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Land Rover Range Rover Sport: Front Differential Inner CV Joint Wear

Front Differential Inner CV Joint Wear is a common transmission fault on the Land Rover Range Rover Sport on the 2005–2013 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $900 to $2,200 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 25 documented faults on the Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

Vehicle
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Years
2005–2013
System
Transmission

This page covers the Land Rover Range Rover Sport 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 Sport faults25 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

A concertina rubber constant-velocity joint boot fitted to a car driveshaft.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The rubber CV boot on a driveshaft — this is the part that splits and throws grease.

Ildar Sagdejev ( Specious ) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The L320 Range Rover Sport front differential CV driveshafts, specifically the inner CV joint at the differential output, wear prematurely due to the high articulation angles demanded by the independent front suspension combined with the vehicle's considerable weight. Rubber boots split and expel grease, accelerating joint wear. Once grease is depleted, the joint develops play and a characteristic clicking under steering lock. Left uncorrected, the joint fails and the front driveshaft separates.

What you would notice

  • Clicking or clunking noise when turning on full or near-full steering lock
  • Vibration through the steering wheel under acceleration from low speed
  • Grease flung onto surrounding suspension components visible on inspection
  • Split or torn CV boot visible on hoist inspection

How to check it

Where to look. Front axle, inner CV joints at the differential output flanges on both sides

Rotate the shaft and feel for roughness or play at the inner joint. With the vehicle on the ground, perform slow tight turns and listen for clicking. If a workshop inspection is possible: On a hoist, inspect both front driveshaft inner CV boots for splits or tears and check surrounding components for flung grease.

Parts involved: Differential, CV joint and boot.

What it costs to put right

$900 to $2,200 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

  • “Have the front CV shafts or boots been replaced?”
  • “Any clicking noise when turning on full steering lock?”
  • “Has the vehicle done significant off-road use at full suspension droop?”

Now check the Land Rover Range Rover Sport 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 Sport buyer questions

Is front differential inner cv joint wear serious on a Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

We rate it major and common on the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The L320 Range Rover Sport front differential CV driveshafts, specifically the inner CV joint at the differential output, wear prematurely due to the high articulation angles demanded by the independent front suspension combined with the vehicle's considerable weight. Rubber boots split and expel grease, accelerating joint wear. Once grease is depleted, the joint develops play and a characteristic clicking under steering lock. Left uncorrected, the joint fails and the front driveshaft separates.

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

$900 to $2,200 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 Sport years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2013 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. 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.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Rotate the shaft and feel for roughness or play at the inner joint. With the vehicle on the ground, perform slow tight turns and listen for clicking. If a workshop inspection is possible: On a hoist, inspect both front driveshaft inner CV boots for splits or tears and check surrounding components for flung grease. Look here: Front axle, inner CV joints at the differential output flanges on both sides