2002 Land Rover Range Rover

IN RESPONSE TO AN INFORMATION REQUEST (IR) LETTER SENT BY THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI), FORD STATED THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE REPORTED FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVE SHAFT FAILURES IS A MISALIGNMENT OF THE JOINT BETWEEN THE TWO COMPONENTS.CERTAIN LEVELS OF MISALIGNMENT MAY OVER TIME CAUSE AN UNEVEN WEAR OF THE SPLINES.CONTINUED WEAR OF THE SPLINES MAY RESULT IN A SHEARING OF THE SPLINES AND THE INABILITY OF THE DRIVESHAFT TO TRANSFER TORQUE TO THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN THE FIELD, FORD INITIATED A SERVICE CAMPAIGN IN JUNE 2003 TO CORRECT THE MISALIGNMENT ISSUE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT AND/OR DIFFERENTIAL.THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN COVERED MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 AND MY 2004 VEHICLES BUILT FROM APRIL 18, 2002 THROUGH JULY 3, 2003.IN PRODUCTION, FORD INTRODUCED A CHANGE TO THE LUBRICATING GREASE OF THE JOINT IN FEBRUARY 2003 AND A CHANGE TO THE ASSEMBLY PLANT ALIGNMENT PROCESS IN JULY 2003 TO ADDRESS THE MISALIGNMENT AND WEAR ISSUE. ODI IDENTIFIED ONE CRASH RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.THE CRASH INVOLVED A SUBJECT VEHICLE BEING STRUCK IN THE REAR AFTER BECOMING DISABLED BY A FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT FAILURE AND PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-012) TO FURTHER ASSESS THE SCOPE, FREQUENCY AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ON THE MARYLAND 495 BELTWAY (HIGHWAY) MY VEHICLE (STEERING WHEEL, BODY OF VEHICLE, MYSELF, ETC.) JUST STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND EXTREMELY HARD TO CONTROL. I WAS HORRIFIED AND AT THE SAME TIME I HAD TO LOOK OUT FOR OTHER VEHICLES ON ALL SIDES WHILE I SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH. NOW, DOWN THE ROAD AND WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC NEAR, I STARTED INCREASING MY SPEED TO 55-60 TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND AROUND 60 MPH THE VIOLENT SHAKING STARTED. I REDUCED THE SPEED TO 45 MPH. WHILE TRYING TO DIAGNOSE, I STARTED TO INCREASE MY SPEED AND AT 55 MPH I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND IT STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AGAIN. I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE RR DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR SERVICE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AT THOSE SPEEDS AND WAS TOLD, I JUST NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT WAS NOT SOLUTION. I CONDUCTED RESEARCH ONLINE AND SAW THAT THERE WERE OTHER RR FOLKS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. FOLLOWING THEIR LEAD, I PURCHASED AND REPLACED THE DRAG LINK AND TRACK ROD & STABILIZER SHOCK. JUST A TEMPORARY FIX, BECAUSE I HAVE THE SAME VIOLENT SHAKING PROBLEM AT 55-60 MPH AND GOING OVER BUMPS AT THAT SPEED. MOST OF MY DRIVING IS THROUGH CITY STREETS AND NOT ON THE MARYLAND 495 BELTWAY. IT'S BEEN CLOSE TO 2 YEARS AND I NO LONGER TAKE THE BELTWAY BECAUSE I HAVE TO DRIVE IN THE SLOW LANE AND SET MY CRUISE CONTROL AT 50 TO AVOID THE VIOLENT SHAKING. NOBODY AT EITHER RR DEALER I CALLED OR VISITED SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HOPE THIS ISSUE CAN BE REVIEWED ASAP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION! *TR

NHTSA ID

10894314

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

180,000 mi

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 55 MPH THE CAR STARTED SHAKING I ALMOST HIT A CAR AND COULD HAVE DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AS I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE I WAS SO SCARED THERE WAS NO WARNING. I'M STILL HAVING CHEST PAINS FROM THIS INCIDENT THIS MORNING. I HAD TO PAY OVER 100.00 JUST TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. NOT SURE HOW I'M GOING TO PAY FOR IT AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523777

Incident

Jul 8, 2013

Mileage

139,776 mi

FRONT DIFF FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233231

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

103,000 mi

PULLED UP AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ON GREEN WENT TO PULL AWAY, DRIVE WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SELECTED NEUTRAL THEN DRIVE TO HEAR LOUD GRINDING NOISE. SELECTED NEUTRAL AGAIN AND CALLED WRECKER TO RECOVER. LAND ROVER DEALER REPORTED MIS-ALIGNMENT OF FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, CAUSING FRONT DIFF SPLINES TO FAIL. REPAIR COSTS $1,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208235

Incident

Nov 5, 2007

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE GEAR SHAFT BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT REMAIN IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $2,200. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 33,000.

