Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 440205 | 03/07/2005 | 10016664 | Correct identification of transmission fluid check plug. the similarity of the freelander automatic transmission level inspection plug to surrounding fasteners can lead to loosening of the incorrect bolt with damaging consequences. *sc | 09/26/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 440305 | 12/16/2005 | 10018820 | Revised procedures and times for transmission replacement. *tt | 01/18/2006 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 11/10/2003 | 350 | ||
| 1.coolant system:strong antifreeze odor in vehicle cabin - replaced coolant reservoir;replaced coolant reservoir cap; thermostat housing failure; replaced all coolant lines and hoses as preventative measure; heater core failure - leaked anti freeze into heater chamber 2.transmission system (1 of 3): code f4 appeared on odometer; hill decent fault light illuminated; traction control light illuminated; brake anti block light illuminated; transmission (while in automatic d) will not downshift past 2. transmission will not upshift beyond 3; manually shifting down to 1, transmission experiences harsh shifting accompanied by loud clunking sound shifting from 1 to 2; will not manually shift beyond 3. 3.intake manifold and induction system: vehicle reverted to creep | |||
| 05/16/2011 | 88000 | ||
| At 88,000 miles, my 2003 land rover freelander lost ~80% of power while going up a hill on a major high way and started to billow smoke. after steering the vehical out of traffic, i popped the hood to find the material on the lower side of the hood on fire. apon putting this fire out, i realized there was still a large amount of smoke coming from the underside of the engine cover and my anti-freeze was empty, when served only a couple weeks prior. after letting the vehical cool, i took off the engine cover to find it had a mixture of coolant and oil resting on top of it; a dark-milky colored liquid. upon having it towed and further inspected by a professional, not only is my head gasket gone, a fitting on the a radiator line had melted above the engine, and a catylitic converter is as well. i got it back to my house in this condition because i still owe $7500 and have only had it for 1 year. mechanically totalled in my driveway, it now only sometimes will shift and when it does, only happens with force. prior to this almost fatal disaster, i had three window assemblies brake; ruining the motors and causing them to fall while driving, and my brake lights do not function. i replaced the brake light switch, problem with brake lights still persists. i've given up hope on this suv and have got not one reply from land rover costumer service. i am stuck making payments, and even if i could afford to fix it, would never put my wife and daughter in it again. please get these vehicals off the road, before someone is even less lucky then i. | |||
| 08/24/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the transmission began to jerk violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the shift solenoid sensor was replaced. the mechanic also detected the transmission intake valves were damaged. in addition, the rear passenger automatic window regulator failed to operate and the sun roof motor exhibited faulty wiring. the vehicle had not been repaired for the additional defects. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000. | |||
| 08/24/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the transmission began to jerk violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the shift solenoid sensor was replaced. the mechanic also detected the transmission intake valves were damaged. in addition, the rear passenger automatic window regulator failed to operate and the sun roof motor exhibited faulty wiring. the vehicle had not been repaired for the additional defects. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000. kmj | |||
| 09/01/2011 | |||
| I just purchased this vehicle for my daughter 16th birthday. nightmare. the rear window passagers regulator went out cost to be over $300. the transmission has a hard shift bang from 2nd to third gear. i took it to a transmission shop. they want to rebuild it at a cost of $4000. estimate was to replace cracked high clutch piston & or valve body leaks. labor would be over 20 hours worth of work. i am stuck with no vehicle for my daughter who is upset that she can't enjoy her first car. what a shame. very disappointed. i thought landrover was reliable like bmw. apparently not. | |||
| 08/24/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. while the contact was driving approximately 35 mph the transmission began to jerk violently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the shift solenoid sensor was replaced. the mechanic also detected the transmission intake valves were damaged. in addition, the rear passenger automatic window regulator failed to operate and the sun roof motor exhibited faulty wiring. the vehicle had not been repaired for the additional defects. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000. js | |||
| 09/01/2011 | |||
