RoadVitals

2005 Land Rover Freelander Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Mar 30, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
69%
of 16 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Land Rover Freelander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 30, 2015

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 2011 FROM A COUNTY AUCTION. I'VE SPENT ALMOST $8,000 ON ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES SINCE I'VE BOUGHT IT. HAD A NEW TIMING BELT, SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION COILS INSTALLED ON 02/02/2015, BUT NOW MY CAR STALLS AND I HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY PICKING UP SPEED, EVEN WHEN DRIVING ON THE STREET. IF I STOP AT A STOP SIGN, I LITERALLY HAVE TO PUSH THE GAS TO THE FLOOR TO GET MY CAR TO TAKE OFF AND EVEN THEN, IT TAKES FOREVER. THE HIGHEST SPEED MY CAR WILL GO TO NOW IS 30MPH. MY DRIVEWAY IS AT A SLOPE AND I HAD TO PRESS DOWN ON THE GAS TO GET ME CAR TO REVERSE OUT THE DRIVEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10702580
Incident
Mar 2, 2015
Mileage
99,800 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 5, 2013

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING HURRICANE SANDY AND THE CAR SHIFTS (OR LAGS) INTO EXTREMELY LOW GEAR, MAYBE 5-10 MPH. THE SERVICE ENGINE, SERVICE ENGINE SOON, AND OTHER LIGHTS ON DASH CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS LURCHING. ONCE I ABLE MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I AM ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, WAIT LESS THAN 5 MINUTES AND TURN BACK ON, STILL DOING SAME THING. LUCKILY FRIENDS HOUSE WAS JUST DOWN THE STREET, AND COP STAYED BEHIND US UNTIL WE GOT THERE. THIS VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 110,000 MILES WHEN WE PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY OUT OF STATE - THREE WEEKS AND THREE HUNDRED MILES LATER THE VEHICLE IS NOW DEAD. THESE FREELANDERS ARE NOT DEPENDABLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE IT WAS FINE WHEN I BOUGHT IT, AND MECHANIC NOW SAYS IT NEEDS 7,000 WORTH OF WORK!! THIS IS AND WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT AND THE CAR JUST SUDDENLY LAGS TO 5 MPH! PLEASE TAKE THESE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10491539
Incident
Oct 29, 2012
Mileage
110,300 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 23, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ID
10436849
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
65,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 24, 2011

ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ONLY WITHIN ABOUT 2 WEEKS OF PURCHASING VEHICLE, APPROXIMATE 5,000 MILES LATER THE ENGINE BEGINS TO FAULT AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE BECAUSE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO MY ENGINE OR ONE OF MY HEAD GASKETS BLEW AGAIN, NOT TO MENTION THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN AND I NEEDED A NEW O-RING ALREADY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10408836
Incident
Oct 31, 2010
Mileage
57,769 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 1, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THERE WAS A HESITATION. THE FAILURE BECAME MORE CONSISTENT WHENEVER HE DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE HEAD GASKET CONTINUED TO LOSE ANTIFREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A LOCAL MECHANIC PUT A SEALANT TO STOP THE LEAKAGE. THE OIL PUMP WAS ALSO REPLACED IN 2005 UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10404022
Incident
Jun 21, 2009
Mileage
35,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 3, 2011

VEHICLE OVER HEATED. LOSS OF COOLANT. COOLANT IN OIL. DEALER DIAGNOSIS: HEAD GASKET FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10399058
Incident
Mar 10, 2011
Mileage
52,400 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 25, 2011

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, DEFECTIVE THERMOSTAT, CRACKED ENGINE HOSES, CRACKED MANIFOLD, COOLANT LEAKING INTO ENGINE DUE TO SLIPPED SLEEVE - THIS CAUSES CAR TO RANDOMLY GO FROM DRIVING FINE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE. ADDITIONALLY, WIPERS GO ON WHEN THEY ARE NOT TURNED ON, WINDOW CONTROLS DO NOT WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10392872
Incident
Feb 21, 2011
Mileage
48,500 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 30, 2009

HEAD GASKET FAILURE 55,000 MILES BLOWN ENGINE. IN REPAIR OVER 23 X'S LANDROVER ACKNOWLEDGED ENGINE WAS LOOSING ANTI FREEZE, BUT COULDN'T FIND WHERE. CAUSED MY SON TO THROW UP EVERYTIME HE WAS DRIVEN IN THE CAR. CAUSED SEVERE HEADACHES IN ALL WHO DROVE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED YET?? THIS IS VERY DISTRESSING TO HAVE A CAR FOUR YRS AND A BLOWN ENGINE. VERY SAD AND DISTURBING TO A FAMILY DURING A RECESSION!!! CAR ENGINES SHOULDN'T FAIL AT 55,000 AND CAN'T BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THEY MAKE A FAMILY SICK! *TR

NHTSA ID
10294091
Incident
Nov 30, 2009
Mileage
55,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 20, 2009

IN MID JULY 2009, TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON 2005 LAND ROVER FREELANDER BEGAN ACTING ERRATICALLY. BROUGHT IT TO DEALER IN SAN ANTONIO, TX. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON FREELANDERS, NEVER MENTIONING WHAT "HAPPENS NEXT." THEY REPLACED THE GAUGE AND A "LEAKING" HOSE. AT A COST OF $700. THREE WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. (TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGAN ACTING ERRATICALLY.) DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS MASSIVE OVERHEATING, AND THE HEAD GASKET "SLIPPED" ALL COOLANT AND FLUID DRAINED INTO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED AND UNREPAIRABLE. NEED TO REPLACE ENGINE AT A COST OF $10,000+. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FREELANDERS AT THE 50,000-60,000 MILE MARK. I WAS AT 60,000 MILES JUST 10,000 MILES AND 2 MONTHS PAST WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10281260
Incident
Aug 16, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 6, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REDUCED TO ITS LOWEST READING. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE STALLED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED FIVE MILES OF THE SERVICE WARRANTY AGREEMENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,500.

NHTSA ID
10279560
Incident
Jul 30, 2009
Mileage
50,500 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 18, 2006

I BOUGHT 2005 LANDROVER FREELANDER JANUARY 27TH, 2006 WITH 3770 MILEAGE AND ABOUT A WEEK LATER, CAR WAS OVERHEATED AND STEAM CAME OUT FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER SERVICE CENTER SAID COOLING FAN WAS NOT WORKING, SO THEY CHANGED IT,AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OK, BUT YESTERDAY MIDNIGHT, CAR GOT OVERHEATED AGAIN CURRENT MILEAGE IS ONLY 5400. I GOT STUCK ON THE FREEWAY WITH STEAMY ENGINE. SERVICE CENTER SAID THEY WILL FIX IT, BUT I CAN NOT FEEL SECURED TO DRIVE THAT CAR. I COMPLAINED THAT AND TRY TO GET REFUND SINCE IT HAS BEEN ONLY 3 MONTHS, BUT THEY SAID THEY CAN GIVE ME 5000 LOWER PRICE THAN THE PURCHASE PRICE. WHAT CAN I DO? I CANNOT GET A FULL REFUND? *NM

NHTSA ID
10155642
Incident
Apr 18, 2006
Mileage
5,460 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .