I just realized you already posted the answer to my question about replacing the bearing vs. entire assembly in another thread on Reliability. My apologies...

 

Not a problem. By the way the repair I had done was the only option that they offered me.

 

Just noticed my pics of the new rear were gone. Here are some more.
The easiest thing to spot are the use of studs to hold the rear together.

 

Just got diff replaced, started whining at 80K, but didn't get it replaced until 88K.

About $2900 at the dealer. They replaced the entire unit, it looks like the old style diff on the outside but the rep said the original diff was actually NLA and this is a new part number so hopefully it has better bearings.

 

Yeah pretty sad rears going before their first fluid change.
I'm fighting with the steering lock mechanism now in the LR2. They want to replace the entire steering column for a $200 module that you can't buy separately. Ugh!

 

Revisiting. New R. Diff @ 88K is still doing fine at 126K.

Doing a lot of research online seems like the original problem (weak design + software) is seriously aggravated by the LR maintenance schedule. Volvo uses a more aggressive schedule for most of these items. LR considers the Haldex to be a (very) expensive consumable, but Volvo has scheduled Mx!

Consensus seems to be that these items need to done at these intervals:

Tranny Fluid: 50K/5 years
Transfer Case (PTU) Oil: 50K/5 years
R. Diff Oil: 40K/5 years
Haldex Oil, Filter, and Pump filter: 40K/3 years (fluid is hygroscopic, like brake fluid)

Haldex should be removed to service, to allow a thorough cleaning, although you may be able to do fluid/filter in place. A shop in the UK recommends Haldex fluid/filter @ 20k, thorough cleaning @ 40k.

How-to's are available on a variety of forums and youtube.

You can drill and tap holes for drain plugs in the Transfer Case and R. Diff., makes it easier to drain.

Good luck.

 

I had no idea this was a Haldex system. I guess I'm used to seeing the external electric pump and controller on my Audi/VW's. I didn't notice the pump on my LR2 maybe it's not visible from the back.
No wonder this thing failed you can't run a haldex system for that long. It's like not changing your engine oil for 100k miles. I change the Haldex fluid/filter/screen every 20K miles on my Audi's. If this is like Audi\Volvo then the Haldex service is pretty easy. I just did my S3 at 18k to see how the screen looked. The job took less than a 1/2 hour.

 

It's mounted on the front of the R. Diff, so you cannot see it from the rear.


Yes. I'm think of doing fluid/filter at 20K, with a removal/disassembly/flush at 40K. I have Haldex 3, so the filter is readily accessible on side (Haldex 4 on later LR2 has the filter on top and is harder to get to).

 

am thinking of buying a 2013-2015 LR2, are the rear diff issues still there in there LR2s?

 

If this is the result of a poor maintenance schedule listed in the manual since the vehicle is using a haldex differential then I don't see the failures being resolved. But if you can get one with low miles 20-40k and do the maintenance early I would say that it's fine. Haldex isn't a bad system you just need to stay on top of the fluid changes and they will last forever. Or if they've updated the manual for a lower maintenance interval and your seller has records then it would also be good.
I'm not familiar with the newer models.