NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
26 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Sep 20, 2007
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train
MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH ACCELERATION TO A JOLT AND DOWSHIFTS ON ITS OWN AT FREEWAY SPEED. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT USED I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT DIDN'T. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT.…
Read full complaint
MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS EXPERIENCED SLUGGISH ACCELERATION TO A JOLT AND DOWSHIFTS ON ITS OWN AT FREEWAY SPEED. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT USED I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION, HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT DIDN'T. NEEDLESS TO SAY THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT. IT HAS A OVERHEATING PROBLEM WHICH IS CONTINUOUS. THE ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS NO OIL IN IT, EVEN AFTER AN OIL CHANGE I HAVE TO CHECK IT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THE NOISE IS SO LOUD. THE HDC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO DRIVE IN AN ALMOST 4WHEEL LOW AT ALL TIMES. THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE IN MY OIL. THIS VEHICLE HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS!!!!!!!! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10203608
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2007
Electrical SystemPower TrainStructure
OUR 2002 LANDROVER WAS PURCHASED USED AND THE MILEAGE STARTED AT 3,500. IT WAS A SHOW ROOM CAR. WHEN THE MILEAGE REACHED MID 40,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE HEARD STRANGE NOISES COMING FROM ENGINE , AND THE CAR HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND MADE IT SO THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WEN…
Read full complaint
OUR 2002 LANDROVER WAS PURCHASED USED AND THE MILEAGE STARTED AT 3,500. IT WAS A SHOW ROOM CAR. WHEN THE MILEAGE REACHED MID 40,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE HEARD STRANGE NOISES COMING FROM ENGINE , AND THE CAR HAD TROUBLE ACCELERATING. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND MADE IT SO THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT AWAY. HOWEVER, THE CAR STILL DID NOT ACCELERATE WELL, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ON FREEWAY. AFTER A WHILE, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER AGAIN, AND ONCE MORE THEY WORKED ON IT, BUT THE RESULTS WERE SIMILAR. WHEN WE PASSED THE 50,000 MILEAGE MARK THE CAR STARTED TO FALL APART RAPIDLY. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, THE REAR DOOR DIDN'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE, THE SUN ROOF BROKE, AND THE STARTER ALSO BROKE. THIS ALL HAPPENED VERY FAST. WHEN WE WENT TO DEALER, THEY SAID WE WERE NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH WE BOUGHT THE CAR AT 3,500 MILES TO START WITH. SO WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE COVERED UNTIL 53,500. THEREFORE, WE HAD TO PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIRS OURSELVES, AND THE TRANSMISSION ALONE COST US $5000 TO REPAIR. WE ARE WORRIED THAT THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN THE LONGER WE HAVE IT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10190438
76,000 miles · Feb 23, 2007
Electrical SystemExterior LightingPower Train
LAND ROVER FREELANDER HSE 2002: AT 70,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION HALTS, SEIZING, RAPID RPM JUMPS; LESS THAN ONE MONTH LATER, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY DIED. INOPERABLE CAR TOWED AND TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT PRIVATE SHOP. FIVE MILES FROM SHOP AFTER PICKUP, CAR SEIZED AND DIED. NOW, AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR OF THE "TRANSFER CASE," W…
Read full complaint
LAND ROVER FREELANDER HSE 2002: AT 70,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION HALTS, SEIZING, RAPID RPM JUMPS; LESS THAN ONE MONTH LATER, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY DIED. INOPERABLE CAR TOWED AND TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT PRIVATE SHOP. FIVE MILES FROM SHOP AFTER PICKUP, CAR SEIZED AND DIED. NOW, AN ADDITIONAL REPAIR OF THE "TRANSFER CASE," WHICH WE WERE TOLD CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NOW, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON; BATTERY KEEPS DYING. RAPID DEPRECIATION, FREQUENT REPAIRS OF BRAKES, BRAKE PADS, HEADLIGHTS, ETC. COMPLAINED TO MANUFACTURER 2/23/2007. CAR INOPERABLE AS OF THIS DATE. DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO -- OWE MORE THAN IT'S WORTH, CANNOT GET FULL NADA/KBB TRADE IN VALUE...FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED. AND OUT OF MONEY. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10183326
Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2007
Electrical SystemCrash
THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENGINE SIMPLY GOES OUT; THUS AFFECTING THE STEERING. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; HOWEVER, LANDROVER ROCKVILLE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND NOTHING. IN OCTOBER, THE POWER WENT OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR HITTING A CURB. ALSO, THE SUNROOF HAS COST ME OVER $…
Read full complaint
THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENGINE SIMPLY GOES OUT; THUS AFFECTING THE STEERING. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM; HOWEVER, LANDROVER ROCKVILLE RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND NOTHING. IN OCTOBER, THE POWER WENT OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR HITTING A CURB. ALSO, THE SUNROOF HAS COST ME OVER $2K. FIRST, I WAS REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE TRACKS. THEN THE ROOF BEGAN TO LEAK AND I WAS REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. THIS CAR WAS A MISTAKE FROM THE BEGINNING. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10178961
