2008 Land Rover LR2 Owner Complaints

My rear differential failed at 43k. This has been a common problem for LandRover 2008 LR2. The repair is costing me 5k to repair.

NHTSA ID

11703568

Incident

Dec 4, 2025

Ongoing problem with car not starting because of "steering wheel lock" message. Took to dealership first time and they replaced 2 fobs ($600) and starter ($2700). After 2 months same message came back on and car wouldn't start. I was left stranded in a parking lot at night. Took back to dealership again and they said they needed to replace the body control module ($2640). Now 3 months later same issue (car won't start with steering wheel locked message) and dealership is now saying the steering lock needs to be replaced and in order to do that they have to replace the whole steering column!!! ($2900) I believe they have ripped me off because they failed to tell me all of these things when I first took the vehicle in, since the same message appeared each time I took it in!!! Reading the forums this issue has been ongoing since 2016 with this vehicle so why hasn't a recall been issued!!!!???? My vehicle is still not working and I believe Land Rover owe me some money or pay for the 3rd repair!!!!! This is definitely a safety issue because you never know when the vehicle will stop running. Out of no where without any warning, the vehicle will not start and you will be left stranded!!!!!

NHTSA ID

11637025

Incident

Jan 9, 2025

I bought the 2008 Land Rover LR2 3 years ago and since then I've had to replace the motor transmission hoses tons of modules starter alternator and three batteries in the past year if that's not worse or bad enough I've spent $8,000 and I only paid five forts but the biggest problem now that I'm facing is the battery has gone or the vehicle is going into what's called a crash mode because the battery has a parasitic drain that Land Rover knows about and is a bulletin about but they will not cover or fix or give me any help whatsoever that I've called numerous times to wear the battery drops to certain below a certain voltage and will not communicate with the BCM control module so until then I have to get a software update that's going to cost about $400 in the closest Land Rover dealership is 2 hours away which is going to be another $500 to have it towed there I put three batteries in this vehicle and all three batteries have been drained immediately and there's a software update that they know about and they're admitting in a bulletin but they will not fix or cover and I'm at my wits and I put $8,000 in this vehicle and it's been on the road 4 months in the past 3 years and I have documentation paperwork for all the amount of fixes I've had done to it to prove my purchases my batteries and everything all I'm trying to do is get this software update done on my vehicle so that I can try and sell it or get it back on the road because I have not been able to drive it for 3 years and I've had to call six tow trucks in the amount of 3 years which cost me on $200 a pop and I'm at my Wit's End on what to do from here because I can't get any answers or help from Land Rover they tell me they're not responsible and keep passing the book off to someone else and then I finally have done the research online for the past year on what the exact problem was cuz everyone else kept telling me it was a bad battery when I knew it wasn't because I've already replaced the battery three

NHTSA ID

11524240

Incident

May 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 Land Rover LR2. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making either a right or left turn, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000. The contact stated the rear differential had to be replaced in the amount of $3400.

NHTSA ID

11512326

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

Mileage

39,000 mi

I have a 2008 Land Rover LR2 in mint condition and regularly maintained by a Land Rover dealer and purchased new from a LR dealer in Pittsburgh. It only has 39K miles and always parked indoors. Last year I noticed a humming, grinding sound coming from the rear wheels.I took it twice to the Fort Myers Florida LR dealer for service but they could not find the problem other than that the differential needed flushing (unusual for 39K miles). Finally took it to LR dealer two weeks ago in Naples, Florida and it was determined that the rear differential needed replacement. It was explained to me by the Asst. Service Mgr. that it was not safe to drive as the wheels could seize and cause an accident. No warning lamps indicated the problem. Land Rover refused to pay for replacement ($10K quoted cost) citing 4 year warranty period was over despite way below 50K mile warranty. Discovered over 30 similar problems reported on LR2 model on "carcomplaints.com".

NHTSA ID

11495871

Incident

Nov 28, 2022

The contact owns a 2008 Land Rover LR2. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start with the key in the ignition. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with body control module failure. The body control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

NHTSA ID

11441382

Incident

Oct 20, 2021

Mileage

89,000 mi

THE SUNROOF SIDE RAILS HAVE BROKEN AND THE PLASTIC PIECES ARE LODGED IN THE SUNROOF. IT WILL NOT OPERATE AND SEEMS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11416689

Incident

May 11, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 LAND ROVER LR2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. AS THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, BLACK SMOKE HAD COME THROUGH THE PASSENGER AIR VENTS. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A TRANSPORTATION SERVICE VEHICLE HAPPENED TO BE BEHIND AND WITNESSED THE FAILURE. THE SERVICE OFFICER ASSISTED HIM WITH THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE AND WAS INITIALLY TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. LATER ON, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LAND ROVER DENVER(6160 S BROADWAY, LITTLETON, CO 80121). THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAD YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 208,000.

