LR4 Newbie - We have problems!

[Tory Bar]

Please excuse my lack of car terminology throughout this post...

We purchased a 2012 LR4 about a year ago. Since then, it has significant issues. We replaced the fuel injectors about 6 months ago ($5k expense, yikes!) and now the coolant is leaking. It is a very slow leak, and according to the first mechanic, he couldn’t find where the leak was coming from. He pressurized the system, checked the head gasket, etc. From reading the posts on the forum, it seems that head gaskets tend to be an issue for LR4s. We are taking it to another shop on Friday (it is out of town, so we will have to drive 1.5 hours to get there). Any recommendations of what to have them look for? I really don’t want to end up in a position where we have to replace the engine/etc. because we missed something vital.

Should we just count our losses and move on to a new vehicle? We LOVE our LR4 because it fits our two Great Danes in the back and baby in the front, and is off-road capable. There just isn’t anything else like it out there! We are so sad that it has given us so much trouble! We are gearing up for another cross-country road trip, so we need it to be reliable.

 

[Tory Bar]

Forgot to include it has 87,900 miles on it right now.

 

[f1racer328]

The crossover coolant pipe is probably cracked, or the water pump is leaking. These are super common in LR4's. My water pump was replaced around 50 or 60k miles (along with the crossover pipe)

If they go, you can experience a rapid loss of coolant and destroy your engine extremely quickly. Be careful.

 

[cperez]

It is a very slow leak, and according to the first mechanic, he couldn’t find where the leak was coming from.

A savvy mechanic will closely inspect the bottom surface of the water pump. Coolant can *seep* more than leak from a small hole or crack. It will never even hit the ground in some cases but will instead crystallize around the leak. So no telltale puddle under the vehicle will give it away. Have that inspected closely as well as the front and rear crossover pipes that were mentioned..

 

[PaulLR3]

^^What he said^^ I'm on water pump #3 and the first two had a very slow leak that was just drops on the pavement under the front bumper.

However, if draining the coolant to do the water pump, change out the front and rear crossover pipes as well. Not inexpensive, but it will give you peace of mind and renewed confidence in your LR4.

 

[TrinidadLR4]

As others mentioned - water pump and/or either of the crossover pipes are your likely culprits. Make sure oil changes are every 5-7k, not when the computer tells you. No head gasket issues that I know of, unless it overheats. I love mine, my Great Dane fits in the back very well, and I can't imagine another vehicle in which he'd be as comfortable. Good luck!

Please excuse my lack of car terminology throughout this post...

We purchased a 2012 LR4 about a year ago. Since then, it has significant issues. We replaced the fuel injectors about 6 months ago ($5k expense, yikes!) and now the coolant is leaking. It is a very slow leak, and according to the first mechanic, he couldn’t find where the leak was coming from. He pressurized the system, checked the head gasket, etc. From reading the posts on the forum, it seems that head gaskets tend to be an issue for LR4s. We are taking it to another shop on Friday (it is out of town, so we will have to drive 1.5 hours to get there). Any recommendations of what to have them look for? I really don’t want to end up in a position where we have to replace the engine/etc. because we missed something vital.

Should we just count our losses and move on to a new vehicle? We LOVE our LR4 because it fits our two Great Danes in the back and baby in the front, and is off-road capable. There just isn’t anything else like it out there! We are so sad that it has given us so much trouble! We are gearing up for another cross-country road trip, so we need it to be reliable.

 

[Tory Bar]

Thank you guys for the advice! The mechanic confirmed that it was the water pump and the intake manifold gaskets. The crossover pipes seemed to be ok, but we asked to have those replaced preventatively while they were in there.

I really appreciate your help!

 

[Quijote]

Thank you guys for the advice! The mechanic confirmed that it was the water pump and the intake manifold gaskets. The crossover pipes seemed to be ok, but we asked to have those replaced preventatively while they were in there.

I really appreciate your help!

Good to hear it was only that. And you did the right thing tackling the pipes. My LR4 is perfect and has low miles (43k), but I will probably tackle the cooling system next Fall preemptively.

 

[Tory Bar]

Yeah! That sounds like a good idea based on everything I’ve heard. This forum has been a life saver! It’s so great to have a Land Rover community to help.

 

[cperez]

Thank you guys for the advice! The mechanic confirmed that it was the water pump and the intake manifold gaskets. The crossover pipes seemed to be ok, but we asked to have those replaced preventatively while they were in there.

I really appreciate your help!

Great to hear. Unfortunately, for all their other advantages, these vehicles have sketchy water pumps. Just about everyone (so it seems) had theirs replaced under warranty when new, and then we add that item to the list for regular inspection and replacement post-warranty. Anecdotally, 50K mile service life is about what to expect from a LR4 water pump.

Enjoy it! It has a few quirks but it's a great all-purpose vehicle.