50,654 miles · Dec 4, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting
LAND ROVER, FREELANDER HSE 2002. ENGINE VALVE LEAK, 5TH CYLINDER NOT FIRING, CATALYTIC SENSOR WENT BAD, PRESSURE VALVE LEAKAGE. THE CAR STOOPED ALL OF A SUDDEN. JUST CROSSED THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, BY 700 MILES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10175130
44,237 miles · Nov 19, 2006
Electrical SystemSteering
AFTER THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY A WEEK AGO (REPORTED SEPARATELY, ODI# 10173809), THE LAND ROVER DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. WITHIN 2 HOURS AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10173810
3,504 miles · Oct 19, 2005
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER NEW ORLEANS (PARETTI) ON AUGUST 19, 2002. SINCE THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. THE POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE (2), IRD UNIT (2), FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, MANIFOLD CHAMBER AND OTHER ITEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE BRAKE PADS (2) HAVE …
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER NEW ORLEANS (PARETTI) ON AUGUST 19, 2002. SINCE THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. THE POWER STEERING, TRANSMISSION, TRANSFER CASE (2), IRD UNIT (2), FRONT DRIVE SHAFT, MANIFOLD CHAMBER AND OTHER ITEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE BRAKE PADS (2) HAVE HAD TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 35,498 MILES. AFTER REVIEWING EDMUNDS.COM AND OTHER CONSUMER RESOURCE SITES, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT I ENCOUNTERED HAVE ALSO BEEN ENCOUNTERED BY OTHERS PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD 23 WARRANTY CLAIMS ON THIS VEHICLE AND LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS OF JANUARY 2005, HAS PAID IN EXCESS OF $11,994.55 FOR REPAIRS ON A VEHICLE THAT HAD A PURCHASE PRICE OF $30,603.77. THE AFOREMENTIONED AMOUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COSTS OF REPLACING THE TRANSFER CASE, IRD UNIT, FRONT DRIVE SHAFT AND MANIFOLD CHAMBER IN APRIL 2005 OR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY IN JUNE 2005. NEITHER THE LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER NOR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA, INC. HAVE BEEN COOPERATIVE IN DEALING WITH ME ON THIS ISSUE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10140266
36,000 miles · Jul 26, 2005
Electrical SystemInjury
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM WORK TO A RELATIVES HOUSE WERE IT FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SETTING FOR 15 MINUTES. THE HAD TO BE PUSH OUT OF THE WAY, ONE OF THE PUSHERS INJURED THEIR BACK, WHO WAS TREATED AND RELEASE FROM HENRY FORD HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVER NIGHT AND WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE STARTED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE ST…
Read full complaint
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM WORK TO A RELATIVES HOUSE WERE IT FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SETTING FOR 15 MINUTES. THE HAD TO BE PUSH OUT OF THE WAY, ONE OF THE PUSHERS INJURED THEIR BACK, WHO WAS TREATED AND RELEASE FROM HENRY FORD HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT OVER NIGHT AND WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE STARTED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE STARTER SELENOID WOULD NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED WITH ANOTHER INGNITION KEY CYLINDER AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RETURNED AFTER SEVEN WEEKS OF SERVICE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE DURING SERVICE.WHICH TOOK ANOTHER TWO WEEKS TO COMPLETE.
NHTSA ODI #10130124
35,000 miles · Jul 26, 2005
Electrical System
THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP ON FEBRUARY 5TH FROM THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER EBING THERE FOR THREE WEEKS FOR A NO START ISSUE WHERE IT FAILED ON THE WAY HOME. WE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THIS TIME THE IGNITION KEY CYLINDER WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA ODI #10130121
35,000 miles · Jul 26, 2005
Electrical System
JANUARY 15TH, 2005 MY WIFE LEFT WORK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ~ 20 F. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE WORKING, BUT THE STARTER SELENOID WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AND AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE SECURITY YEILDED NOTHING. THE DIAGNOSED NO FAU…
Read full complaint
JANUARY 15TH, 2005 MY WIFE LEFT WORK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ~ 20 F. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE WORKING, BUT THE STARTER SELENOID WOULD NOT ENGAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE AND AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE SECURITY YEILDED NOTHING. THE DIAGNOSED NO FAULT AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS.
NHTSA ODI #10130117
NHTSA investigations
1EA05016 · Brake Light Switch Failure
Opened Oct 14, 2005 · Closed Feb 22, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
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
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
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
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
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
Illustration