Are our defenders steer-by-wire?

 

i don't think so: there is a shaft towards the steering rack, but electrically assisted steering: no hydraulics from what I could gather.

 

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...46414-0001.pdf

HI,
look at this recall, another cause of clicking at the front are the clips on the lower protection shield.

Marco

 

Will do. Thank you for suggesting it.

 

Good find. Thanks for sharing. Hope this helps the OP.

 

I went to the dealership (for a second time) for this (steering knock) and a rear diff clunk and drove with the tech. He did not feel any knocking in the steering wheel but did his thing and rechecked tie rods, steering components. I mentioned the lower protection shield and apparently no issues there either. It has been much cooler here in the NE so the steering knock is much less pronounced.

Once I felt the knock today I turned off the car, parked and checked (locked steering wheel: only able to move a couple degrees either way) heard a mild knock deep in the front. Is this normal play with a locked steering wheel? I don't want to go to the dealer for a third time to be told it's normal. The loaner I drove (a Discovery) had none of the steering knocking going through the same roads.



update: checked and the E12 (torx) bolt at the steering pinch is appropriately fastened (30N, 22lb/ft). Back
to the drawing board.