NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
121 reportsClear category filter60,548 miles · Jan 13, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
ENGINE COOLANT, TRANSMISSION FAILURE OVERHEATED, LEAKING FLUIDS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRANSMISSION WHEN VEHICLE OVERHEATED. PAID 2500 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION THEN DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS VEHICLE NEEDED MORE SERVICING UNRELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION FOR ANOTHER 3000.00. DEALER WAS NEGLIGENT WHEN FIXING TRANSMISSION AND CAUSED F…
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ENGINE COOLANT, TRANSMISSION FAILURE OVERHEATED, LEAKING FLUIDS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRANSMISSION WHEN VEHICLE OVERHEATED. PAID 2500 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION THEN DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS VEHICLE NEEDED MORE SERVICING UNRELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION FOR ANOTHER 3000.00. DEALER WAS NEGLIGENT WHEN FIXING TRANSMISSION AND CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10147739
4,000 miles · Sep 16, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility
MY LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS HAD 2 ENGINE FAILURES UNDER 50K MI., THE FIRST AT 26K AND THE SECOND 24K LATER. 2 SUNROOF REPLACEMENTS, 2 SIDE WINDOW REPAIRS, 1 OVERHEATING INCIDENT, AND THE CAR JUST RUNS HOT ALL THE TIME, WITH HOT COOLANT SMELL. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10136771
32,000 miles · Mar 30, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train
2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS PROBLEMS WITH FAULTY CAM SENSOR, FAULTY SUNROOF, TRANSMISSION AND BATTERY.*MR THE BATTERY AND STRUTS WERE REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT CLOSE OR OPEN EASILY, SO THE DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DIFFERENT COMPONETS WERE REP…
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2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS PROBLEMS WITH FAULTY CAM SENSOR, FAULTY SUNROOF, TRANSMISSION AND BATTERY.*MR THE BATTERY AND STRUTS WERE REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT CLOSE OR OPEN EASILY, SO THE DEALER REPLACED THE REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DIFFERENT COMPONETS WERE REPLACED TO TRY AND RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10117510
76,600 miles · Mar 23, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE PASSENGER CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE. APPARENT CAUSE IS A BLOWN CAM PLUG. DEALER CLAIMS COLD CLIMATE CAUSES BUILD-UP OF VAPOR PRESURE IN THE ENGINE. THE PLUG BLOWS OUT AND OIL POURS ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. DEALER CLAIMS THEY HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, AND THAT A COLD CLIMATE KIT THAT IS USED IN CANADA RESOLVES THE ISSUE. …
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THE PASSENGER CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE. APPARENT CAUSE IS A BLOWN CAM PLUG. DEALER CLAIMS COLD CLIMATE CAUSES BUILD-UP OF VAPOR PRESURE IN THE ENGINE. THE PLUG BLOWS OUT AND OIL POURS ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM. DEALER CLAIMS THEY HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, AND THAT A COLD CLIMATE KIT THAT IS USED IN CANADA RESOLVES THE ISSUE. BUT LAND ROVER WILL NOT PAY FOR THE MODIFICATION WHICH COST ME $296! THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FIRE OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10114552
12,000 miles · Feb 1, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringVisibility
2002 FREELANDER. USED 1 QUART OF OIL PER 1000 MI. AT 12000. NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN. BACK WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP. SUNROOF LEAKS. COOLANT BLEW EVERYWHERE. AND THE WORST, WHILE DRIVING ON A RIGHT CURVE, STEERING WENT OUT AND WAS NEARLY A 3 CAR ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP WANTS ME TO DRIVE IT WITHOUT KNOWING WHY IT'S HAPPENING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10108406
63,000 miles · Jan 29, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
(1) DEFROST/HEAT NOT WORK;2) ENGINE OVERHEATED;3) REPLACED HEATER VAC AT A COST OF $830, OLD PART KEPT AT DELEAR. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10108220
5,000 miles · Jan 5, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. THEN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM.…
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WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE. THEN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE COOLANT SYSTEM FAILED AND THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10103277
36,600 miles · Apr 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
