NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint Narrative I am submitting this complaint to report what I believe is a safety-related defect involving the power liftgate on my 2026 Range Rover Sport. Prior to the incident described below, the vehicle’s power liftgate had unexpectedly opened on two separate occasions after it had been closed. Although those earlier events did not result in damage, they caused concern because the liftgate opened without my intentionally activating it. On July 2, 2026, while exiting my parking space in my condominium garage, I closed the liftgate, entered the vehicle, and began driving forward. Without any intentional activation by me, the power liftgate suddenly opened while the vehicle was moving. The liftgate struck a low overhead pipe/obstruction in the garage, causing significant damage to the liftgate, rear tail lamp, and related components. At the time of the incident: * I was driving forward, not reversing. * I did not intentionally press the liftgate button, key fob, or use any gesture activation feature. * The second key fob was inside my residence and not in the vehicle. * The incident occurred in the morning, before my family departed for a trip to Washington, D.C. I reported the incident to the Land Rover dealership and Land Rover North America. An engineering review later concluded that the vehicle “may have been reversing” and referenced a timestamp that I believe is inconsistent with when the incident actually occurred. I have requested written explanations regarding these discrepancies, including the basis for the conclusion that the vehicle may have been reversing and whether the two previous unexpected liftgate opening events were considered during the investigation. To date, I have not received satisfactory written answers to those questions. My concern extends beyond the damage to my vehicle. A power liftgate opening unexpectedly while a vehicle is in motion presents a potential safety hazard.
- NHTSA ID
- 11754706
- Incident
- Jul 2, 2026