lower window lines provide greater all round vision

7. Can tow loads heavier than itself

8. Plastic door detail provides eaily viewable wading depth gauge

9. brakes are tested in extreme climates such as Death Valley, Scandinavia and the French Alps as well as the "AMS brake fade" test

10. Alloy wheels are alluminium/silicon compound designed for on and off road strength and x-rayed for microscopic deformities

11. Exhaust systems are made from Stainless steel

12. There is a bash plate protecting the engine bay under the vehicle

13. DSC/CBC is able to select 1 brake at a time, unlike cars without ABS.

14. Volume control is on the right side of steering wheel - left or right hand operation

15. Electric Folding wing mirrors reduce drag.

16. Plugging and unplugging seat belt 9 times turns off audio alert (not dash indicator)

17. fuel delivered to engine even when car is on a 100% gradient (45 degrees)

18. Can ride side slopes at 40 degrees (no diff locks means easier to control)

19. The FL2 Monocoque Chassis is the 3rd strongest in the world ( Freelander 2, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover (reverse order))

20. Wheel direction indicator warns against sudden veering when grip is regained (offroad)

21. HDC means the car will descend a slope at a set rate (adjusted up and down by the cruise controller (are you reading this 4WD pressmen?))

22. Pressing unlock on key remote for 3seconds unlocks all doors and opens all windows

23. Pressing lock on key remote for 3seconds locks all doors and closes all windows

24. Pressing both lock and unlock at once for 3 seconds alternates between opening just the drivers door and all doors on first press

25. engine bay components are water/splash proofed and fitted with breather tubes where necessary.

26. Low sheen interior surfacess reduce reflective glare

27. inverted triangle on rubber seal on bottom of doors marks jacking point locations

28. Models built after oct 2010 have silver instead of gold on the LR logos

29. Pressing the "light" button on Key fob turns vehicle into giant torch

30. Steering wheel has telescopic adjustment (tall people will appreciate this) as well as height adjustment

31. Drivers Seat has height/tilt adjustment to keep legs at optimum comfort position

32. second row seats are raised "stadium" style

33. Anti theft encrypted computer needs key remote in slot before vehicle can be started (Cannot be hot wired)

34. First compact SUV ever to get 5 star encap rating

35. Winner of Parkers� New Car Awards 2011 4�4 category

36. Winner of BBC Top Gear "SUV of the Year award"

37. Winner of AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Award

38. Winner What Diesel Magazine Car of the Year Awards "Best 4x4"

39. Internal vertical door handles are blocked to prevent looping hand through and breaking wrist/arm in impact scenarios

40. Visor lights are turned off when the visor is returned to its "up position" (like a fridge)

41. The larger dash buttons make them easy to use with gloves, on bumpy terrain and at-a-glance

42. 3 cigarette lighter jacks for chargers etc rated at 180W, One fitted in the loadspace stays live for fridges etc when vehicle is switched off

43. spare wheel load space cover can be reversed, exposing a hard plastic wipe clean work surface

44. The vehicle is based on the EUCD platform (European D Class) shared with Ford, Volvo and Range Rover Evoque

45. Centre coupling is handled by Haldex. The electronic coupling was developed for the Freelander2. 1500nm of torque can be transmitted in 150 milliseconds

46. Larger horizontal internal door shoulders provide an elbow rest for long journeys

47. Plastics and polymers used in interior minimise squeak on rough journeys but don't look like Tupperware

48. Stock, has the same wading depth as a Defender (500mm)

49. The TD4_e is the first production vehicle to feature "Stop/Start" Technology

50. Winner of Auto Express "Best Compact SUV" 3 years in a row

51. Winner of WhatCar? magazine "Best Compact 4x4"

52. Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) means brakes are biased depending on speed,terrain and direction (are you reading this 4WD pressmen?)

53. Winner of Caravan Club "Tow Car of the Year"

54. "Warranty Direct" statistics most reliable Land Rover (44RI against Disco@190RI, RRS@143RI & RR@293RI)

55. Also known as "Hippos" after the UK ad campaign

56. Surround sound system comprises up to 14 speakers

57. 7 Airbags - including drivers knee bag and the option for deactivating front passenger airbag for child seat

58. winner of BusinessCar "Best Small 4x4" award

59. Terrain Response can be altered whilst vehicle is moving.

60. Winner New Car (Ireland) "Best SUV"

61. Winner Auto Revue (Austria) "Best SUV"

62. petrol model is The first compact SUV to feature a transversly mounted straight 6 engine (smooth and safe)

63. Land Rovers best selling Model

64. No exposed key locks. The emergency lock is under the dust seal

65. There are some 25 ECUs on board the vehicle, running at 125K (Medium speed) and 500K (High Speed)

66. scores 34.84 out of 37 on "how safe is your car"

