Gearbox Fault "Traction control reduced"

Had the same problem at Easter. Drive 160 miles to a holiday cottage we were staying in. Missed the cottage, went to do a 3 point turn, put it in to reverse, got the reduced traction message and flashing triangle, lost drive. Tried it in drive, still nothing. Switched off, started up and it's been fine ever since.

Just had the same fault reading the other day.
Out of the blue the gearbox fault reading appeared.
Just before this gearbox fault there is very briefly another notification.
It reads : DSC system on.
This is shown some 2 seconds and then the Gearbox Fault appears.
Together with "Traction limited" and the orange warning triangle.
When this happens also the lights in the centre console of the road type selection goes off.
Fault reading appears each time now after driving for about 2 to 3 minutes after the engine has started.
Made appointment at the local JLR dealer.
Hope problems is just some sensor malfunctioning and not something serious with rear differential.

How old is your car - these warning are often a sign of a failing battery or alternator

(14-07-2017 10:24am)XFullFatTim Wrote:  How old is your car - these warning are often a sign of a failing battery or alternator

Car dates from Februari 2013.
Till now never had any problems, engine always starts without any issues.
Nevertheless it could be a sign of a failing battery?

Hope it's that simple, will most probably be the cheapest solution.
Car is being picked up by the local dealer monday next week.
Fingers crossed.

The secondary battery in cars with Stop/Start can also cause warnings on the dash when it gets low. Usually they aren't as dire as the ones for the main battery. What came up on my RRS dash was "Warning - Low Battery - start engine immediately" On query with LRA they told me not to worry, just take the car for a drive and the Stop/Star battery will recharge. Never had the issue again. The car had not been used for 6 weeks.

(18-07-2017 07:01pm)Billy59 Wrote:  Car dates from Februari 2013.
Till now never had any problems, engine always starts without any issues.
Nevertheless it could be a sign of a failing battery?

Hope it's that simple, will most probably be the cheapest solution.
Car is being picked up by the local dealer monday next week.
Fingers crossed.

This weekend gearbox problem was gone.
Nevertheless had the car checked this afternoon at the local JLR dealer.
According the computer memory, problem was caused by Haldex pump of the rear differential module.
At startup Haldex pump is activated a few times to drive of in 4 wheel drive mode.
If it fails, gearbox problem will be show on the dash.
Might have been electrical problem in the pump, but is working fine now.
Advise from the dealer to install new Haldex oilpump if problem is back.
Made me an offer of 700 euro's to do the repair job.
Apparently the Haldex pump is rather expensive.
Hope pump will keep on working.

To all.

This is a problem with the rear haldex unit. You may see a flash of fault some time some where and it's gone for good amount of time. But trust me your haldex system is failing. In the end this fault will stay on your dash, and rear axle will never engage. The 2011 and 2012 MY should start seeing this more frequently.

We have the exact same 4th generation haldex unit as post 2014 volvos. What is different is volvo recommends haldex oil and filter change of the unit while ours don't. Overtime clutch material will dissolve into oil, block the filter and make the haldex oil pump (pre-charge pump, cargo pump whatever they calls it) work extra hard.

This pump will eventually break down. and with no pressure in the system rear differential will permanently disengage, guess what, you will now have a traction reduced signal camping on your dash.

Your haldex unit is due for a filter and oil change TWO years ago. Yes please replace them every two years or 20,000 miles, just to keep your pump alive. Because changing the pump is pain in the axx. You will have to disconnect the propeller shaft, remove connection flange with the risk of damaging the oil seal, just to remove that $300 pump ($600 from land rover).

In my case I was lucky that my pump has an open circuit. I barely opened the cover and cleaned with brake cleaning, then some yanking made it alive again, with resistance 5~8 ohm. You might not be this lucky. Your pump could short, it could even kill your Haldex controller, which is $$$$ to fix.

So here's recommendation:

1, change haldex oil filter and oil now.
2, open the cover of your pump and give it a good break cleaner shower, from the tiny seam you were able to open up.
3, change your "rear E differential" fuse from 15A to 5A, added protection for the frigile controller.

Good luck.

P.S. Feel free to read NHTSA issue 11011987.

For those not knowing what NTHSA is its a US based complaints database... Issue 11011987 reads as follows

It's understandable, a dirty filter will cause the pump to work harder and eventually fail but, Given the number of Freelanders and Evoques on the road I guess it's not a huge issue, clutch particles should not generally enter the hydraulic system although they will as any seals age.

That's not to say cleaning a filter is not a good thing, as it surely is, and should have been made easier to do.

I'd be a bit concerned that yours was fixed by a squirt of brake cleaner and a Yank... doesn't sounds like a particularly robust fix for the long term!

Quote:TITLE: SUDDEN LOST OF TRACTION AT REAR AXLE AT HIGH WAY SPEED.

VEHICLE MILEAGE: 40,000; AGE: 5 YEARS; AWD MODEL WITH REAR ELECTRICAL DIFFERENTIAL POWER COUPLING (HALDEX GEN 4 )

DESCRIPTION: VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, DASHBOARD SHOWN MESSAGE: "TRANSMISSION FAULT TRACTION REDUCED". THE REAR AXLE WAS FOUND TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM DRIVETRAIN AND WILL NOT RECONNECT UNDER SLIPPERY CONDITION.

ROOT CAUSE: REAR ELECTRICAL DIFFERENTIAL (HALDEX GEN 4) USE PNUEMATIC CONTROLLED CLUTCHES TO CONNECT/DISCONNECT REAR AXLE TO TRANSMISSION FOR TORQUE COUPLING. THE CLUTCH RELIES ON PNUEMATIC PUMP (LAND ROVER PART NUMBER LR075763) TO PROVIDE PRESSURE FOR COUPLING. THE PUMP USE BRUSHED DC MOTOR. OVERTIME, CLUTCH MATERIAL DISSOLVE INTO DIFFERENTIAL FLUID AND CLOGS UP FILTER OF THE PNUEMATIC LINE, CAUSING PUMP RUNNING AT HIGH DUTY CYCLE. THE MOTOR FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT AND BRUSHES DISCONNECT FROM MOTOR WINDING. CAUSING PUMP TO FAIL.

FOR REFERENCE, VOLVO AND OTHE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER WHO USE SIMILAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT (HALDEX GEN 4) REQUIRES SERVICING OF THE DIFFERENTIAL TO PREVENT SUCH FAILURE. LAND ROVER DOES NOT SUCH PROCEDURE.

LAND ROVER HAS TSB THAT DESCRIBES SUCH FAILURE AND MENTIONED THE PUMP WILL NEED TO CHANGE.

Note it's not a Pneumatic pump, it's hydraulic...