Defender ABS Fail, Transmission Link or False Alarm?

Hey there! I have some experience working on cars, and I actually dealt with something very similar on my 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport last year. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I experienced. I initially panicked when all those warning lights came on, but it turned out to be just worn-out gear oil causing the sensors to act up. Took it to my trusted mechanic, and they did a complete transmission fluid flush and replacement. The whole thing cost me around 365 Euro, but it fixed the issue completely. Those warning lights disappeared right away. Before I can give more specific advice, how many miles/kilometers are on your Defender? Are you experiencing any weird noises or vibrations while shifting? When was the last time you had the transmission fluid checked? BTW, these issues are pretty common in Land Rovers when the gear oil starts degrading. Better to address it sooner rather than later!

Thanks for the info! I've got 77494 KM on the clock since my latest service. And yeah, I've noticed some slight vibrations while shifting, especially when going from 2nd to 3rd gear. The ABS and DSC warnings came up pretty suddenly during my commute the other day. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, it's good to know I'm not the only one who's dealt with this. Hopefully, it's just the transmission fluid like in your case. I'll get it checked out this week!

Hey again! After seeing your mileage and hearing about those vibrations, I'm even more convinced it's the same issue I had with my Range Rover Sport. Mine was showing similar symptoms at around 75,000 KM. Just to give you a bit more detail about my experience, those vibrations you mentioned during gear shifts? That's exactly what I felt before the ABS/DSC warnings popped up. The transmission fluid in these Land Rovers can break down faster than you'd expect, especially if you do a lot of stop-and-start driving. When my mechanic checked it out, the fluid was pretty dark and had lost most of its lubricating properties. After the flush and replacement, it was like driving a different car, smooth shifts, no vibrations, and all those annoying warning lights disappeared. Quick tip though, make sure they use the right spec transmission fluid. My mechanic initially tried a generic brand, but it didn't work well. Had to use the manufacturer-recommended one in the end. Keep us posted on how it goes! I'm betting you'll have the same results I did once you get that fluid changed.

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! That's super helpful, especially the tip about using the proper transmission fluid. I'll definitely make sure to mention that to my mechanic. You've really put my mind at ease, I was worried it might be something more serious (and expensive!). It's crazy how similar our situations are, even down to the mileage when the problems started showing up. I've already called my mechanic and booked it in for tomorrow morning. Will definitely stick to the manufacturer-recommended fluid after hearing about your experience with the generic brand. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this info. It's saved me a lot of worry and probably some money too! I'll update the thread once it's fixed so others can benefit from our discussion.