I FINALLY GOT MY FREELANDER BACK FROM OVER 4 MONTHS OF WAITING. MY 2002 FREELANDER REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE AFTER IT WAS FOUND THAT MUD AND/OR DEBRIS HAD ENTERED MY TIMING BELT ENCLOSURE AND CAUSED MY ENGINE TO JUMP TIME AND CATOSTROPHICALLY DESTROY MY ENGINE VALVES AND CYLINDER WALLS. A SPECIFIC LAND ROVER DEALER NOTED THAT…
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I FINALLY GOT MY FREELANDER BACK FROM OVER 4 MONTHS OF WAITING. MY 2002 FREELANDER REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE AFTER IT WAS FOUND THAT MUD AND/OR DEBRIS HAD ENTERED MY TIMING BELT ENCLOSURE AND CAUSED MY ENGINE TO JUMP TIME AND CATOSTROPHICALLY DESTROY MY ENGINE VALVES AND CYLINDER WALLS. A SPECIFIC LAND ROVER DEALER NOTED THAT "MUD" WAS THE TOTAL CAUSE OF MY ENGINE FAILURE, WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A 1" X 1" HOLE IN THE TIMING BELT ENCLSOURE; THIS HOLE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR OVERSIGHT AND THUS ALLOWS ANY DIRT/GRIME/DEBRIS/MUD TO ENTER AND CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE. FREELANDER NEVER SHOWED VISIBLE SIGNS (METER OR STEAM) THAT IT WAS OVERHEATING. INSURANCE HAS COVERED THIS ISSUE UNDER A FLOOD COVERAGE AND HAS FRONTED OVER $12,800 FOR A NEW ENGINE. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY LOSS-USE COVERAGE FOR THE 4 MONTHS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY NEW 2003 ENGINE, I FOUND A NEW PLASTIC PIECE THAT NOW COVERS THE ONCE 1" X 1" HOLE IN THE TIMING BELT ENCLOSURE. THIS PIECE ALSO HAS A PIECE NUMBER AND COSTS APPOXIMATELY $6.00. NOW YOU CAN SEE, A MERE $6 ITEM WOULD HAVE SAVED ME AND INSURANCE OVER $13,000. LAND ROVER HAS NOT INITIATED A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN TO MY KNOWLEDGE; I SUSPECT THAT THIS WILL ONLY BE INSTALLED ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS FOR THOSE DRIVERS WHO DO USE THEIR FREELANDER AS ADVERTISED BY LAND ROVER. IN A RECENT ARTICLE IN LAND ROVER CHRONICLE, IT WAS STATED THAT THE 2006 FREELANDER WILL HAVE A BETTER SEALED ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST DRIVERS ARE USING THEIR VEHICLES FOR OFF-ROAD USE (AS ADVERTISED); THEY ALSO STATE THAT THIS VEHICLE WASN'T DESIGNED TO MATCH THE DISCOVERY OR DEFENDER. ON TOP OF IT ALL, MY FRONT AXLE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A NEW ENGINE INSTALL (VIBRATION PROBLEMS), A NEW 02 SENSOR, PLUS I'VE NOTICED A SMALL HAND-SIZED DENT ON MY HOOD (FROM CLOSING). I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS OF SOME SORT SINCE MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IT ON NOW.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10065960
45,000 miles · Feb 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
NUMEROUS TIMES THE ENGINE OF MY FREELANDER LOSES COMPRESSION AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TRAVEL AT A SPEED FASTER THAN 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE LURCHES AND WON'T MAINTAIN A PROPER SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY AREN'T SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS AGO THE REP…
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NUMEROUS TIMES THE ENGINE OF MY FREELANDER LOSES COMPRESSION AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TRAVEL AT A SPEED FASTER THAN 5 MPH. THE VEHICLE LURCHES AND WON'T MAINTAIN A PROPER SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY AREN'T SURE WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS AGO THE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY. THE VEHICLE WORKED PROPERLY FOR 7 MONTHS. A MONTH AGO IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN BETWEEN SEMI TRUCKS. THE VEHICLE LOST SPEED AND I COULD NOT TRACEL FASTER THAN 5 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I LET IT COLL DOWN FOR 20 MINUTES. WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HOWEVER, THEY DID STATE, "WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL." I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND BRING IT BACK IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. ONE WEEK LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. AGAIN' I LET IT COOL DOWN, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT HOME. I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEARLERSHIP AND LAND ROVER OF NORTH AMERICA, AND NOT ONCE HAVE THEY ASKED TO SEE THE VEHICLE, OFFER TO FIX IT, LOOK AT IT. ALL THE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DO IS FOR ME TO TRADE UP TO A DISCOVERY. THE VEHICLE SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND LAND ROVER REFUSES TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK, OR EVEN OFFER TO FIX IT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10058738
Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP IN CHARLOTTE, NC OVERHEATING IS A KNOWN DEFECT DUE TO INADEQUATE ENGINE EXHAUST FAN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #764250
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
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