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Only_me



Member Since: 01 Jan 2023
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Fuji White
Unsure if these are faults

Hi everyone.
I've got a few questions which are playing on my mind and I'm hoping you guys can clear them up for me.
I've recently bought a range rover l322 2012 westminster 4.4 tdv8 and yes I've already found faults which certainly need to be sorted out but I've also got things which are playing on my mind and I'm not sure if its normal traits and nothing to worry about.

I have found that when driving over uneven ground like potholes I get a fair amount of feedback through the steering wheel, even when going over small bumps like cats eyes I still feel it through the steering wheel. I'm running 20" wheels so not exactly low profile's. Surely this isn't normal seeing as people describe the driving experience of like floating on clouds or riding on a magic carpet lol.

I also notice a loud creaking when going over speed bumps. Could this be related to the feedback I'm getting through the steering wheel ?

Also, when I put the car into gear I sometimes get a kind of clunk sound/feel. Is this normal and if not what could be the cause ? It had a gearbox service at 60k miles and its now on 130k miles.

I also hear now and then a kind of whining / humming noise when pulling away from a stop. I don't hear this when driving along though. What is this ?

I havnt driven another range rover so I cant compare them but to me these things that I describe don't seem right. Certainly the creaking and road feedback through steering wheel isn't right but I can take the car back next week to the dealer and get my money back but not sure if I'm doing the right thing as these might be normal . He has said he can try to get it sorted but I don't think these known niggles are going to be a cheap fix and It might be done on the cheap.

Whats your thoughts please guys ? 2012 4.4 tdv8 westminster
128k miles

Post #654698 25th Jan 2023 6:24pm
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dingg1



Member Since: 29 Jun 2013
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 1271

2007 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.2 SC V8 Stornoway Grey

Front upper and lower control arm bushes probably have seen better days, if not been changed out, track rod ends and drop links also, for first look ats...

Get an oil change on the box too.

Post #654700 25th Jan 2023 7:00pm
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Only_me



Member Since: 01 Jan 2023
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Fuji White

I spoke to somebody today at landrover and he told me that it shouldn't need another gearbox service. 2012 4.4 tdv8 westminster
128k miles

Post #654702 25th Jan 2023 7:05pm
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DrRob



Member Since: 16 Apr 2015
Location: Petersfield, Hampshire
Posts: 4225

United Kingdom 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8 Buckingham Blue

Don’t use a Land Rover main dealer as they say gearbox is sealed for life. ZF who make the box say it needs oil changes.
I’m almost onto my second oil change at 140K.
Take it to a decent independent specialist to look over the whole vehicle for all the faults you describe.
Use Promec just outside Cardiff or similar. Loads around the UK.
Let me repeat. Do not use a main dealer Thumbs Up Rolling with laughter 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
New Defender D300 90 on order so "Rory" will be going to a new home....!
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
--------------------------------------------------

Post #654703 25th Jan 2023 7:11pm
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fisha



Member Since: 25 Sep 2009
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1239

2015 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Aruba

They are smooth in general, but if you have the lower profile tyres, 20" on the L322, and 22" on the L405 for example, then yes when you hit a bump you can feel it, more so in the L405 I would say which crashes the bumps more.

As for feeling it through the steering, on the L322, yes I would say you feel more through the steering than the average modern car which uses electric power steering. That being said, what you feel should be tight, and not have a looseness to it. So if you are going over a bumpy section of road, you'll hear and feel dunts but you shouldn't be feeling / hearing knocks and outright clunks or looseness at the wheel per say as the clunks occur. If you are feeling clunks, then that would point more to the control arm ball joints being loose. Easy enough to source and replace from aftermarket if you are so inclined. These front bushes dont always show up in MOT's unless they are really bad - reason being that when sat on the ground, or jacked up with the wheel hanging, the ball joints become pre-loaded with a lot of tension which hides play in the joint. The play often really only shows itself when driving along. A quick example from my old RR here shows that even if the rubber boots of the ball joints are decent looking, inside can be dried up and cause creaking.



(forgot how much I liked that RR ^^^ )

On the subject of creaking ... is it from the rear when you go over something like a speed bump ? If so, that's most likely the rear suspension bushes, and the most commonly failing ones being the top and bottom bushes on the hub. At 130k miles and not having replaced them to date ... you've done pretty well ! I'd say bushes are often an 80k mile item. Fairly easily sourced. Fitment difficulty varies.

Clunk when selecting gear. No. It shouldn't. It should go from neutral into a gear smoothly, and you should feel it gently pull on the gear as its selected so it'll start creeping when you let off the brake ... but it should not clunk, thud, slam etc. Fix is most likely a really good flush of the fluid, and perhaps a filter replacement ... and a reset of the gearbox to tell it to relearn after having new fluid. Plenty of info on here.

Whining on pull away ... yes, sometimes you can hear an element of whine. Remember that the drive has to go through a gearbox, a transfer box, and 2 differentials all of which have gears wheels which mesh with each other and will potentially have gear whine. For the most part, these units are fairly robust, but will need oil changes done on them. I personally think around the 80k again for these sorts of changes is not a bad starting point. V8 or else ...

Post #654726 25th Jan 2023 10:01pm
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