NHTSA ID

11361884

Incident

Sep 24, 2020

Mileage

208,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LAND ROVER LR2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF CEASED IN THE OPENED POSITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE TRACK WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LAND ROVER BIRMINGHAM LOCATED AT 3000 TOM WILLIAMS WAY, BIRMINGHAM, AL 35210, WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A SPECIALIST WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,000.

NHTSA ID

11328558

Incident

Apr 10, 2020

Mileage

146,000 mi

HUMMING NOISE WHEN DRIVING DUE TO FAULTY DIFFERENTIAL. ONLY HAS 40,099 MILES....ALSO STARTS SOME DAYS AND OTHER DAYS MAY TAKE UP TO 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL START WITHOUT DYING. TOOK TO SEVERAL SHOPS THAT SAID THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT PROBLEM AND THEY CALLED LANDROVER ONLY TO BE TOLD, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NO ONE SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND TO FIX IT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 YEARS AND NO ONE CAN FIX.

NHTSA ID

11309287

Incident

Feb 1, 2017

Mileage

36,000 mi

MY AUTOMOBILE'S BATTERY DIES (I HAVE BOUGHT 2 NEW BATTERIES) OR RUNS OUT OF CHARGE WHEN IT GETS TOO COLD OR WHEN I DO NOT DRIVE IT FOR 3 DAYS OR MORE. SOMETIMES, AS I AM DRIVING IT ON A HIGHWAY, IT JUST CUTS OFF, AND I HAVE TO WAIT FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES AND START IT AGAIN. SOMETIMES IT STARTS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. THEN I HAVE TO WAIT LONGER.

NHTSA ID

11281794

Incident

Nov 7, 2019

Mileage

85,389 mi

THE WINDSHIELD IS SEPARATING FROM THE GLASS, AND GETTING SMALL CRACKS TOO AT THE EDGES, WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS BREAKING DIRECTLY WHILE DRIVING ANYTIME. I DON'T EXACTLY WHEN IT HAS HAPPENED, BUT NOTICED IT NOW.

NHTSA ID

11268722

Incident

Oct 10, 2019

Mileage

67,000 mi

PREMATURE FAILURE OF BEARINGS, RACES AND GEARS IN REAR DIFFERENTIAL.

NHTSA ID

11267199

Incident

Oct 2, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MARCH OF 2017 WITH 101,000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW HAS 119,000. AS OF 24 JUN 2019, THE REAR END BEGAN MAKING A NOISE WHILE TURNING. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL IMPORT REPAIR SHOP. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD TOGETHER WITH ZIP-TIES. ZIP. TIES. AS I HAVE NEVER HAD WORK DONE ON THE REAR END OF THE CAR, THAT MEANS THAT THE ZIP-TIES WERE PUT ON BEFORE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS THIS: HOW LONG IS A DIFFERENTIAL SUPPOSED TO LAST? THE DIFFERENTIAL IS CURRENTLY LOCKED INTO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE ALL THE TIME. THE DIFFERENTIAL ALONE WILL COST $4900. THE FLUIDS WILL COST $40. I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF LABOR BUT IT WON'T BE OVER A DAY. SO LET'S SAY A DAY OF LABOR WOULD BE 8 HRS AT A RATE OF $120/HOUR. 4900+40+960 = 5900. RIGHT NOW, MY VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH 2,200. I OWE NO LOAN BUT I AM UPSIDE-DOWN NONETHELESS. THIS IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR. THIS DIFFERENTIAL WAS POORLY DESIGNED. THE POOR DESIGN WAS EXACERBATED WHEN THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS NOT DEALT WITH. IF NOT REPLACED, THE LOCKED DIFFERENTIAL WILL DESTROY THE TRANSMISSION. THEN WHAT WILL I DO?

NHTSA ID

11223033

Incident

Jun 24, 2019

Mileage

119,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" WHEN MOVING AT LOW OR REGULAR SPEED AND TURNING, THERE IS A RUMBLING STUMPING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS THE ISSUE. ON RESEARCHING THE LAND-ROVER FORUM, I FOUND THAT MY ISSUE WAS NOT PECULIAR TO ME ALONE BUT IT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH OTHER 2008 LR2 OWNERS AND COSTLY TO CHANGE TOO. HOWEVER LAND-ROVER ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN LTB00342 (ISSUE 3) IN AUG 2011) ABOUT THIS. WHY NOT A RECALL FOR THE FAULTY REAR DIFFERENTIAL OR FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE

NHTSA ID

11156366

Incident

Nov 9, 2018

Mileage

165,082 mi

MY WIFE AND I STARTED NOTICING A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE THAT SEEMS TO SLOWLY BE GETTING WORSE. THEN WE STARTED GETTING A TRANSMISSION FAULT ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASH. STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS BEFORE THEIR REAR DIFFERENTIAL GOES OUT COMPLETELY. WE ARE DRIVING THE LR2 ACROSS COUNTRY A FEW TIMES THIS NEXT YEAR. IT'S PROBALY GOING TO GO OUT AT SOME POINT. IF THIS IS SUCH A WELL KNOWN ISSUE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HASN'T BEEN ISSUED!

