I have an 04 Range Rover 4.4 and yesterday, i started the car and i hear a whining noise coming from under the car close to the driverside near the firewall. the whining noise gets louder as you rev the engine (like engine noise from astereo). The noise is there at idle, driving, parked, in neutral, in reverse... basically at all times. I drove the car and it seemed fine except for the noise. Then the car hesitates as it is shifting... even when decelerating w/ the foot off the gas, it hesitates and shifts abruptly. Has anyone encountered this problem? Does anyone know of any issues with the fuel pump or secondary pump (if any)? any help would be appreciated. I have tried different rover and BMW sites and could not find a similar problem.

thank you

 

Hopefully Disco Mike will answer your question.
I would pump a service writer for an answer over the phone.
Chat them up first or go into the dealer and ask if that has happened.

Good luck and look on more forums.

-Michael-

 

It sounds like you have a transmission starting to fail. It is a not so common but also not rare failure on these vehicles. Raise the vehicle up to off-road height, set the parking brake tight, start the engine. Crawl underneath(be careful for the exhaust system) with a flathead screwdriver and listen for the source. You will probably find it is originating from the bellhousing area of the transmission.
Holding the point-end of the screwdriver to the suspect area(non-rotating components only), put your ear to the handle-end and listen. Do this until you find the spot that is the loudest, that will be the area of failure. I will most likely be a failing pump, and lack of fluid pressure results in failure of all other transmission components. I'm not trying to scare you, but this is the most likely suspect according to your description.

 

When was, if ever, the tranny serviced? How many miles on your Rover?

 

Not to say that it can't be done, because they can be serviced, but they are supposed to be fill-for-life transmissions, and do not have a set maintenance schedule. I would personally change the fluid every 30k like a Disco though, just for piece of mind.....if I had one that is....I just work on them.

 

I understand what you are saying, and the ones that in fact don't get any service can have a much higher failure rate.

 

thank you both for your help! it is much appreciated. To answer your question Mike, the car has 50k on it. I have yet to dig out my records and see when the last service was on the tranny. I dont think i did... but i do recall a recent recall done (i believe it was on the transmission or diff, cant remember). i will look it up tonight.

 

Ok, I found the records and about two months ago, the Rover was in the dealership for a recall on the front Diff. Now i know that is a mechanical part and does not make noise but i did notice that they had to change seals and add new fluids. Is it possible that the seal was not inserted properly or that the diff was not inserted all the way and i actually lost fluids that can cause a pump (if any) or tranny to fail? please see parts list associated with the recall:

1 LR008102 SHAFT ASSY - DRI
1 LR007758 FLANGE - COUPLING
1 LR008106 HEAT SHIELD
1 LR008114 KIT - HARDWARE
2 TKE000040 CIRCLIP
1 568680 STRAP - CABLE

The following fluids were also used:

1 LRN7951 OIL - ENGINE
1 STC50550/10 RVT SEALANT
2 LRN2261 FLUID - POWER AS
1 ROBC BRAKE CLEAN
3 SYNGEAR SYNTHETIC GEAR OIL

 

That would be the front differential recall that was performed. I would say that it could be related, but you had stated that it varies with engine rpm without regard to gear/vehicle speed. Even if the transmission fluid does get serviced, it is already too late.

 

Yes, the recall was the front diff. The whining sound does vary w/ RPM without gear/vehicle speed. And it may be too late. I am trying to figure out if there is a pump of some sort that is running dry at the moment due to a poor seal or a diff not being inserted properly.

And if the problem arrived from work that was recently done, then that party should have to take responsibility for the failed part as well.