My car has made a clunking noise when leaving from a stop or coming to a stop, pretty much since new. However, the frequency of this noise has increased as the vehicle ages. More specifically, besides it happening more often every time I begin to drive (including reverse gear), when I crest the crowns of roadways at speeds under 30mph, it has smaller clunking, that happen every other second. Does anyone else have this issue? There’s a vibration in the car when the clunk occurs. It’s noticeable when start stop turns the car off and on automatically. I will try to remove the bash plates to attach a GoPro with the hopes of catching this on audio/video. I really don’t want to bring the 110 to a dealership where I am, in NYC. Their workmanship is questionable. Last time I got my car back from them, a couple nice scratches were put it into my interior and my roof. Numerous Plastic rivets were missing from wheel liners ( which caused my wheel liner to actually come loose during a recent storm). plus clips were found on the floor of the car.

 

I am often writing how much I would do to avoid going to the dealer. However, I think I would immediately set up an appointment if I were you. I'm not a mechanic by trade, but I've bashed every finger over the years twisting wrenches. Take it for whatever good or bad that implies. So, given my limited experience and intellect, that has a ton of red flags to me. All which would be big repairs and could result in bad things if they fail while you are driving: sounds like it could be a drive axel, wheel bearings, ball joints, engine mounts, transmission mounts, etc. That kind of thunk/clunk is large masses of metal slapping each other because something is loose, coming lose or failing. There's way too much noise cancellation that small sounds would be filtered. This is likely large. If you feel frisky as a backyard mechanic, then rig up some electronics to listen/watch and get close to it when taking off/starting/turning. You'll need to pull a LOT off the bottom of that Defender to get a good look see at most. Personally, I'd go STRAIGHT in before the warranty gets much older.

Good luck, stay safe, and get that checked ASAP.

EDIT: Way back when, I had a drive shaft fall out of my Series IIa. 100% my fault. I was lucky that the rear disconnected. The frame was also designed to "catch" the drive shaft if that failed, so it was a loud, obnoxious, forward halting event. It would likely be epic carnage in the current Defender. All the above things I can think of that could (or in my experience have) made that noise are not something most folks will want to handle themselves.

 

clunks are built into a land rover - like lumps in mashed potatoes - other wise its a toyota and instant mashers

 

i honestly do not for the life of me understand why you have not got this issue looked at! Are you waiting for the warranty to expire?

You mention that you have already had the dealer work on your car but was it to investigate this issue? If not, why not?

…and you say it’s getting worse. Are you hoping it’s going to fix itself?

 

I recommend LandRover of Fairfield, if you do not trust your NYC dealer. Southern Connecticut has per capita as many or more Land Rover products in service as anywhere -- and they are located on the CT rail line, so you can get to them easily after dropping off the vehicle.

Land Rover Darien is a newer dealer, who is also worth considering, if Fairfield is too busy. Also, it is on the rail line.

 

Does it sound like a big metal ball rolling around and do you have a rear diff? When I went to the Land Rover experience their defender sounded like that. The instructor said it was the rear diff and it was normal.
I purchased my Defender after that and no sounds like that.
Theirs was a 2020 and mine's a 2022, but not sure if that makes a difference.
I agree it's worth having the dealer take a look.

 

I have a 2020 P300 110 with a rear e diff, am off-road often in hi and low range, at all angles, and the sound being described has not occurred.

The only time I heard any noise at all was when I changed from Hi to Low range at 35 degrees up nose, and 25 degrees rotation -- on two wheels. The sound was from the transfer case -- under my bottom; not the rear differential. My fault -- I did not have the vehicle in low-range earlier.

I am disappointed in the LR experience fellow's comment.

Definitely, head to a dealer....

 

I feel something like a bump when slowing right after acceleration from standing still. Happened quite often especially in traffic queues when accelerate and then slow down immediately. Had a trip to the dealer and they updated the TCM. But the simptoms are still there, worst when cold.

 

Do you have auto brake hold active? That can sometimes release with a slight clunk. There's also a bigger clunk if it's the accelerator pedal releasing the electric parking brake.