Follow-up
I recently had a long conversation with an experienced LR mechanic. He told me that the Freelander Jatco boxes in 02 to 04 models are not very reliable.
Foremost he indicates to me, and re affirms my original fear, the 60kmile LRN-402 transmission fluid change interval is excessive. In his best estimate, this transmission box should have it's fluid changes once every 25K to 30k miles, not any more than this.
When LRN-402 reaches these mileage levels, depending on the driving condition and humidity and heat in the environment, the friction material inside the transmission will break down and eventually the car will fail in the upper gears.
It will be typical for these Jatco boxes ro fail in 3rd, 4th and 5th as these are the gears most commonly engaged in day to day driving, with 1st and 2nd gear only engaged for short time periods.
As you car does not engage 3rd gear at all as you say, try the Steptronic manual mode and when in 2nd gear, and at about 2500 RPM, push the shifter forward two steps quickly and see if the car can engage in 4th or even 5th gear with an additional push.
Then slow down and come to a complete stop to see if the transmission settles into 2nd gear automatically. This will let you know if your transmission controller and solenoids are OK.
Most probably your transmission has worn out the upper gears as the fluid lost it's properties, it's a slow death. Most transmissions will last up to 70kmiles without a fluid change, beyond that it's a race till it breaks and an expensive repair bill ensues, almost always beyond the short warranty period of 4 years or 50 kmiles, carefully designed by Land Rover to be 10kmiles under the 60kmile change interval, slick stuff, but I believe totally unfair.
The 60k mile first transmission oil change is ludicrous and results is chronic Jatco failures. Apart from this add the fact that the LRN-402 is impossible to find outside of a LR parts department in most countries.
I understand that Toyota's use an equivalent fluid in their transmissions, but one must be careful. It's best to buy real LRN-402.
Sorry about your tranny, we are all on the same page with massive failures of everything from leaky thermostats to blown head gaskets due to coolant loss.
Depressing when one knows that after the last car payments are made, the $34K lemon end up costing over $48K.
Once again a sad reminder of how catchy Land Rover advertising has fooled literally thousands of customers into believing that these cars are and I quote "The best SUV's on earth". I say BAH HUMBUG.
The best route, buy a reconditioned transmission for $2490 with a 2 year unlimited warranty and change LRN-402 every 25kmiles...... Freight on this will run you $200 USD or so. Heck a brand new Jatco will only comes with a 60 day warranty from the Land Rover dealer ! Another nail in the coffin if you ask me.
Here's the link... any competent transmissio shop can swap this. You will need to buy O rings and some other parts if you want a quality job. The shop can tell you what to buy extra. A new Oil Cooler and hoses is not a bad idea also.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=160195204769&rd=1