2004 Land Rover Freelander Complaint Log

LOSS POWER WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN HAVING TO REPLACE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON 11/19/10 LOSS POWER. ENGINE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE FAILURE. FAILURE OCCURRED AT 74639 MILES

PURCH 2/5/07 11,000 MILES; CAR DIES 2/27/07; LR REPLACES STARTER MOTOR; IGNITION LOCK, SWITCH, FUEL LOCK CYLINDER. TAKES TIL 5/23/07 TO COMPLETE. 6/4/07 AC LEAKS, AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON, LR CLAIMS EVAP. LOSS CONTROL SYSTEM; BETWEEN 6/8 AND 9/8 CAR IN 4 TIMES - WINDOWS INOPERABLE, AC BLOWING WATER; 1/5/08 OIL LEAKING AND ENGINE RUNS LOUD, LR RENEWS A FILTER, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE (CND) NOISE; 1/24/08 PASS. WINDOW INOPERABLE, ENGINE LOUD (LR CND) BUT INSTALLED CANISTER PURGE VALVE; TURN SIGNAL WOULD NOT ALWAYS WORK; 2/19/08 LEFT WINDOW INOPERABLE; SUNROOF STUCK OPEN; TRANSMISSION SHUTTERS (LR CND) 10/6/08 ENGINE OVERHEATS, LEAVES ME STRANDED LR REPLACES THERMOSTAT, COOLING FANS ASSEMBLY) AT OIL CHANGE ON 10/23/08 RADIATOR FULL OF SLUDGE HAVE FLUSHED ON 10/29/08; 12/15/08 ENGINE OVERHEATS, LEAVES ME STRANDED; LR RENEWED TANK; TRANSMISSION STILL NOT RIGHT (LR CND) LR FLUSHES RADIATOR; 3/11/08, FRONT BRAKES GO BAD; 2/24/09 COOLANT LEAKING (LR CND) SAID WAS COOLANT LEFT ON FRAME PANEL FROM PRIOR VISIT (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?) 5/8/09 ENGINE OVERHEATS - COOLANT ENTERING OIL DUE TO DEFECTIVE CYLINDER SLEEVE, LR REPLACES ENGINE (32,000 MILES) (NOW THAT MANUF. WARRANTY RUNS OUT - TAKES 40 DAYS TO COMPLETE) PICK UP CAR 6/18/09 AND SERVICE ENG. LIGHT IS ON; 6 DAYS LATER LR SAYS I NEED AIR FLOW AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS FOR ONLY $1,220.44; I BRING TO MY MECHANIC - NO CHARGE IT WAS COOLING FAN LEFT UNPLUGGED; 1/8/10 START CAR AND EVERY DROP OF OIL SPILLS ONTO DRIVEWAY; COOLANT LEAKING AND SLUDGY; RUNS LOUD; LR REPLACES ENGINE AGAIN (36,000 MILES) (30 DAYS) 3/4'/10 CAR HAS NO POWER - MY MECHANIC SAYS INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER - ONE WORKS AND ONE IS STUCK; 3/5/10 CAR WON'T START - TOW TO LR TAKES THEM TIL 3/13 TO TELL ME ITS STARTER; I THINK IGNITION SWITCH OR SOMETHING WRONG WHEN REPLACED ENGINE TWICE; SOLD CAR KNOWING HAD DEFECT. HAD 2002 FREELANDER WITH ALL SAME PROBLEMS. DO SOMETHING - THIS IS WRONG! *TR

04 LAND ROVER FREELANDER COOLING SYSTEM ENGINE OVERHEAT @ 29,000 MILES WITH COOLANT LEAKING . THEY SAID BECAUSE OF THERMOSTAT MALFUNCTION. I JUST NOTICED THAT I HAVE TO PUT COOLANT EVERY 600 MILES BECAUSE IT IS TOTALLY EMPTY AND THERE ARE SOME HAIRLINE CRACKS ON THE RESERVE. NOW I BRING IT BACK TO DEALER TO CHECK IT. *NM

