Diff lock issues

[Stephen Whittaker]

I have had my Fieldmaster for 4 weeks now, 2000 miles. Each time I have gone into our woodland or fields the Grenadier has struggled compared to my Land Cruiser or Defenders.

The diff locks are very difficult to engage and even harder to disengage. I have tried and failed now three times and simply return to our other vehicles.

Finally this morning with plenty of time I took the Grenadier out onto some wet ground. I engaged off-road mode, changed to low range and engaged centre diff.
I then tried to engage rear differential and all seemed to work, hurray. Once out of the slippy stuff I disengaged rear diff and tried to leave low range/centre dif. The gear lever felt sloppy as usual but I got back into high range but couldn’t get the centre diff out. Alarms sounded, blared loudly to be honest and ‘passenger airbag’ error came on. I gave up, locked the car and walked away - alarm still sounding!

I can’t fix this and have had to call Ineos Breakdown.

This is not what I expected from a ‘serious 4 x 4’. My 1990’s defender and my 200 series Land Cruiser knock spots off this unfinished 4x4.

 

[Shaky]

I am sure it won’t be of any comfort, but you are not the first to suffer issues like this.

What have the AA said

 

[Stephen Whittaker]

I am sure it won’t be of any comfort, but you are not the first to suffer issues like this.

What have the AA said

They are coming in the morning - can’t imagine they will do anything other than recover the vehicle

 

[Jean Mercier]

I have had my Fieldmaster for 4 weeks now, 2000 miles. Each time I have gone into our woodland or fields the Grenadier has struggled compared to my Land Cruiser or Defenders.

The diff locks are very difficult to engage and even harder to disengage. I have tried and failed now three times and simply return to our other vehicles.

Finally this morning with plenty of time I took the Grenadier out onto some wet ground. I engaged off-road mode, changed to low range and engaged centre diff.
I then tried to engage rear differential and all seemed to work, hurray. Once out of the slippy stuff I disengaged rear diff and tried to leave low range/centre dif. The gear lever felt sloppy as usual but I got back into high range but couldn’t get the centre diff out. Alarms sounded, blared loudly to be honest and ‘passenger airbag’ error came on. I gave up, locked the car and walked away - alarm still sounding!

I can’t fix this and have had to call Ineos Breakdown.

This is not what I expected from a ‘serious 4 x 4’. My 1990’s defender and my 200 series Land Cruiser knock spots off this unfinished 4x4.

Did you try to drive one hundred meters with all alarms on, and doing a sharp turn, let's say 90 degree's?
I don't remember the exact situation, but once, after a test in my garden (less than 100m), when driving out of my garden, back on the street, everything was OK again!

 

[DaveB]

I have had my Fieldmaster for 4 weeks now, 2000 miles. Each time I have gone into our woodland or fields the Grenadier has struggled compared to my Land Cruiser or Defenders.

The diff locks are very difficult to engage and even harder to disengage. I have tried and failed now three times and simply return to our other vehicles.

Finally this morning with plenty of time I took the Grenadier out onto some wet ground. I engaged off-road mode, changed to low range and engaged centre diff.
I then tried to engage rear differential and all seemed to work, hurray. Once out of the slippy stuff I disengaged rear diff and tried to leave low range/centre dif. The gear lever felt sloppy as usual but I got back into high range but couldn’t get the centre diff out. Alarms sounded, blared loudly to be honest and ‘passenger airbag’ error came on. I gave up, locked the car and walked away - alarm still sounding!

I can’t fix this and have had to call Ineos Breakdown.

This is not what I expected from a ‘serious 4 x 4’. My 1990’s defender and my 200 series Land Cruiser knock spots off this unfinished 4x4.

I have seen this on a few videos.

First of all we need to accept there could actually be a problem with your transfer case and it needs to swapped out, this is fairly common.

Disengaging the diff is usually quick, however the indicator light going off is another issue.
There needs to be a clear speed difference between the two wheels for the light to go out.
You can ither ignore it, and let it do it over the next minute or so, or make some turns.

If there is nothing wrong with your transfer case then you can't unlock centre diff lock until rear diff lock is showing as disengaged.
I was told not to go from low locked centre diff to high locked centre diff.
It was recommended to go from low locked to low unlocked.
Then to high unlocked.
If high locked is required you can then move to high locked.
Yes this is different to some other vehicles.
The explanation I got was that as you can drive up to 70-80 kmh in low range locked/unlocked then it was potentially dangerous/damaging to go straight from low locked to high locked in a mechanically controlled system.

 

[Stephen Whittaker]

Yes, I’ve heard that. Mine’s stuck for sure, can’t move the lever and I’ve driven it enough to give it chance to pop out. So glad I didn’t sell my Land Cruiser!

 

[Solmanic]

You’ve probably tried already, but did you back it up in reverse a bit?

 

[Stephen Whittaker]

Yes, also tried a few things including jacking it up and freeing the wheels.

 

[Stephen Whittaker]

Just solved this diff issue. I spotted a small pin on the floor of the vehicle. I realised that this might be from the collar on the transfer box gear lever so stripped it down. With some fiddling I replaced the pin but had to tape it in with insulating tape as it just falls out again!

 

[Shaky]

Just solved this diff issue. I spotted a small pin on the floor of the vehicle. I realised that this might be from the collar on the transfer box gear lever so stripped it down. With some fiddling I replaced the pin but had to tape it in with insulating tape as it just falls out again!

WTAF. That is bad if I say so myself, the IG really is the spiritual successor to the old Defender !!

Some great advice from the forum, but again on the face of it, it looks like the most advanced car plant in Europe has struck again.

Still think the staff used to assemble lawn mowers tbh.

 

[Shaky]

Who wants to be the first one to coin the new/old phrase

If you want to get out into the bush drive a Grenadier, if you want to get back drive a Land Cruiser !!

Oh, that will be me then

 

[anand]

Just solved this diff issue. I spotted a small pin on the floor of the vehicle. I realised that this might be from the collar on the transfer box gear lever so stripped it down. With some fiddling I replaced the pin but had to tape it in with insulating tape as it just falls out again!

Congrats on finding an issue that no one else has reported as of yet!

 

[Ineos1NZ]

I have had my Fieldmaster for 4 weeks now, 2000 miles. Each time I have gone into our woodland or fields the Grenadier has struggled compared to my Land Cruiser or Defenders.

The diff locks are very difficult to engage and even harder to disengage. I have tried and failed now three times and simply return to our other vehicles.

Finally this morning with plenty of time I took the Grenadier out onto some wet ground. I engaged off-road mode, changed to low range and engaged centre diff.
I then tried to engage rear differential and all seemed to work, hurray. Once out of the slippy stuff I disengaged rear diff and tried to leave low range/centre dif. The gear lever felt sloppy as usual but I got back into high range but couldn’t get the centre diff out. Alarms sounded, blared loudly to be honest and ‘passenger airbag’ error came on. I gave up, locked the car and walked away - alarm still sounding!

I can’t fix this and have had to call Ineos Breakdown.

This is not what I expected from a ‘serious 4 x 4’. My 1990’s defender and my 200 series Land Cruiser knock spots off this unfinished 4x4.

Stephen
I am wondering if you got this all sorted ? and what the issues were
I can engage high locked but not low locked
all suggestions would be appreacited
Ineos ! NZ

 

[Chris T]

Hello,

I had a similar issue. I had it in low range, centre diff locked and put in the front and rear diff lockers to get out of a difficult spot. I could not get the lockers disengaged though. I called the dealer and he gave me a some advice which worked.

I drove a short way with the wheels turned all the way to lock one side and everything disengaged. I hope that is useful.

 

[Solmanic]

Just solved this diff issue. I spotted a small pin on the floor of the vehicle. I realised that this might be from the collar on the transfer box gear lever so stripped it down. With some fiddling I replaced the pin but had to tape it in with insulating tape as it just falls out again!

I'm looking forward to the next update of the Grenadier where they do proper, bespoke gear & transfer shifters - instead of the BMW and 8-ball levers we currently have.

 

[DaveB]

I'm looking forward to the next update of the Grenadier where they do proper, bespoke gear & transfer shifters - instead of the BMW and 8-ball levers we currently have.

Looks like you will never own one then.

 

[anand]

I'm looking forward to the next update of the Grenadier where they do proper, bespoke gear & transfer shifters - instead of the BMW and 8-ball levers we currently have.

The gear shifter is actually a ZF component, BMW just used it when they initially started using the gearbox

 

[Krabby]

Had this conversation yesterday. Despite being totally out of place, the extra R&D and time to create a bespoke one must not have made sense.

I do wish, however, they sourced a different preexisting one that fits the vibe better. This trans is used by tons of manufacturers, surely there were better options.

 

[Jean Mercier]

Some two week ago in Romania, on a “stone track”, I got a total power loss after engaging the central diff lock and a rattling sound, quite scaring.
I stopped the car and did it all over again, and no problems anymore.

My guess: the “transfer case selector” was badly engaged (my fault?) and jumped out.

I have it on video:

1. The first 1min30 is driving in normal high range.
2. Then I stopped the car and engaged the center differential lock.
3. At 1min48 I got the problem. I stopped the car at once. I don’t remember the warnings I got on my screen.

I did truncate the video after 3min05 and the Suzuki Vitara: you see a lot of them in the mountains in Romania. My former car was a Suzuki!

 

[rovie]

Some two week ago in Romania, on a “stone track”, I got a total power loss after engaging the central diff lock and a rattling sound, quite scaring.
I stopped the car and did it all over again, and no problems anymore.

My guess: the “transfer case selector” was badly engaged (my fault?) and jumped out.

I have it on video:

1. The first 1min30 is driving in normal high range.
2. Then I stopped the car and engaged the center differential lock.
3. At 1min48 I got the problem. I stopped the car at once. I don’t remember the warnings I got on my screen.

I did truncate the video after 3min05 and the Suzuki Vitara: you see a lot of them in the mountains in Romania. My former car was a Suzuki!

Yes, it sounds like the transfer case selector has jumped out.