Quartermaster Failed Driveshaft - Be Aware

[Swampy888]

Hello fellow Quartermaster Owners, happy Trails.
Just a heads up that the failing driveshaft issues of the IG Wagon has also transferred across onto my Australian QM. This may the first in the world?

My QM was delivered in May 2024 and was one of the first in Australia. I have the tub with an alloy frame and canvas canopy to keep weight low.
Short story, I've done 26,000km's (16,150 miles) this year 99% on the black top (highway).
In August I had an INEOS Dealer install a 35mm (1.3 inch) Eibach lift kit and I run the factory 17" steel wheels and KO2 tyres. Nothing over the top.
6 Dec 24 I heard and felt a bang under the passenger front wheel during a very basic 4WD training course on fire trails.
I was in High Range 4WD entering the last wheel rut of the day at about 5km/h. We had spent the afternoon crawling at low speeds learning to shift into L and H range. Nothing drastic for the Grenadier.
It was trucked off and I've been told the rear sway bar snapped and the front driveline has been damaged. INEOS Engineers are investigating apparently.

I'm waiting on my dealer to confirm if it's covered under warranty which is a sore point given there are 10 reported Driveshaft failures reported in this Owners Forum on wagons across the globe. Possibly more not yet reported on FB or this forum.

The driveshafts, cardan rings and CV boot's are problematic on the wagons and given the QM is newish in the market with a longer wheelbase and drive shafts please keep an eye on yours. If you're not sure go the posts labelled "Failed Driveshaft" in this forum.

Be very very cautious on getting any lift kits at this stage, as tempting it is. In Australia, INEOS Dealers are still promoting and selling lift kits which is a problem in its self as they now tell me that I may not have it repaired under warranty for having an 'aftermarket' Eibach Lift Kit installed (while in the other hand they are happy to take your $$$$$ for installing it.)

I'm sure Eibach will have something to say about that given Eibach springs come standard from factory and now Eibach are selling lift kits for the Grenadiers as well as hundreds of other off-road vehicles.
I'm sure in the legal world this is also a problem for INEOS if dealers are selling something that INEOS won't cover under warranty.

Enjoy your QM's. Be cautious on lift kits.

Merry Christmas a safe travels

 

[Mudnut]

Not good news! Hope it is back on the road soon, and covered under warranty.

 

[trobex]

Any modification to the car, outside of IA only approved modifications (none effectively) can or may void warranty when push comes to shove. I hope they honour it though!

 

[landmannnn]

I thought it was interesting that someone posted that the installation method would be a contributing factor.

Conventionally you would raise the vehicle on a lift, remove the old springs/shocks and let everything hang under its own weight while fitting the new springs. This could easily overextend some joints and potentially split a boot or two.

 

[Tjeska]

Damn, really wanted the lift when I order a QM.

 

[PDX_Keith]

I thought it was interesting that someone posted that the installation method would be a contributing factor.

Conventionally you would raise the vehicle on a lift, remove the old springs/shocks and let everything hang under its own weight while fitting the new springs. This could easily overextend some joints and potentially split a boot or two.

I know Owl removes the front driveline while the IG is under it's own weight. After that removal, then they lift the IG and start the installation of springs/shocks.

 

[shiv.nandak]

Do you know if your dealer disconnected the front driveshaft when installing the lift?

 

[shiv.nandak]

Any modification to the car, outside of IA only approved modifications (none effectively) can or may void warranty when push comes to shove. I hope they honour it though!

In the US they have to prove that the lift caused the driveshaft failure to deny warranty.

 

[Mountain4x4]

In the US they have to prove that the lift caused the driveshaft failure to deny warranty.

That is Theoretically true, but is not practiced. Warranties are rarely honored any longer, this week alone I was denied a lock repair by Ford that they screwed up prior. And because 2 key scratches on the lock indicate someone tried to break in, they charged me to fix it. From now on, I pay to repair shit like that for cheaper. My 2005 Xterra came with an instant, exploding rear diff. They denied it because I had a lift and it must have placed undo torque on the diff, We went to mediation and even showed them the thousands of reports of exploding diffs, and the replacement part number with 3 spider gears instead of 1 and they still denied it was a design flaw, ( That thing was a real POS) We got our money out of principal as we paid a lawyer.

 

[shiv.nandak]

That is Theoretically true, but is not practiced. Warranties are rarely honored any longer, this week alone I was denied a lock repair by Ford that they screwed up prior. And because 2 key scratches on the lock indicate someone tried to break in, they charged me to fix it. From now on, I pay to repair shit like that for cheaper. My 2005 Xterra came with an instant, exploding rear diff. They denied it because I had a lift and it must have placed undo torque on the diff, We went to mediation and even showed them the thousands of reports of exploding diffs, and the replacement part number with 3 spider gears instead of 1 and they still denied it was a design flaw, ( That thing was a real POS) We got our money out of principal as we paid a lawyer.

Sorry you've had these experiences. I have been lucky so far in the sense that I have literally had no issues with any of my cars (knock on wood). Even my wife's Range Rover with 95k miles is going strong. For a major drivetrain failure I would have removed the lift before the dealer saw the car though. Although, the denial makes no sense - and loosing in arbitration makes even less sense. They must have really tried because loosing the case might mean admitting a design flaw and warranting the diff of every Xterra sold.

 

[Ovrland Bill]

Any modification to the car, outside of IA only approved modifications (none effectively) can or may void warranty when push comes to shove. I hope they honour it though!

Do you believe that Ineos would consider the substitution of larger diameter tires to also be a “modification”?