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 FREELANDER IN FEBRUARY 2004. I HAVE SERVICED MY VEHICLE AT THE REQUIRED INTERVALS WITH LAND ROVER. AT 48,500 MILES, MY TRUCK STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO LOOKED IT OVER AND WAS PUZZLED. HE COULDN'T SEE WHERE THE COOLANT HAD GONE AND SUGGESTED I BRING THE CAR TO MY LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER IN NEW ROCHELLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LAND ROVER AND THE TECHNICIANS THERE FIXED THE SO-CALLED PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIANS INFORMED ME THAT A CRACKED RESERVOIR AND A MALFUNCTIONING FAN WERE FOUND. 5,000 MILES LATER (NOW THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED) THE CAR BEGINS TO OVERHEAT. I WENT AHEAD AND HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC WITH A LAND ROVER THERMOSTAT (WHERE WAS I TO TOW MY CAR AT 9 PM?) , 2 WEEKS LATER IT OVERHEATED AGAIN. I TOOK IT THE DEALERSHIP ONCE AGAIN. THEY TOLD ME THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. 6,800 DOLLARS. A 3 YEAR OLD CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE? I'VE BEEN NOTIFIED BY LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA THAT THEY WILL NOT COMPENSATE ANY OF THE MONEY BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FREELANDER. A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE OF MINE LEASED A 2003 FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER PARAMUS AND AT 48,000 MILES THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. THERE'S AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET WITH THE FREELANDER. IT'S ALL OVER THE WEB ! EVERY FREELANDER SUFFERS FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE CONCERNING THIS MATTER. IT'S COSTING ME TIME AT WORK, AND PLENTY IN RENTAL CAR FEES. *NM

BRAKE ROTORS REQUIRED REPLACING AND BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY WORN AFTER ONLY 14,500 MILES OF GENTLE DRIVING. DEALER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE A MAINTENANCE ITEM AND WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. COST WAS OVER $500 AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN BRAKE FAILURE IF REPAIRS HAD NOT BEEN MADE. BRAKE ROTORS DO NOT WEAR OUT IN LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

THE FREE LANDER SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE ASCOT IMPORT CARS WITH LESS THAN 12000 MILES. ASCOT (THE DEALERSHIP) CLEARED THE ERROR CODES AND RETURNED THE FEELANDER. THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, AND THE CAR'S ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. ASCOT CLAIMED TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE ECU; HOWEVER, THIS IS HARD TO VERIFY BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ACCURATE SERVICE RECORDS FROM THEM. ON MARCH 25, THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN, THE CAR'S ENGINE LOST POWER; HOWEVER, AFTER THE CAR WAS RESTARTED THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. ASCOT IMPORT CARS IS RELUCTANT TO GIVE US SERVICE RECORDS, AND WHEN THEY DO THEY ARE VERY VAGUE. ALTHOUGH EACH TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURS,IT IS THE SAME, THE DIAGNOSIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A LEMON LAW CLAIM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, FIRST THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FEW MINUTES LATER A SECOND LIGHT(THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT) CAME ON, THEN THE CAR STALLED COMPLETELY FROM A SPEED OF 40 KM/HR. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IM SENDING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED FOR ENGINE LIGHTS, BUT ITS THE FIRST TIME THE CAR STOPS COMPLETELY. ALL IN ALL THIS IS THE 5TH TIME I HAD A SERIOUS DEFECT, REQUIRING THE CAR TO BE SENT TO THE DEALER.*AK

MY WIFE TOOK HER FREE LANDER INTO THE LANDROVER DEALER FOR NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGE, AND WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT HER BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED, INCLUDING THE ROTORS, PADS, ETC. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP ALSO ADVISED HER THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN EVERY 24,000 MILES AND THAT'S THE WAY THE FREELANDERS ARE. SO BASICALLY, WE ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND OVER $400.00 EVERY YEAR FOR A REPAIR THAT SHOULDN'T BE NECESSARY.*AK SHE WAS ALSO TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THE ROTORS WERE SO THIN THAT THEY WERE INCAPABLE OF BEING RESURFACED. RESURFACING IS NORMAL FOR ALMOST ALL CARS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO US AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, AS WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A MORE RELIABLE VEHICLE HAD WE KNOWN. IF WE HAD GONE ON PAST EXPERIANCE, WE WOULD HAVE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE BRAKES UNTIL LATER DOWN THE ROAD, AS WITH MOST VEHICLES. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTEROUS. WE FOUND OURSELVES WONDERING WHAT GOOD "OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE ON ICE AND SNOW" DOES WHEN THE SUBSTANDARD BRAKES DON'T LAST AS LONG AS ON A NISSAN OR OTHER SIMILARLY WEIGHTED VEHICLE. WE WROTE THE MANUFACTURER, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. WE WERE HOPING ANOTHER AGENCY COULD AT LEAST WARN POSSIBLE FUTURE BUYERS.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH, WENT TO TAP ON THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND BEGAN TO SURGE. CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND SHUT IT OFF. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER.*AK