| I just purchased this vehicle for my daughter 16th birthday. nightmare. the rear window passagers regulator went out cost to be over $300. the transmission has a hard shift bang from 2nd to third gear. i took it to a transmission shop. they want to rebuild it at a cost of $4000. estimate was to replace cracked high clutch piston & or valve body leaks. labor would be over 20 hours worth of work. i am stuck with no vehicle for my daughter who is upset that she can't enjoy her first car. what a shame. very disappointed. i thought landrover was reliable like bmw. apparently not. | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 45000 | ||
| 1) driving on the highway at 60mph, my engine suddenly shut off and i lost all power except brakes. i was able to pull over to and allow my car to rest, and later drove my car to the land rover dealership where i was told something along the lines of the coolant gasket was cracked/broke and had caused the engine to overheat. 2) i was having my car fixed for random failure of window motor and sunroof, i was told that the the carrier bearings/support bearings that the driveshaft goes through are bad, yet this repair is covered. the problem is that the place where the shaft comes apart is rusted and corroded which is a $3200 dollar repair. the warrantied part (driveshaft) is $429, and the corroded piece + labor was $3160. 3) while getting a smog check in california, i had error codes indicating engine misfire and fuel injection error and my car did not pass, even though there was no service/check engine light, the car drove fine with fine meaning a grinding noise of my drivetrain and knock when going from 2nd to 3rd gear. land rover said that inside the upper intake manifold chamber, the actuator flap is stuck -a defect known to land rover but not covered since my car was out of warranty. this repair was $2000 4) while driving on the highway, suddenly check engine light came on at 65k miles, and all gauges shut down. rpm, fuel, mph, and temperature all fell to read 0, empty, 130+, and 0 degrees respectfully. i emergently pulled to side of the highway fearing the engine had overheated but everything was fine. i then turned the car back on after 30 minutes and saw all gauges again functional except speed. please look at the internet, this has happened to hundreds of people and this car is unsafe. it needs to be recalled! i was lucky that no one died or was injured in any of these 4 incidents. i never feel safe driving on highways anymore. | |||
| 01/02/2006 | 25731 | ||
| My land rover freelander has been in to the dealership for coolant smells coming into the cabin 20+ times and has never been repaired. they have replaced external parts, (reservoir tank, hoses and thermostats) and never fixed the problem. after researching the problem while it was still under warranty on my own, i found a complaint about head gasket problems with the k series engine and was told by the dealer that they new nothing about it, and you can't believe everything you read on the internet. since then i called the ca bureau of automotive repair and had an agent investigate. the dealership offered to send it to another warranty shop which found a bad head gasket. i also called l/r direct to try and find out what they may be able to do for me. they told me they would not replace the engine because it cost $11,000 +, and the replacement engine will fail also. the engine was manufactured incorrectly at the factory. the cylinder sleeves are the wrong alloy and loosen when the engine is hot causing head gasket and eventually total engine failure. land rover has known about this problem since 2004, technical bulletin #0036 and #0026 issued 06/18/2004. the manufacturer offered me $3500 to buy my car from me, and would not replace the engine. the vehicle only has 54,000 miles on it. this seems to be a safety hazard as well as a health issue from breathing in toxic fumes from the coolant. there have been other incidents with this vehicle which are to many to mention in this letter. please contact asap about this matter. | |||
| 01/15/2008 | 85000 | ||
| Flapping sound constantly coming from engine that requires complete replacement of the intake manifold to repair. transmission is slipping ,shifting hard and vibrating heavily under acceleration. tail light went out and turn signal switch needed to be replaced. window regulators have gone out and needed to be replaced in passenger , behind driver's door and rear cargo areas. | |||
| 09/05/2007 | 48000 | 1 | |
| My car has endless problems in every aspect!! anyone that owns one are having the same issues and nobody can seem to fix it, nor can i get parts to fix it, and the parts you do get to repair the vehicle break faster than the original parts on the car !! my engine has not failed yet but my transmission has and the dealer ship wont fix it and said there is nothing wrong with it !! iv paid more money fixing the car than i have for the car !! i can't go more than 1000 miles before something else breaks !! i have owned the car for about 18 months and its been in the shop for about 12 of those 18 months !! everyone that has one of these landrover freelanders has the same issues and nobody can get parts for this car ! nothing works right and nothing runs like it should and even the mechanics at the dealer ship will take you aside and tell you get rid of it while you still can !!! i cant and neither can allot of others like me because of the money they have put into the car just to keep it on the road !! this car has left me and my 20 month old son stranded in the middle of nowhere on more than three or four or five occasions !! i lost track of how many times !! and when