2011 LR4 New Owner Questions

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Nick11LR4

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Proud new owner of a 2011 LR4 HSE with 127k miles here. Wife and I loved the thing from the moment we looked at our first one and for some reason had never considered before now. Engineer by profession (but rookie mechanic) and figured anything in our price range was going to need work, why not get something we would be excited to work on.

After reading through this forum since we bought I have been putting together a list of things to do to maximize the life. I have no records of what has been done and currently trying to decide if there are things that I should just go ahead and change out even though might have already been done or try to figure out if the part seems like it was already changed and in good shape. On the surface everything appears fine, no check engine codes or strange sounds.

Based on my findings, I am thinking to go ahead and have the water pump, cross over hoses and timing chain guides replaced regardless of condition. Also already ordered my GAP IID as need a new key but understand it will be very useful down the road too.

Belts and timing chain seem to be ok, belts by feel and inspection, timing chain by sound and engine performance. Air suspension system is performing as expected currently so no plans to do anything to it now.

I would be very interested in what the seasoned owners in here think of my plan. Thanks in advance!
 

ryanjl

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If I were in your shoes, I'd definitely do the coolant stuff. Crossover pipes, water pump, thermostat, etc. I would be shocked if some of this stuff was not done already, but you have no idea when.

Timing chain is something I would hold off on. You could be fortunate and the previous owners of yours could have kept reasonable oil change intervals, always use good oil, etc. And the timing chain issue seldom seems catastrophic. i.e. there should be signs of it needing to be done before the engine goes boom. You can check by removing the oil cap and checking the chain tension (you can see the chain right inside the oil cap).

But the timing chain issue is weird. Some people have theirs changed at 50k miles. Others go 200k plus with no issues. At 127k, you could already be in the latter camp. Chain tension may tell the tale.
 

f1racer328

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If you're going to off road it I'd throw on AT tires and or smaller 18" wheels.

If not, looks like you got a pretty good list already. The timing chain guides might not be necessary until they start making noise.

Also don't follow the factory oil change interval. I change mine every 7500 miles. There's a large thread on oil changes here somewhere.

Also, might as well change all the other fluids, diffs, transfer case, and transmission. There is an upgraded metal pan for the transmission if you're interested in that.
 

CRYA

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I second the advice from @ryanjl re timing chains and it's in line with independent mechanics I've spoken to as well. Transmission fluid is still a headscratcher for me given the PITA pan. Wait till I notice some issues, or find a shop to perform the "snap 'n swap" on the pan. Anyways, yeah consider your trans fluid as well. Also, pics??? What service records do you have? Good luck and welcome!
 

Nick11LR4

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If you're going to off road it I'd throw on AT tires and or smaller 18" wheels.
Planning on doing some off road excursions, have my eye on the Continental TerrainContact A/T as seemed a good balance of daily driver while still confident in the north GA mountains. Have the 19", might look into the 18 but need to put some time between all this initial work and then.
Also, might as well change all the other fluids, diffs, transfer case, and transmission. There is an upgraded metal pan for the transmission if you're interested in that.
Thanks will look into getting this done. I did notice just now that there is a small amount of what appears to be oil accumulating underneath the truck. Going to get an oil change, oil level was good when checked.
Also, pics??? What service records do you have? Good luck and welcome!
Thank You! Only records are the original passport to service entries up to the 25k service. Pics attached :)
 

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f1racer328

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Planning on doing some off road excursions, have my eye on the Continental TerrainContact A/T as seemed a good balance of daily driver while still confident in the north GA mountains. Have the 19", might look into the 18 but need to put some time between all this initial work and then.
If you want another 19" tire to look at check out the Toyo AT3's in 255/60R/19

Slightly more sidewall on a 19" wheel. They ride very quiet and I've done a bit with them off road so far and have yet to blow out a sidewall.
 

Winegrower

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Our '13 had 56K on it when we got it and the lower control arms were in need of replacement. We also were losing a little coolant by and by and so had the waterpump, and crossover tubes, front and rear replaced fortunately before the "big catastrophe" everyone on this forum talks about happened. Like you we sure love this vehicle and were lucky to stumble on to a Land Rover. It was the only vehicle a couple who wanted our RV and tow car had to trade. An upgrade for sure from the Buick Enclave we traded. Hope you enjoy yours as much as we like ours. We both think it's perhaps the best vehicle we've ever owned.
 

Arman

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First thing to check:
- front and rear Crossover pipes (make sure to get latest design front pipe)
- waterpump, thermostat
- transmission oil and filter (cut away old pan snout, replace with good quality 2-piece pan, never save money on oil filter!)
- check transfer case (if it seeps and run out of oil it will fail catastrophically), differentials oil

Good to check and beware of:
- Timing chain and tensioner. No need to replace if it all works (do not touch what's not broken)
- Front Lower control arms typically last 30-80k miles (can replace with polyurethane bushings to increase longevity but slightly harsher ride)
- air compressor likes occasional service (glide rings, drier filter etc)
- clean air struts if dirt accumulated to prevent seal damage
- idler pulleys on serpentine belt can give rattling noise when worn, which many confuse with timing chain noise
- Sunroof drains can get clogged which can lead to water seeping inside the car - very simple to unclog
- plastic cowl on the bottom of windshield (under wipers) can get warped on the passenger side which can cause water to seep into AC airintake and consequently inside the cabin. Fix - replace cowl
- clips on A-pillars appear to be single use. If not replaced when replacing windshield - apillars will be loose and cause wind noise on highway (especially during strong crosswinds)
- Parking brake can get seized if not used for a long time (another good reason to use parking brake)
- Rear Tailgate switch sometimes fails
- I can feel improvement in braking after installing EBC Greenstuff brakepads (my personal subjective opinion)

Good summary:
 
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Kristina

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Welcome! I also have an '11, purchased a little over a year ago. It was just shy of 100K miles, and no service history, but single owner. Lack of history can be scary, but it could be that work was done without being reported to CarFax. I do know that my front LCAs were replaced just prior to purchase. I could also tell that the tailgate actuator had been replaced when it failed and I replaced it again. I just replaced the plugs, even though what was in it looked pretty good, so they may have been done by the prior owner? My car was very clean and looked well loved, so I am hoping that the previous owner took care of maintenance.

Arman, is there any way to tell by looking if the front crossover is the newer design?
 

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