NHTSA ID

10204577

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LOCKS JAM AND THE VEHICLE DOORS ARE UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE AS THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAM KIT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PART, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUES TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. THE SPEAKERS WERE FUZZY, THE BATTERY WOULD DISCONNECT, THE RADIO WAS REPLACED, THE AIR SUSPENSION FAILED, THE FRONT AND LEFT AIR BAGS WERE LEAKING, THE HEATER CORE O-RINGS WERE LEAKING, THE RADIATOR FAILED, VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING, THE DRIVE BELT HAD WORN OUT, THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 07/15/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10192490

Incident

Sep 11, 2002

Mileage

100 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND SHIFT GEARS. IT STARTED STALLING AND WOULD DO THE SAME THING AFTER THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. WE DROVE 50-55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY WITH 18 WHEELERS CAREENING AROUND US. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN AS TO WHY WITH A VEHICLE BARELY 5 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAD 42,000 MILES ACCRUED. WE TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY FOUND THE DEFECT. THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE REVERSE PISTON WHICH LAND ROVER WAS APPARENTLY AWARE OF BECAUSE AN UPDATED PISTON WAS MANUFACTURED. ALL WE WOULD LIKE WAS A REFUND FOR THE REPAIRS DONE BUT WE WERE TOLD NO BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GO TO THE DEALERSHIP. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE PRIVATE SHOP, WE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THE FIRST PLACE. I STILL HAVE THE PISTON AND THE CRACK IS CLEARLY VISIBLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190599

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

TL*- WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH AND MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY THE REAR AXLE OF THE 2002 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER CRACKED IN HALF ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH ANY BUMPS OR ROAD HAZARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CRACK ON THE AXLE WAS VERY ABNORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 69,000.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186422

Incident

Mar 20, 2007

Mileage

69,000 mi

Issue: Powertrain Transmission Module Learn Adaption routine has been instated on SDD/Pathfinder.

The 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a vehicle has reached its service point.

Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call

"ISSUE: A CUSTOMER MAY REPORT A CONCERN THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED THERE IS NO CABIN AUDIO AT ALL FROM ANY SOURCES. IF THE NAV BUTTON IS PRESSED A 2-5 SECOND PERIOD OF AM/ FM RADIO CAN BE HEARD AND THEN RETURNS BACK TO NO AUDIO. ISSUE WILL ONLY SELF-RECOVER AFTER AN IGNITION CYCLE. CAUSE: CURRENTLY UNDER ANALYSIS."

"ISSUE: CUSTOMER COMPLAINS OF DAMAGE/MARKING ON THE SURFACE OF THE VEHICLE’S INSTRUMENT PACK LENS. CAUSE: DAMAGE/MARKING CAUSED BY OBJECT IMPACT AGAINST THE LENS. STAINING/DISCOLORATION CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY USING ANY TYPE OF CLEANING PRODUCT ON LENS. IMPORTANT: OWNERS HANDBOOK SPECIFIES TO CLEAN WITH A LIGHTLY MOISTENED CLOTH AND DO NOT USE CHEMICAL AGENTS OR DOMESTIC CLEANERS ACTION WHERE A CUSTOMER CONCERN IS REPORTED, PLEASE ORDER THE LENS KIT FOR THE RELEVANT MODEL"

"ISSUE OVER HALF OF FAILED RADIO HEAD UNITS OR SEPARATE CD PLAYERS ARE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN LOADED WITH INCORRECT MEDIA WHICH IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH LAND ROVER INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS. CAUSE THIS IS TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE TYPES OF MEDIA THAT MAY CAUSE THE UNIT TO FAIL WITH THE CUSTOMER. THEY ARE COPY CONTROL COMPACT DISCS (CCCD) RECORDABLE COMPACT DISCS (CD-R) REWRITABLE COMPACT DISCS (CD-RW) ECO DISCS, WHICH ARE VERY THIN, ONLY 0.6MM. PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHMENT FOR EXAMPLES OF DISCS THAT ARE KNOWN TO HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE."