Newbie alert

[Rachy]

No way of telling from just looking. You need to jack it up and spin the wheels. Do you have a hot wheel after a drive? Mind you, less than sprightly take-off will be magnified if the last vehicle you drove was a Walls Magnum VR4 or whatever it was.

The oil, yellow brown, sounds like fresh engine oil. ATF is translucent red, or if its shagged, brown or blackish.

Your problems have multiplied since this morning! If you ever venture so far south down the A49 as Malvern (worcs) I'll be happy to give it a once over. If not, I occasionally pass the Dobbies roundabout on my way north...

Maybe you're just not cut out for this type of vehicle and would be better with something like, oh I dont know... an ST205 Celica GT-Four?

No i have owned a Frontera For years! I love these trucks! We re did all the suspension with the help of club members last year and replaced nearly everything til the bugger blew its engine up!!!!!
I dont want a sports car I want a huge big 4x4 truck! I want to go greenlaning and offroad and I also want something big enough to take me the hubby and the kids on our mountain biking hols in the summer. ITs a new purchase and took it a long drive this afternoon where some problems showed up. I am a perfectionist and i dont like it when things squel squeek or break!
I can fix people just dont ask me to fix cars/trucks. I am willing to learn if someone knowledgeable has something decent to offer in the way of advice.
I hated the VR4 it was my husbands and glad to get rid of it as he would have killed us all in it before long!
I dont know this car and i have no history so it would be good just to know from people that have been there the common problems and things I should check.
R U selling you car by any chance lol

[Apache]

You cant spin the wheels on ramps anyway.

Just jack it up. You must have a jack hanging around. Try spinning the wheels by hand one by one. A dragging brake will show up. You should notice the wheel being hot though if its dragging enough to stop the truck moving off properly.

I could do with my right knee fixing...

Hoping to swap the GT-Four for a 3rd gen rather than selling and having to faff around with bl00dy tyre kickers and test pilots. You must know what its like selling a performance car. I miss the old girl...

[JUDWAK]

this guy took ages to find
he works on autogear boxes only

i for got his name

auto transmission
01709 528202

he can collect your car too

your not that far from us so iam sure he will do any gearbox things you may need to be fixed

[malxwal]

Hi !
You've made a good choice, as Landrovers will occupy all your time fixing them and do untold horrors to your spine/buttocks, and Fronteras are rotten buggers.
Which transmission do you have ? If you have a "council" one like mine, you should only use it in 2WD unless on slippy terrain. This would be identified by only having 2 options (plus N) on the transfer lever. Using it in 4WD on normal roads would damage the autobox.
However, I believe the handbrakes are prone to sticking/binding, which would result in warped drums, and the need for a heavy right foot to get the car to move. Very easy to fix. Let us all know when you've jacked it up and checked all four corners.

[dieselboy]

OMG two pages of hits in under 10 seconds, is the original poster a woman by any chance?

I had a vibration on my surf over 60 and it turned out to be wheel alignment (tracking).
Welcome, and all that

[Apache]

George you mental git! The OP is in Shrewsbury, its nowhere near Rotherham, and no-ones suggesting gearbox problems!!

this guy took ages to find
he works on autogear boxes only

i for got his name

auto transmission
01709 528202

he can collect your car too

your not that far from us so iam sure he will do any gearbox things you may need to be fixed

[Rachy]

Hi !
You've made a good choice, as Landrovers will occupy all your time fixing them and do untold horrors to your spine/buttocks, and Fronteras are rotten buggers.
Which transmission do you have ? If you have a "council" one like mine, you should only use it in 2WD unless on slippy terrain. This would be identified by only having 2 options (plus N) on the transfer lever. Using it in 4WD on normal roads would damage the autobox.
However, I believe the handbrakes are prone to sticking/binding, which would result in warped drums, and the need for a heavy right foot to get the car to move. Very easy to fix. Let us all know when you've jacked it up and checked all four corners.

aww I love you guys already I have the 3rd gen transfer box, button on the side and 2H/4H, N and 4L selections. When I got it, it was in 4H! I quickly put it into 2H and for good measure made sure the 4WD button wasnt pushed in. Interestingly when I first started the car no lights lit up telling me what drive it was in!??? Only when I checked all the selections did the AT/P red light up by the fuel guage. I was expecting a light to tell me I was in 4WD...knowing my luck its effin stuck in 4WD!!! and the front wheels dragging is the dreaded wind up! PLEASE GOD NO! but I have to drive it to work tomorrow so it will have to be driven!
Need to get it sorted asap so I know there wont be a problem later on. Only know about wind up from owning a FRONTERA!

[malxwal]

Hopefully not the box then. As mine is the "council" variant, I'm under strict orders to keep it in 2WD unless in the s**t...
The centre console heat is worrying though...does the ATF look clean and red, or smell burnt and look brown..

[Rachy]

Hopefully not the box then. As mine is the "council" variant, I'm under strict orders to keep it in 2WD unless in the s**t...
The centre console heat is worrying though...does the ATF look clean and red, or smell burnt and look brown..

its red and smells fine

[malxwal]

Coolio, we'll wait on the "jack up and spin " test results then

[puddlesurfer]

@malx

sorry i forgot to jack up my truck to check the springs today malx, I'll try and do it tomorrow

[dieselboy]

sorry i forgot to jack up my truck to check the springs today malx, I'll try and do it tomorrow

Easily done!

[puddlesurfer]

[JUDWAK]

George you mental git! The OP is in Shrewsbury, its nowhere near Rotherham, and no-ones suggesting gearbox problems!!

eye he would still do it
must remember to check and see if iam in the right the thread before i post