NHTSA ID

11130698

Incident

Jul 15, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

LIKE 1000S OF OTHER OWNERS, MY LR2 NEEDS REAR DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED. WHY NHTSA HAS NOT REVIEWED THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. THE VOLVO'S BUILT WITH SAME DESIGN HAVE PROBLEMS WITH REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILING AS WELL. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR $2400-3000.. HAS THE NHTSA EVEN LOOKED INTO THIS? THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I'M READING BLOGS WHERE MANY PEOPLE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO THE REPAIRS THEMSELVES N GIVING EACH OTHER 'TRIAL N ERROR' TIPS. OTHERS ARE POSTING ASKING WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN IF THEY DON'T DO THE REPAIRS. WELL, THE TRANSMISSION CAN LOCK UP CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. SO WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR A RECALL TO BE AT LEAST CONSIDERED? THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO TOYOTA PRIUS RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AND IT TOOK HOW MANY DEATHS BEFORE A RECALL WAS ISSUED?? OR FORD PINTO CASE SAD THING HERE IS... NHTSA SHOULD BE LISTENING TO THE CONSUMERS! YET SEEMS LIKE NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED OR MAYBE FORGOTTEN....

NHTSA ID

11118668

Incident

Aug 5, 2018

Mileage

105,000 mi

REAR DIFFERENTIAL

NHTSA ID

11110254

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

THERE IS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEN GOING 25MPH+

NHTSA ID

11102485

Incident

Apr 22, 2018

Mileage

122,076 mi

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTING THE TRANSMISSION AND SAFETY OF ANYONE IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11074404

Incident

Feb 22, 2018

Mileage

110,000 mi

I JUST BOUGHT A USED 2008 LAND ROVER LR2 AND I STARTED HEARING NOISES FROM REAR END WENT TO INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST FOR LAND ROVER HE TOLD ME THAT THIS ISSUE IS A COMMON IN THIS CAR...BAD REAR DIFFERENTIAL...HAVE A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT W HIM IN TUESDAY ALSO HE TOLD TO CONTAC THE LAND.ROVER OF AMERICA BUT THEY R NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT IT'S THEIR FAULT! PLEASE NHTSA CAN DO SOMETHING W IT? THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11073392

Incident

Feb 12, 2018

3TIMES NOW FIRST BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON THEN ALL LIGHTS ON PANELS STARTS LIGHTING UP FOR NO REASON ANDCAR STARTS SLOWING DOWN AND THEN DIES WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY AND ON BUSY RUSH HOUR. ALL SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN. IF WINDOWS ARE OPEN THERE IS NO WAY TO SECURE. IN ONE INSTANCE THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RETRIEVE IT THIS IS NOT BEING RECOGNIZED ADDRESSED BY LAND ROVER. CANNOT KEEP ON IGNORING THIS ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY NOT EVERYONE REPORTS TO THE MANUFACTURER, SOMEONE HAS TO DO SOMETHING THIS PROBLEMS ARE DRAINING THE WALLETS OF CONSUMERS BECAUSE EACH TIME CARS HAVE TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO UNLOCK SYSTEM RELOAD SOFTWARE ONLY TO START A DIAGNOSE. ENDING UP WITH THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS . POLICE HAD TO STOP TO PUT FLARES LAST TIME THE CAR BROKE BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS TO WAIT IN THE DARK FOR TOWING

NHTSA ID

11045233

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

MY STEERING COLUMN HAS LOCKED ON ME THREE TIMES AFTER STOPPING MY CAR. WHEN I WOULD REENTER, IT WOULD NOT START BUT MY STEERING COLUMN WOULD TURN. THE DEALERSHIP, EACH TIME, SAID MY STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED BECAUSE I NEEDED A BODY CONTROL MODULE, THEN A NEW BATTERY, AND THE 3RD TIME I HAD A BAD STEERING COLUMN. HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER A RECALL. I SAW SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS ONLINE, THOUGH NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED AS A RESULT OF IT. THE CATCH IS THAT IT HAS CAUSED ME AND OTHERS LOTS OF MONEY (OVER $1400.00) EACH TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. IT HAS NEVER STOPPED WHILE I AS DRIVING (ALWAYS STATIONARY), BUT IT DOES MAKE ME NERVOUS THAT IT MIGHT OR SIMPLY THAT I MAY GET STRANDED AGAIN WITH TOW AND REPAIR COSTS.

NHTSA ID

11020970

Incident

Jul 24, 2017

Mileage

123,000 mi

ENGINE FAN STOPPED WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11000933

Incident

Jun 1, 2012

Mileage

55,000 mi

REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE

NHTSA ID

11000782

Incident

May 1, 2016

Mileage

45,000 mi