2003 Land Rover Freelander

SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES FOUND THAT CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED AND GENERALLY RESULT IN A NO RESTART CONDITION.THESE ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE POTENTIAL SEVERITY OF STALLING INCIDENTS.HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY LOW RATES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION WHEN COMPARED WITH PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS INVOLVING SIMILAR CATEGORIES OF ENGINE STALL CONSEQUENCES.FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER WOULD NOT BE AN EFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF AGENCY RESOURCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMPLAINTS AND OTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED PRELIMINARY EVALUATION PE07-036 ON JULY 17, 2007, BASED ON THREE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER VEHICLES.IN EACH INCIDENT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS. IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER, FORD PROVIDED OWNER COMPLAINT INFORMATION, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA FOR APPROXIMATELY 9,985 SUBJECT VEHICLES SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES.THE BASE WARRANTY FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS 48 MONTHS OR 50,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.FORD CATEGORIZED THE DATA BY ENGINE STALLS THAT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE STALLS WITH AN UNKNOWN DRIVING CONDITION, NO START CONDITIONS AND OTHER DRIVEABILITY CONDITIONS. ODI'S ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED A 6.7% FUEL PUMP WARRANTY CLAIM RATE FOR ALL CONDITIONS AFTER APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 5 YEARS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING 1.4% CATEGORIZED AS A STALL WHILE DRIVING EVENT AND 2.1% CATEGORIZED AS A STALL WITH AN UNKNOWN DRIVING CONDITION.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-018) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.

ON JUNE 16, 2005, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE05-034) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STOP LAMP (BRAKE) SWITCH FAILURES IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2004 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES.ON OCTOBER 14, 2005, THE INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS AND THE SCOPE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CERTAIN MY 2002 THROUGH 2005 FREELANDER VEHICLES THAT USE A SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR SELF-ADJUSTING STOP LAMP SWITCH FURNISHED BY THE SAME SUPPLIER, METHODE ELECTRONICS MALTA, LTD. (METHODE).IN SEPTEMBER 2003, METHODE MOVED THE PRODUCTION OF AN INTERNAL SWITCH COMPONENT, KNOWN AS THE SLIDER MECHANISM, FROM A VALIDATED PLASTIC INJECTION-MOLDING TOOL (?CAVITY 1?) TO ANOTHER TOOL (?CAVITY 2?) THAT HAD NOT BEEN USED BEFORE TO PRODUCE PARTS FOR LAND ROVER.SLIDERS FROM CAVITY 2 MAY BE CHARACTERIZED BY POOR FILL, LACK OF DEFINITION IN THE SLIDER TEETH AND DIMENSIONAL INSTABILITY.CONSEQUENTLY, THE SLIDER MAY BE UNABLE TO RESTRAIN IMPROPER MOVEMENT OF THE PLUNGER DURING NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION.THIS MAY CAUSE THE SWITCH TO FALL OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, THUS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO ENERGIZE THE SWITCH AND ILLUMINATE THE STOP LAMPS.?CAVITY 2? SWITCHES WERE INSTALLED IN APPROXIMATELY 8,763 DISCOVERY SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT FROM DECEMBER 2003 THROUGH MAY 2004 AND APPROXIMATELY 3,915 FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT FROM OCTOBER 2003 THROUGH MAY 2004.ADDITIONALLY, STOP LAMP SWITCHES IN CERTAIN MY 2002 THROUGH 2005 FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY SLIP OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AS A RESULT OF SWITCH DAMAGE DUE TO AN INCORRECT SETTING PROCEDURE DURING VEHICLE MANUFACTURE OR AS A RESULT OF SWITCH MOUNTING BRACKET FLEX.ANALYSIS OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THE PREDOMINANT FAILURE MODE IS CONSTANT STOP LAMP ILLUMINATION.OTHER REPORTED CONSEQUENCES OF STOP LAMP SWITCH MALADJUSTMENT INCLUDE INOPERATIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR/BRAKE PEDAL SHIFT INTERLOCK, INOPERATIVE SPEED (CRUISE) CONTROL, AND TELLTALE ILLUMINATION AS DESCRIBED IN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) NO. LT206-001 DATED OCTOBER 28, 2004 ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO LAND ROVER DEALERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK).TO DATE, ODI IS AWARE OF 77 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS THAT ALLEGE STOP LAMP SWITCH FAILURE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (10 COMPLAINTS ON MY 2004 DISCOVERY, 45 ON MY 2002 FREELANDER, 19 ON MY 2003 FREELANDER, AND 3 ON MY 2004 FREELANDER VEHICLES).ADDITIONALLY, 4,595 DISCOVERY AND 13,370 FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED ONE OR MORE WARRANTY CLAIMS TO REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH.OF THE 5,170 WARRANTY CLAIMS PAID TO REPLACE STOP LAMP SWITCHES ON DISCOVERY SUBJECT VEHICLES, APPROXIMATELY 31% OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD NEW AND APPROXIMATELY 88% OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF VEHICLE SERVICE.THE WARRANTY TREND ON DISCOVERY SUBJECT VEHICLES IS IN DECLINE WITH 3,545 CLAIMS PAID IN CALENDAR YEAR (CY) 2004, 1,303 CLAIMS PAID IN CY 2005, AND 322 CLAIMS PAID IN CY 2006 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 28, 2006 (WHICH IS WHEN ODI LAST RECEIVED UPDATED WARRANTY CLAIMS DATA FROM LAND ROVER), AND IT APPEARS THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT ON DISCOVER SUBJECT VEHICLES HAS BEEN REMEDIED THROUGH WARRANTY REPAIRS.HOWEVER, ODI ANALYSIS OF THE MANUFACTURER?S WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT RECORDS INDICATES THE FAILURE TREND ON CERTAIN FREELANDER SUBJECT VEHICLES IS ONGOING.BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 2, 2007, LAND ROVER HAS NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 07V-041) TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCHES IN APPROXIMATELY 33,247 MY 2002 THROUGH 2005 FREELANDER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE SOLIHULL, UK ASSEMBLY PLANT FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2001 THROUGH MAY 19, 2005. ALTHOUGH ODI HAS CONCERN

PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN 2003 FROM LAND ROVER, BRAND NEW. DEALT WITH A FEW RECALLS AND OTHER ISSUES ( SUN ROOF WAS OFF TRACK, DID NOT WORK. LEATHER SEATS HAD DEFORMATIONS ON SEATS. TRUCK NEED AN ACID WASH FOR SPOTS THAT DEVELOPED ON BUMPER) SOON MY ENGINE AND COOLANT ISSUES OCCURRED. WHY DRIVING ID NOTICE MY TRUCK START TO OVERHEAT. THIS WAS EVEN AFTER BEING SERVICED AT LAND ROVER. COME TO FIND OUT MY COOLANT WAS LEAKING. THE ISSUE CONTINUED TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO GET NEW EXTERNAL PARTS ( THERMOSTAT, WATER PIPE, EXPANSION TANK) THIS HELPED BUT NOT FOR LONG. MY TRUCK CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT AND LEAK, O THE POINT I HAD TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AND THE TIMING BELT.. I ACCUMULATED ONLY 56,000 MILES OVER 9 YEARS OF DRIVING THIS TRUCK AND SPENT +$20,000 TRYING TO SAVE IT ... I SEE WHY THIS MODEL WAS DISCONTINUED AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR. I HAVE TO TAKE MY SITUATION TO CIVIL COURT EVEN THOUGH THIS SHOULD FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW.THE CLASS ACTION GROUP I WAS APART OF FOR 4 YEARS HAS MADE NO PROGRESS AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11114925

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

NEED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OUTSTANDING WARRANTS, TICKETS, COMPLAINTS ETC.

NHTSA ID

11050999

Incident

Apr 4, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HILL DESCENT CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, AND BRAKE INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE HAD A STRONG HESITATION AND STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V041000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA05016 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10920232

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY REMAIN ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT DEPRESSED. HILL DESCENT CONTROL (HDC), TRACTION CONTROL (TC) AND CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS MAY ALSO BE ILLUMINATED

NHTSA ID

10837935

Incident

Nov 20, 2015

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' MODE AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL BEYOND 5 MPH; TOWED VEHICLE TO RESIDENCE; DISCOVERED INTAKE MANIFOLD BUTTERFLY VALVES WERE DISCONNECTED FROM ACTUATION ROD - REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD 4.FUEL SYSTEM:VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY - REPLACED FUEL PUMP 5. SUNROOF, WINDOWS, AND DOORS: SUNROOF WILL NOT CLOSE REPLACE SUNROOF ACTUATION MECHANISM 3 TIMES; POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAIL ON: LEFT FRONT (2 TIMES); RIGHT FRONT; LEFT REAR; RIGHT REAR (3 TIMES); REAR DOOR (2 TIMES): 5.WARNING AND CAUTION SYSTEM: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES THEN EXTINGUISHES, THEN ILLUMINATES AND STAYS ILLUMINATED (MULTIPLE REPEAT DISCREPANCY AND ONGOING): PURCHASED OBDM II CODE SCANNER/READER: MOST COMMON FAULT LEFT #2 BANK TOO LEAN; MISFIRE DETECTED ON #2 OR #1 SPARK PLUG - REPLACED ALL 6 SPARK COILS; '