something goes wrong with this car your stuck wherever your at !! its not safe to walk down a freeway with a baby at any time during the day or night and that's exactly what iv had to do on many different occasions !! this is not a safe car by any means ! when my fuel pump went out my car just died at 60 miles an hour on the highway and nearly caused an accident with me and many other cars and i thank the good lord nothing happened when the car died and it felt like someone was slamming on the brakes !! this car is a safety hazard in the worst way !! kids should not be allowed too ride in this car do too the fact they might get hit by a car when it dies and leaves you on the freeway or anywhere else your at !! i don't let my son in this car unless its absolutely necessary !! i'll borrow my moms car just to go to the store with him !! *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 04/02/2011 | 83271 | ||
| Car just loses power and stops while driving at 60mph on highway. i took it in to mechanic and was told that the fuel pump shut off. after getting fuel pump replaced, the car continues to lose power at random times while accelerating. very dangerous! | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 5284 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover free lander. the contact stated that in january 2011, the cooling system began to leak abnormally, the radiator hose fractured from the vehicle and the engine caught on fire. the following month, the engine continued to overheat, the abs and check engine warning lights were illuminated and the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where they repaired the cooling thermostat, hoses and power steering pump. the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the intake valves, thermostat and power steering pump were replaced. the abs failure was not repaired and the warning light remained illuminated. in addition, the contact stated that when driving various speeds, the vehicle would jerk violently and exhibit an abnormally loud noise. the dealer advised the contact that the transmission failed and would need replacing. the vehicle was not further repaired. the current mileage was 46, 854 and the failure mileage was 5,284. | |||
| 03/01/2004 | 5284 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 land rover free lander. in january 2011 the contact stated that the engine caught fire, the cooling system leaked and the radiator hose blew off. in february 2011 the engine was over heating, the abs system and check engine warning lights illuminated and suddenly the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where they repaired the cooling thermostat, hoses and power steering pump. the vehicle was taken to the dealer a second time for the same issues and had the intake valves, thermostat, and power steering pump replaced again; however, the abs system was not repaired and it continues to illuminate. the contact is continuing to hear a loud noise and the vehicle violently jerks when traveling. the dealer advised the contact that the transmission failed and would need replacing. no repairs were performed. the current mileages were 46, 854 and the failure mileages were 5,284. bw | |||
| 12/18/2010 | 96000 | ||
| I was driving 70mph, out of no where, the car down shifted, the hill decent! light came on, f4 began flashing. i lost control breifly but regained it. | |||
| 08/26/2010 | 73000 | ||
| I have a landrover freelander 2003. the car needed a new engine at 41000 miles and right after that transmission seals had to be repaired right after that air.heating units were replaced now the car is at 73000 milers and the dealer is telling me that i need a new engine again for the same problem coolant and oil mixing ,which was the problem i had in 2007 when they replaced the engine.the car is at the dealer for the past two weeks and they are refusing to give me a loaner because i have contacted land rover to see what they are going to do about the garbage of acar and they are taking their time resolving the issue. | |||
| 12/17/2009 | 97000 | ||
| I am having problem with the entire engine system. i spent $1000 repairing the timing belt, yet the timing belt persist with engine failure. mass airflow meter keep blowing up, i am bought 3 at $325 so far. i have spent another $2000 to get the engine fixed still no solutions. highlight keeps coming on every time i press the brake light. the car won't speed up check engine lights come on, srs light is on everything in this car is bad as a result make it real unsafe. please people try to do something for the people that drive this and hopefully get it off the market. | |||
| 11/20/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| I have a landrover freelander 2003 se, the transmission on this car is very harsh, shifting from one speed to another makes very big noise especially when it has been running for long time. took it to a transmission shop , they said nothing is wrong in the outside and all look good, but after reading in the internet i found out that this type of car has an issue with their transmission. *tr | |||
| 01/06/2010 | 40000 | 1 | |
| 2003 freelander land rover - transmission died at 40000 miles and coolant system failed 2 weeks later. dealer will not repair, car is incredibly unreliable and hence unsafe. *tr | |||
| 12/23/2009 | 54000 | 1 | |