IN MID-OCTOBER 2004, I BOUGHT A NEW LAND ROVER FREELANDER FROM THE JIM COLEMAN OF FREDERICK, MD DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD MASSIVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. SINCE NOVEMBER OF '04, THE "HILL DESCENT" LIGHT (THE LR MANUAL SUGGESTS THIS MEANS A MAJOR PROBLEM), SRS (AIRBAG) AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SEVERAL TIMES. CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED TWICE BEFORE 2 MONTHS OLD. WHEN WE WENT TO GET THE CAR FOR PICK UP, THE CAR WAS DEAD. OTHER RECURRING PROBLEMS INCLUDE: NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY FOR HIGHWAY ENTRY/INTERSECTIONS/LEFT TURNS. SLUGGISH, HESITANT, LUNGING FORWARD, VERY SLOW PICK UP. A NAUSEATING BURNING SMELL CONTINUES TO COME THROUGH THE VENTS INTO THE CAR AND SURROUNDS THE HOOD AREA WHEN VEHICLE IS RUNNING OR SHORTLY AFTER TURN OFF. BRAKES ARE SHUDDERING AND BRAKE PEDAL PUSHES BACK ON MY FOOT WHEN STOPPING FAST. I PARKED AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE. CAME BACK TO VEHICLE AN HOUR LATER WITH THE AC FANS BLOWING ON HIGH. CAR WAS OFF. NO KEY IN IGNITION. MECHANIC AND I WITNESSED THE REAR GATE WINDOW DROP WITHOUT THE CAR BEING ON AND THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. AIR CONDITIONER SPITS THROUGH VENTS. WATER POURING OUT VENTS WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF AC-RELATED WATER ON FLOOR. A/C BROKE COMPLETELY. NO COLD AIR, ONLY FANS. A/C LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON. AIR WOULD COME OUT, ONLY HOT AIR. FANS STOPPED WORKING. FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS COMPLETELY FOGGED UP ON TRIP TO MISSISSIPPI. HAD TO USE TOWELS TO WIPE WINDOWS DOWN. DRASTICALLY CUT VISIBILITY AS WINDOWS FOGGED UP. FORCED TO LEAVE WINDOWS DOWN IN THUNDER STORMS. DRIVERS SIDE WIND SHIELD WIPER IS DRAGGING AT THE BOTTOM CREATING A SMEARED EFFECT. *NM

BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2004. IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON OVER 8 TIMES RESULTING IN 5 VIS MOTOR REPLACEMENTS, 2 OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACEMENTS AND ONE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE INTAKE MANIFOLD. IN ADDITION THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE IT WAS "SWOLLEN AND CRACKED" AND THE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE REAR WINDOW FELL AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. LUCKILY IT DID NOT BREAK AND INJURE ANYONE WHEN IT FELL. COOLANT LEVEL WAS ALSO "ALWAYS LOW." SYSTEM WAS PRESSURE TESTED AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. *TR

DURING HIGH SPEEDS (55-70 MPH) CAR WOULD DOWN SHIFT INTO LOW GEAR FOR NO REASON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON SHORTLY AFTER AND CAR RAN ROUGH. ON ONE OCCASION WHILE PULLING OUT ONTO A HIGHWAY THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. BRAKES REPLACED AT APPROX. 11K MILES. ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICE WAS DONE ON TIME ACCORDING TO THE PASSPORT SCHEDULE. STOPPED TO GET GAS AND CAR WOULD NOT START. HAD TO GET CAR TOWED 40 MILES AND TAKE A TAXI HOME. I WENT TO ARBITRATION WITH LRNA AND I GOT A 2005 REPLACEMENT. SEE MY 2ND POST ABOUT THIS TRUCK - ENGINE IS SHOT- HEAD GASKET BROKEN, THERMOSTAT SHOT, BREAKS AT 25K MILES, CRACKED MANIFOLD, CRACKED ENGINE HOSES. *TR

2002, LAND ROVER, FREELANDER, LEAKS MOTOR OIL THROUGH THE REAR MAIN ENGINE SEAL, COATING THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN USE THE HEATED OIL EMITS A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING MOTOR OIL FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT. THE DEFECT WAS BLATANTLY IGNORED DURING MAINTENANCE AT DEALERSHIP OCTOBER 4, 2004.*AK

MICHELIN SYNCHRONE TIRES OUTFITTED ON VEHICLE DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT TRACTION ON GROOVED CONCRETE HIGHWAYS, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT WAVERING AND INSTABILITY. *NM

2004 FREELANDER - FOUR HEATER AND AC BLOWER REPAIRS; WATER LEAKED FROM ROOF INTO DASHBOARD; REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT 15,000 MILES, WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS BLOWN OUT. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THIS INCIDENT ALSO OCCURED AS THE CONSUMER SLOWED TO STOP AT A LIGHT. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND TH EENGINE DIED AT THE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED 15 MINUTES LATER. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SURGE. *SC

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE STARTING TO DECELERATE AND STALL. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO SERVICED THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *TC