NHTSA ID

10837924

Incident

Nov 5, 2015

Mileage

62,000 mi

ORIGINAL OWNER OF LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2003. AT APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. AT THE TIME, THE CAR WAS UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO MOST OF THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED. NOW, AT APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES, THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" HAS AGAIN APPEARED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LAND ROVER REPAIR FACILITY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR REQUIRES A NEW MANIFOLD INTAKE VALVE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS AROUND $3,000. AT THIS POINT, I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH LAND ROVER AND WILL NEVER EVER BUY OR RECOMMEND A LAND ROVER VEHICLE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A MAJOR HEADACHE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10557573

Incident

Aug 30, 2013

Mileage

86,000 mi

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' MODE AND WOULD NOT TRAVEL BEYOND 5 MPH; TOWED VEHICLE TO RESIDENCE; DISCOVERED INTAKE MANIFOLD BUTTERFLY VALVES WERE DISCONNECTED FROM ACTUATION ROD - REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD 4.FUEL SYSTEM:VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY - REPLACED FUEL PUMP 5.SUNROOF, WINDOWS, AND DOORS: SUNROOF WILL NOT CLOSE REPLACE SUNROOF ACTUATION MECHANISM 3 TIMES; POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAIL ON: LEFT FRONT (2 TIMES); RIGHT FRONT; LEFT REAR; RIGHT REAR (3 TIMES); REAR DOOR (2 TIMES): 5.WARNING AND CAUTION SYSTEM: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES THEN EXTINGUISHES, THEN ILLUMINATES AND STAYS ILLUMINATED (MULTIPLE REPEAT DISCREPANCY AND ONGOING): PURCHASED OBDM II CODE SCANNER/READER: MOST COMMON FAULT LEFT #2 BANK TOO LEAN; MISFIRE DETECTED ON #2 OR #1 SPARK PLUG - REPLACED ALL 6 SPARK COILS; ' DISCREPANCY NOT CORRECTED; COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF LEAN CONDITION POSSIBLE ECM FLASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10458178

Incident

Nov 10, 2003

Mileage

350 mi

F-4 FLASHING ON THE ODOMETER, BOTH CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ON, AND THE HILL DESCENT/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COMING ON. VEHICLE QUICKLY DROPPED POWER TO NO POWER. SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND CAR LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, SOMETHING WITH THE THROTTLE WAS REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME. THEN THE HARNESS WAS REPAIRED AND TWO WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. MECHANICAL PROBLEMS CONTINUE NOW GOING ON THE 4TH TRIP TO THE AUTO MECHANIC SHOP. THERE IS NO WARRANTY LEFT. MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE DONE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT ANY SITUATION. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER LANDROVER IN ANY MODEL AND WILL LET ANYONE THAT IS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A LANDROVER OF ANY MODEL THAT THEY ARE NOT WORTH BUYING DUE TO ALL THE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT KNOWINGLY SEEM TO OCCUR OVER AND OVER. WHERE LANDROVER IS MAKING NO ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT RIGHT OR EVEN NOTIFY SUCH SITUATIONS IN THEIR VEHICLE. I WOULD RATHER DRIVE A FORD AT THIS POINT THEN TO BE STUCK WITH THIS HIGH MAINTENANCE PROBLEM OF A HIGH END VEHICLE. LANDROVER MIGHT NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CONSUMERS BECAUSE THEY ARE SELLING THE VEHICLE AND WHO CARES WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WORDS WE HAVE OUR MONEY. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ ALL REPORTS OF YOUR WORTHLESS VEHICLES. NOT IMPRESSED! *TR *JS

NHTSA ID

10457063

Incident

Feb 16, 2012

Mileage

77,000 mi

RESCINDED - Windshield Wiper Noise / Judder / Streak - RESCINDED

The steering wheel may exhibit a vibration / shimmy while driving.

Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call

"SITUATION: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY MAKE A SQUEAK NOISE, JUDDER, OR STREAK THE WINDSHIELD. CAUSE: THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY A BUILD-UP OF DIRT AND GREASE ON THE SURFACE OF THE WINDSHIELD GLASS."

"ISSUE: REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED OF ENGINE DAMAGE OCCURRING, WHICH IS CAUSED BY THE USE OF NON-APPROVED ENGINE INDUCTION / FUEL INJECTION CLEANING EQUIPMENT OR MATERIALS. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, ""VACU-FLUSH"" TYPE EQUIPMENT. CAUSE: THE USE OF NON-APPROVED EQUIPMENT CAN CAUSE THE ENGINES TO HYDRO-LOCK, OR CAUSE OTHER ENGINE DAMAGE, AND SOMETIMES THE ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE."

Technical Bulletin: Wheel/Tire Balancing and Optimization