| I have land rover freelander 2003 traveling slight downhill the transmission disengage. the car have 54,000ml on consequently have had rough run and complete rear gear loss. *tr | |||
| 10/16/2009 | 98000 | 1 | |
| I purchased my 2003 freelander landrover 11/05/08. i have had issues ever since both passenger side windows do not work taillights no longer working even after changing bulbs, fuel pump went lr did replace per recall, transmission has gone, instruments lights with in dash have gone out , tires are balding quickly after replacement. *tr | |||
| 02/23/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Prior to this major problem, the car has had several minor electrical issues: windows getting stuck in up and down position, rear wiper malfunction; also, unable to defrost driver's side of windshield. car has been in the shop on two separate occasions for issues that were not quick fixes: 1. brake work 2. car got stuck in gear and was unable to reverse. for the past few months, car has been revving when driving between 10 and 20mph. most recently, it braked hard and suddenly without the driver pressing the brake. currently, the car is flashing f and 4 in the dash display and is unable to accelerate. the car is unable to climb even the slightest of inclines. the driver was able to drive it to an auto repair shop. the mechanic at the shop believes the transmission is shot, but suggested having it diagnosed at a mr. transmission. *tr | |||
| 12/28/2004 | 32188 | 1 | |
| Check engine light on, vehicle stalled & woud not start. *tr | |||
| 12/08/2004 | 31896 | 1 | |
| Vehicle loses power, check engine light is on & stays on. traction control light comes on & stays on. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2004 | 24023 | 1 | |
| 2003 freelander, will stall or come to a complete stop. nothing works, no brakes, steering, everything locks up. i was on the freeway going about 75 mph and my vehicle just stalled, this has happened on multiple occasions. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2007 | 55000 | 1 | |
| 2000 landrover freelander - transmission failure at 57k miles. transmission cost me 1150 dollars to fix. the fuel pump failed after another 100 miles. that cost me 1050 dollars. this car was junk. the car has since been in an accident which totaled it. but i can't prove the car was at fault, but i'll bet it was. *tr | |||
| 02/27/2008 | 78000 | 1 | |
| I have 78k on my '03 land rover freelander and the transmission just went out with the f-4 flashing on the odometer, check engine light on, and the hill descent/traction control lights coming on. took it to the dealer which i have the warranty through, and they said it needs to be replaced for $3300, and the warranty company won't cover it. it has been in the shop since the end of feb '08 and i still haven't gotten it back, nor does anyone have any info on it. as far as events leading up to the incident, there was no warnings. it was running fine on the day prior, but then the next day it started shifting hard and the all the lights and codes occurred. *tr | |||
| 06/11/2007 | 60000 | 1 | 02/04/2003 |
| Total transmission failure in 2002 landrover freelander (purchased in february 2003) at 56k. two faulty vis motors found, blown left speaker cone, failed fuel sender, faulty heater fan, broken window drive bracket. total repair cost $6000. no help from dealer, no help from landrover. car finally unloaded in part exchange for $1,250 just to get rid of it after reading other posts on this site. *tr | |||
| 09/10/2007 | 60000 | 4 | 02/05/2005 |
| Landrover freelander ongoing repairs. 1) bad passenger window actuator. 2) bad fuel pump 3) bad ignition/starter. 4) transmission failure. *tr | |||
| 11/03/2006 | 488000 | 6 | 08/20/2005 |
| The land rover freelander is not a safe car. i feel this car is very dangerous to the consumer with all the problems people are having with this car. i am having the same problems that i am seeing on the internet that my fellow freelander owners are having sunroof problems, brakes, oil leaks, transmission problems at low mileage, heater core leak that cause windows to mist at 30,000-40,000 miles that is very dangerous for consumers and i feel the nhtsa needs to check into these many defects and have land rover pay these consumers there money back and save lives. i have had my sunroof fixed twice with less than 40,000 miles, i have had a oil leak with less than 40,000 miles, presently i am dealing with a heater core leak at 50.400 just when my warranty is up and this is going to cost me 1,000 dollars and all land rover had to say was i am sorry. i expect a car like land rover to be more dependable than that, with low mileage and all of these problems. i feel this is to many problems for a car that land rover claims to be rugged, tough and dependable. i truly hope that nhtsa can help myself and my fellow consumers with the defects we are having with this car and provide consumer safety that we all need during these tough times. thank you. *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||
| 12/22/2008 | 114000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 landrover i have had to make repairs to this auto due to the drive shaft. i have to put drive shaft bearing on both sides of car this is very expensive. i have also called land rover they say they cannot help since i don't take my car to their dealership to have the suv worked on i have kept my car in tip top shape i get. *tr | |||