300 ml was sufficient if you are not changing the filter
As i mentioned you can use Volvo fluid, as far as i can tell they are the same. and it's much cheaper. ~$30 per liter.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vol...iABEgL8wPD_BwE

 

So I purchased a 08 LR SE a little over a month ago. The previous owner did NOT service the vehicle very well and I have been going through getting things up to date. Here is a small list of things I have done or have pending. (Question to follow)

New Tires - Done
New Brakes Front and Rear - Done (R1 Concepts Slotted Drilled) FANTASTIC brakes so far.
New Oil and Filter - Done
New Plugs - Done
Replaced Coolant Reservoir to correct Low Coolant Level Fault - Done
Replace Voltage Regulator on Alternator - Pending
Replace Key Fob (Single Key I have is Broken)
Transmission Service - PENDING SEE QUESTION
Diff Service - Pending

OK so the Transmission about 90% of the time runs perfect. On occasion if I have been idling a long while the shifting through low gears is delayed and it bumps into the next gear. I took it to Aamco Transmission and they said had a bad valve body and they could rebuild it for $1800 but that it was just annoying and I could continue to drive it.

So i called a few other places and got quotes to rebuild based on Aamco's Diagnostic. Prices varied but seemed reasonable. I did find that I could buy a used warranty transmission for $600 or a NEW OEM transmission for $2100. I would need to have them installed but the vehicle is drive-able so I may wait on that at the moment.

So on to the comment/question.

Being as the Transmission was not running PERFECT I decided to take the vehicle to Land Rover of Birmingham dealership. I told them about the occasional shifting lag when I dropped it off. They had my vehicle for 3 days and this called with the following "repair estimate"

The call went something like this.

Mr Reaves. The service manager and the tech reviewed your vehicle and determined that you need a new transmission. If you were to change the fluid (151,300 miles) you probably would not be able to drive the vehicle out of our dealership. The price to replace the transmission with a NEW transmission with labor is $19,000.00...... We can get you a re manufactured transmission installed for only $17,000.00..... We also think you need a new rear differential which will be $3000... I spoke with the service manager about your diagnostic review from Aamco and they said that you can not repair or replace a valve body and that the transmission must be replaced.

At that point I asked the service rep if they were screwing with me and she became somewhat offended. I told her I could buy a NEW transmission online for $2100 shipped or a used with warrant for about $600 and that their estimate was insulting. She told me there is NO WAY i can buy either a NEW or USED at those prices and that they still needed to be installed. I told here there was NO WAY i was going to have LR do those repairs and that I would be picking up my vehicle. She then goes on to tell me that I owed them a $150 diagnostic fee. I asked her what exactly they diagnosed as I had given her the diagnosis from Aamco and a description of the problem that I had on occasion when I dropped it off. She stated that they diagnosed the vehicle based on mileage and my comments in the service ticket. I asked her if they even looked at my vehicle and she said NO sir I don't believe they did but let me check with my supervisor. She came back and said they did not actually do anything. I told her I wasn't paying them $150 for a absurd quote for repairs I didn't even ask for. I was only asking for the service based on maintenance requirements. She put me on hold another few minutes and came back and said I could pickup my vehicle at no charge....

Honestly I really don't know what to think. I have been told by more than one person that if you have not changed your transmission fluid yet that doing so would probably cause damage to the transmission. If this is the case why does the maintenance service interval list the ONLY service on the transmission at 150,000 miles or 10 years? I am at the service interval now and need the service but am being told that doing so will destroy my transmission...

I need some good honest feedback here. What the heck if they say dont service it until 150,000 or 10 years and then when you to service it tell you its screwed up or that service will destroy it... HELP...

 

I'm not a technician, but here's what I would do if I were in your shoes. I would take it to a local transmission shop, not a chain that performs all type of auto services, but a local independent transmission shop and get their expert opinion and price estimates. These independent shops are often family businesses and they eat, live, and sleep transmissions.

Then I would try replacing just the transmission fluid & filter. Yes, there is a risk that the detergent in the new fluid will cause your tranny to get worse and you will have to replace it, but there's also a chance that this low-cost service will clear up the problem.

If the problems worsens, and the transmission shop quotes you a reasonable price (closer to the Aamco price), then have them do it. Forget the dealer, they don't do enough transmission replacements to be experts, and their astronomic price quote sounds more like they don't want to touch a vehicle of this high mileage rather than give you a serious quote.