67. The body uses double sided zinc coated steel panels - the most sophisticated anti-corrosion treatment ever used on a Land Rover

68. Battery is charged through a smart charge system (IPSM - intelligent Power System Management). Rather than consuming fuel when accelerating

69. Inline 6 petrol engine designed to resist dust, mud and water intrusion and operate at extreme angles

70. Later models feature neutral control logic. A stationary vehicle in Drive has drive load reduced to save fuel

71. Vehicle tested in temperatures from -40celsius to +50 Celsius, upto 95% humidity and and altitude of 4000m

72. Start stop equipped vehicles use the technology in temperatures as low as 4Celsius, newer models at 0 celsius

73. Tyre characteristics including rolling resistance are optimised for the entire range of available tyre sizes on stock vehicles

75. GRC (Gradient Release Control) releases the brakes gradually up or down slopes in both forward and reverse

76. Fitted with an "Event Data Recorder" a bit like the black box on an aircraft

77. The Queen has (at least) one.

78. The headlight washers will cease working to preserve water for windscreeen when the water level gets low

79. Land Rover have made military (administrative) 2WDs in the past, long before the public eD4

80. Used by Police in England, Wales, Luxembourg, Italy amongst others.

81. Roof load rated up to 75kilograms

82. Ready to go off road as soon as it leaves the dealers forecourt, no mods required

83. Spare wheel stored inside vehicle reduces drag

84. Fail safe computer system will still allow the vehicle to operate up to 50Kmh in the event of a failure

85. Winner Car Middle East Award "Compact SUV of the Year"

86. Winner Truck Trend's Compact SUV

87. Winner ASMW (Association of Scottish Motoring Writers) "SUV of the year"

88. March 2011 saw the 250,000th Freelander2 cruising out of the Halewood manufacturing plant

89. Badged as LR2 in the US

90. 3 recalls, 2 for diesel booster & PTC heater, one for sunroof. All before 2009. one recall for LR2 Airbag in US (2009/2010)

91. Has an OBD port above the accelerator. Plug in a bluetooth dongle and download an App for your phone and you can monitor performance

92. 12,000 km service intervals

93. Models with Bi-Xenon lights have adpative lighting and manual switching for driving overseas (other side of the road)

94. Double locking disables the doors from inside and out. Even if someone breaks a window and reaches inside, they can't open the doors

95. Fuel filler spill enclosure and drain to keep fuel off paintwork

96. Winner Auto Test(Germany) ZF Road Test "Compact SUV"

97. Winner Fleet News "Best Small SUV"

98. Full time 4WD (if you don't have the 2WD eD4), no low range. often called a Soft Roader (But manufacturers don't like it)

99. ENCAP 4 star child protection rating

100. There is a tow loop under the plastic plate at the front of the vehicle.

 

[MarkM]

Bargain £50 full size spare with brand new Michelin tyre off eBay

 

[Boydie]

My parents love their Freelander - best car they have ever had they say

 

[MarkM]

Few more minor jobs done today

Leather gear and handbrake gaiters fitted

Britpart lifetime air filter and changed the pollen filter as the old one looked like it had never been done, annoys me that a £7 part isn’t done and as a bonus the interior smells a lot better when the heat’s on!

Spare into the well

Front air deflectors are meant to help with water splashing up over the screen that I’ve had a few times recently, not sure how they could but they were cheap so gave them a go

Cheap eBay rear flaps

 

[ALN]

Are you changing tyres? Need new fronts o mine and not sure what to go for. The Pirelli scorpion seem well regarded and fair enough price

 

[MarkM]

Are you changing tyres? Need new fronts o mine and not sure what to go for. The Pirelli scorpion seem well regarded and fair enough price

Not this year, plenty of beef on them and they’ve handled the frost/snow well. Friend has Scorpion Verdes on his Disco sport and rates them, I have Michelins on my van though and they’re fantastic

 

[Cookies]

Looks fantastic! Are you going to fit side steps? They really suit the freelander 2

Cooks

 

[MarkM]

Looks fantastic! Are you going to fit side steps? They really suit the freelander 2

Cooks

Thanks Cooks
Not sure tbh, if a cheap used set appeared I’d probably grab them, just really doing what I see as essentials on this one, too easy to get sucked into buying everything

 

[FM155]

Got a K&N for ours so I don't have a repeat of the wet paper filter getting sucked into the AFM again. Not fitted yet as I want to see what the craic is with this box behind the bumper first. I love ours as a tourer, even been thinking of ways to fit a bed in the back as a budget weekender.