This make and model has a reputation for leaking transmission fluid either through breather outlets or plugs that should seal but don't. And one of the first signs that a transmission has lost fluid is a refusal to select a gear. Everything an automatic transmission does is through hydraulic pressure. Lose enough fluid over time, and there's insufficient pressure to make the vehicle move.

The good news is your vehicle should still be under factory warranty, so take it to an LDV dealership to be assessed. But don’t try to top up the fluid and drive it there, as this could cause more damage if the problem is something more complex.

Safety gear such as seat-belt warnings don’t usually have an on-off button, as they need to operate all the time in the interests of safety. But having them go off when there’s nobody in the back seat is just annoying.

Are your kids leaving their school bags or anything else on the seat when they leave the vehicle? Sometimes a bag of groceries or a small suitcase heavy enough can make the vehicle think there’s a human backside on the seat and, if the seat-belt isn’t done up, will sound the alert. If not, you’re probably looking at a problem with the sensor that triggers the warning. Either way, the car thinks the seat is occupied when it’s not.

This problem should be covered by your new-car warranty, so let the dealer sort it out. In the meantime, you might be able to silence the warning by clipping the seat-belts into their correct buckles, even if there’s nobody in those seats.

You’re (possibly) looking for a driveline problem here. It’s probably not the engine itself as the vibration occurs when you’re slowing down (and the engine is no longer under load) but beyond that, it could be anything from a driveshaft, axle, transmission, braking system, wheel bearing, suspension or even an engine or transmission mount problem.

But the bottom line is that your vehicle should still be covered by the factory warranty, so make use of it. If you don’t get any satisfaction at dealership level, tackle LDV’s Australian customer service department. Our laws regarding vehicle warranties are plain and simple and are designed to protect consumers.