Model dossier · L405

Range Rover L405

2013 – 2021

The first all-aluminium Range Rover. The modern collectible.

Range Rover Range Rover L405 (2013 – 2021)
Range Rover L405 · 2013 – 2021

Overview

L405 at a glance

Key facts

Body styles
SWB & LWB
Units built
≈ 350,000
Collector picks
2017+ facelift, SVAutobiography, Fifty edition
Values (2025)
$35k – $180k+

Common symptoms

  • Air suspension leaks

    Front bags typically go first around 60–100k mi. Symptoms: overnight sag, compressor running long.

  • Timing chain wear (3.0 TDV6)

    Rear-mounted chain wear on early builds — listen for cold-start rattle.

  • Coolant crossover pipe (5.0 S/C)

    Same weak point as the L322 5.0. Plan on it if not already done.

  • Infotainment glitches

    Touch Pro / Touch Pro Duo lockups — software updates and battery voltage matter.

  • Rear diff pinion seal

    Weeping seal is common. Not urgent, but should be watched.

Issues

Common problems & troubleshooting

The failures owners of the L405 actually see, with the symptoms to look for and the steps to work through them. Reference only — complex repairs should go to a specialist.

01

Air-suspension front bag leak

Symptoms
Car sits nose-down overnight, compressor runs longer than usual on start-up, ride-height warning.
Likely causes
Front bags typically fail first around 60–100k mi; a slow perforation at the top fold.

Troubleshooting steps

  1. 1.Raise the vehicle to access-height, then soap-spray each bag to find leaks.
  2. 2.If a bag is leaking, replace both fronts (or both rears) together as a pair.
  3. 3.Inspect the compressor's runtime — a tired compressor often follows a leaking bag.
  4. 4.Recalibrate ride height with a capable scan tool after replacement.
02

3.0 TDV6 timing chain wear

Symptoms
Diesel rattle on cold start (2–10 s), rough idle when warm, P0016/P0017 correlation codes.
Likely causes
Rear-mounted timing chain and tensioners stretch on early builds, especially with extended oil intervals.

Troubleshooting steps

  1. 1.Confirm with a cold-start audio recording and live cam/crank correlation.
  2. 2.Do NOT keep driving — a snapped chain destroys the engine.
  3. 3.Full timing job requires engine-out or gearbox-out access; budget accordingly.
  4. 4.Switch to 8,000 mi / annual oil changes with LR-spec low-SAPS oil afterward.
03

5.0 supercharged coolant crossover pipe

Symptoms
Sweet smell, gradual coolant loss, no visible external drip.
Likely causes
Same plastic crossover pipe design as the L322 5.0 — brittle with heat cycles.

Troubleshooting steps

  1. 1.Pressure-test the cooling system and inspect under the supercharger.
  2. 2.Combine with a timing-chain-guide job — the labour overlap is huge.
  3. 3.Fit the updated metal crossover pipe.
  4. 4.Bleed the cooling system properly; airlocks cause repeat overheats.
04

Touch Pro / Touch Pro Duo infotainment lockups

Symptoms
Black screen, frozen rotary controls, reversing camera won't display, phantom reboots.
Likely causes
Firmware bugs, weak 12 V battery causing voltage sags, or a failing InControl module.

Troubleshooting steps

  1. 1.Load-test the 12 V battery first — voltage sags cause 80% of infotainment glitches.
  2. 2.Perform a hard reset: hold volume + home for 10 seconds.
  3. 3.Check for and apply the latest InControl / IVI software update at a franchised dealer.
  4. 4.If problems persist after a battery + software update, the head unit is the next step.
05

Rear differential pinion seal leak

Symptoms
Oil weep at the front of the rear diff, drips on the driveway aft of the transfer case.
Likely causes
Pinion seal hardens with age; sometimes a worn pinion bearing accelerates it.

Troubleshooting steps

  1. 1.Clean the diff nose, drive 100 miles, and re-inspect to confirm the leak source.
  2. 2.Check pinion-flange play by hand — any movement means bearings, not just a seal.
  3. 3.Seal-only job: mark the pinion nut, torque count on removal, and reinstall to the same preload.
  4. 4.If bearings are worn, do a full pinion rebuild — otherwise the new seal will leak again.

Need a specialist?

Alfa Auto Care — Woodside, Queens NY

Land Rover diagnostics & repair for classic and modern Range Rovers.

Shop details →

History

The story

The L405 was Land Rover's most significant leap in a generation. The D7u aluminium platform shed 420 kg, sharpened dynamics, and let the interior grow without the car growing in kind.

Introduced in 2012 as a 2013 model, the L405 brought all-aluminium construction, a fully modern cabin, and eventually the SVAutobiography's 565-hp supercharged send-off.

The 2017 facelift is the enthusiast's sweet spot — modernized cabin, pre-emissions-tightening simplicity, and interior tech that still holds up.

Production ended in 2021 with the arrival of the L460. The L405 is the current focus of the club's parts, issues, and manuals archive.

At a glance

Specifications

Production
2012 – 2021
Architecture
All-aluminium D7u monocoque
Length
4,999 mm (SWB) / 5,199 mm (LWB)
Kerb weight
≈ 2,160 – 2,595 kg
Suspension
Four-corner air w/ Terrain Response 2
Wading depth
900 mm

Powertrains

Engine family

3.0 TDV6 diesel

2013 – 2020

254 hp / 600 Nm

Timing chain wear on early builds; regular oil changes are non-negotiable.

4.4 SDV8 diesel

2013 – 2018

339 hp / 740 Nm

The long-distance choice. Watch for oil cooler seepage and EGR issues.

5.0 V8 Supercharged

2013 – 2021

510 – 565 hp

The collector engine. Timing chain guides and coolant crossover pipe are the known items.

2.0 P400e PHEV

2019 – 2021

398 hp combined

High-voltage battery health matters more than mileage.

Timeline

Year by year

  1. 2013

    L405 launch. Replaces the L322 with an all-aluminium structure — a 420 kg weight saving.

  2. 2014

    LWB introduced with the Autobiography Black; four-seat rear layout available.

  3. 2015

    SVAutobiography trim debuts with 550 hp supercharged V8.

  4. 2017

    Facelift: matrix-laser LED headlamps, dual-screen Touch Pro Duo infotainment.

  5. 2018

    P400e plug-in hybrid added; Ingenium inline-six 3.0 SDV6 diesel replaces some TDV6 variants.

  6. 2019

    SVAutobiography power up to 565 hp; Fifty edition marks 50 years of Range Rover.

  7. 2021

    Final L405 model year; successor L460 arrives in late 2021.