However, one good point the dealer made is on the rear differential, which is a well-known issue with these vehicles. When the rear diff fails, it's usually long before 150K miles, so it might be fine at this point. Be sure to ask the independent transmission shop to check that as well.

 

Open up the transmission, differential or Haldex unit. One look at the state of the fluid or a 'burnt' smell is a clear indication that these fluids need to changed far more frequently than prescribed.

Cheers!

 

Really good discussion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Just a few comments

Congrats to the person that started this thread

You are absolutely on the right track by replacing the fluids

Hopefully you changed the filter for the Haldex as well and added a magnet to the fill plug for the rear differential


In case you are interested here is the list that I've compiled for high mileage maintenance

High Mileage Maintenance items for 3.2
1. Serpentine belt, tensioner, idler - replaced mine at 113,000 miles/10 years
2. Brake fluid flushed (every 3 years) Volvo recommendation?
3. Coolant replaced (failure is oil or ATF heat exchanger internal leaks)
4. AWD Rear differential oil change (every 50,000 miles) – I added a magnetic drain plug (LR2 and S80 V8 seem to be more susceptible to pinion bearing failure due to lack of maintenance)
5. ATF fluid flushed - search for Gibbons method (note: I used the modified Gibbons method)
6. Power steering fluid and reservoir replaced due to noisy heavy steering
7. Spark Plugs - replaced mine twice (every 50,000 miles, Volvo recommends 75,000 miles)
8. AWD BOT Gear oil for power Transfer unit (for mine I drilled a drain hole)
9. Battery – every 4 to 8 years (Low voltage while starting causes electrical gremlins on LR2)
10. O-Rings for Vacuum pump (~10 years or sooner if the leak is large)
11. AWD Haldex fluid and filter - I used genuine Volvo parts for this (it was cheaper than Land Rover)
12. AWD Replace CV joint grease in drive shaft joint near catalytic converter

Freel2.com - View topic - 3.2 I6 Common items for high mileage Land Rovers


The Land Rover LR2 is based on the Volvo S80 and the maintenance is very similar for both

If you prefer to see the items that I am fixing on my S80 3.2 with about 125,000 miles then take a look at this link

All of the things that needed replacing on the S80 were the same things that needed replacement on my LR2 and I tend to buy the Land Rover parts for the Volvo because its cheaper

This link is chronological and it shows everything that I did for a poorly maintained used 2010 S80 (Same Engine, Transmission as my LR2)

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/fo...p?f=31&t=87687


One final comment

Dustin asked about a recommendation for changing the fluid for the ATF

I recommend that you change 3 to 4 quarts and see if the shifting changes.

Take a look at this post

Freel2.com - View topic - Auto Gearbox Oil Change TD4 MY07-12


I've owned my 2008 LR2 since it was new and I do all of my own maintenance and repairs

I bought the 2010 S80 used for my son to drive


Great discussion

Take care

Paul

 

Thanks very much for the insight.

I am very appreciative of your provided maintenance list!
What I find interesting is that here in Ottawa the Dealer represents Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar. The parts department here has very frequently provided a Volvo option as opposed to a Land Rover option as the volvo part is cheaper.

 

I did these recommended fluid changes upon purchase of a 2008 LR2 with 149,000 kms on the odometer. Since then I changed the transmission fluid, 3-4 litres, twice since it actually takes about 8 litres to fill from empty. I still need to do the Haldex filter change (fluid was done) after reading this thread. Good info, thanks.

 

@p_gill Thanks for that great list! I haven't replaced the Power Steering Fluid on my 08 LR2. The maintenance schedule does not call for it to be replaced, and my LR dealer confirmed this. So perhaps it should only be changed if you're solving a known problem.

For the Haldex fluid, I haven't replaced that either. It's also not called out in the maintenance schedule, and the dealer said that it's a lifetime thing and not normally replaced.

 

Take a look at this link for the steering pump noise and what to replace

Freel2.com - View topic - Noisey steering pumps?


As for the Haldex the same unit is used by Volvo and a very similar unit is used by VW.

VW recommends changing the fluid every 40,000 miles (Same fluid)

Freel2.com - View topic - Haldex Maintenance


Lifetime = warranty period


Good Luck

Paul

 

Find a new service department?? I typically ignore anyone who states 'lifetime fluids'. One look or whiff of the fluid should be warning enough...