MajorCommonTransmission

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Oil Leak and Premature Wear

Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Oil Leak and Premature Wear is a common transmission fault on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque on the 2011–2019 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 15 documented faults on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

Vehicle: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Years: 2011–2019
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Land Rover Range Rover Evoque faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Transfer case yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The Power Transfer Unit — the transfer case that routes drive from the transverse engine/gearbox to the rear prop shaft — is fitted with a small oil reservoir that is inadequate in volume and prone to seal degradation. The PTU is a sealed unit with no scheduled service interval in the original Land Rover maintenance schedule, and the seals fail from heat cycling and oil starvation, causing oil to leak externally or to contaminate the gearbox. Dry-running or low-oil operation rapidly destroys the internal helical gears and bearings. This fault is well-documented across the L538 Evoque and its sister Discovery Sport platform.

What you would notice

Oil staining or drips on the ground beneath the engine/gearbox area
Whining or grinding noise from the drivetrain under acceleration
Burning oil smell from the undercarriage after driving
AWD or drivetrain warning with prop shaft engagement loss in advanced cases
Vibration through the floor under load as worn PTU gears introduce play

How to check it

Where to look. Attached to the right-hand end of the gearbox, behind the right-hand driveshaft

Check the ground where the vehicle is normally parked for oil spots. On the test drive listen for a whining or grinding noise from the centre of the drivetrain under load. A PTU oil drain/fill service (an aftermarket-recommended procedure) can reveal oil condition — dark metallic oil confirms internal wear. If a workshop inspection is possible: With the vehicle on a hoist, inspect the PTU output seal and input shaft seal for oil staining on the underside of the gearbox/transfer case assembly near the right-hand driveshaft exit.

Parts involved: Transfer case.

What it costs to put right

$800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the PTU (transfer case) ever had its oil checked or replaced, and has any oil leak been noted underneath the vehicle?”
“Has there been any whining noise from the drivetrain or any AWD fault warning?”

Now check the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque buyer questions

Is power transfer unit (ptu) oil leak and premature wear serious on a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?

We rate it major and common on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. The Power Transfer Unit — the transfer case that routes drive from the transverse engine/gearbox to the rear prop shaft — is fitted with a small oil reservoir that is inadequate in volume and prone to seal degradation. The PTU is a sealed unit with no scheduled service interval in the original Land Rover maintenance schedule, and the seals fail from heat cycling and oil starvation, causing oil to leak externally or to contaminate the gearbox. Dry-running or low-oil operation rapidly destroys the internal helical gears and bearings. This fault is well-documented across the L538 Evoque and its sister Discovery Sport platform.

How much does it cost to fix on a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?

$800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Land Rover Range Rover Evoque years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2019 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.