A safety concern has arisen with certain plug-in hybrid vehicles equipped with ZF’s 8-speed automatic transmission. The culprit? Faulty clutch plates manufactured with imperfections.
These defects can cause the clutch pack to overheat and degrade, polluting the transmission oil. This contaminated oil disrupts the hydraulic system, leading to a potential hazard: unexpected shifts into neutral.
This issue, first identified in November 2023, has resulted in 13 reported incidents in the United States between December 2023 and February 2024. Thankfully, no accidents or injuries have been associated with this problem so far.
JLR Transmission Issue (Land Rover)
The problem is limited to vehicles built between September 4, 2023, and November 9, 2023, at the Solihull facility in the UK.
These SUVs may experience a sudden shift to neutral caused by a faulty clutch pack within the eight-speed ZF transmission.
Fortunately, owners will be notified by July 26, 2024, and authorized Land Rover dealerships will check and repair gearboxes at no cost to them.
