NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
83 reportsClear category filter38,000 miles · Jan 21, 2010
Latches/locks/linkagesPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, MY CAR JERKED FORWARDED AS IF IT GOT HIT FROM THE BACK. IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE I GOT IT TO THE MECHANIC THAT SAME DAY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SINCE OBTAINING THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2003 THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED IN 2004. IN 2009 MY FREELANDER IS NOW DEAD. …
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WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, MY CAR JERKED FORWARDED AS IF IT GOT HIT FROM THE BACK. IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE I GOT IT TO THE MECHANIC THAT SAME DAY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SINCE OBTAINING THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2003 THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. IT WAS REPLACED IN 2004. IN 2009 MY FREELANDER IS NOW DEAD. THE TRANSMISSION IS DEAD AND IT KILLED MY BATTERY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM, TRANSMISSION, LOCKING DEVISES, BRAKES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10301743
49,800 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
AT LESS THAN 40,000 MILES I NEEDED TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND LESS THAN 50,000 I NEEDED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A HEADGASKET PROBLEM. ALSO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE BUT THESE WERE THE MAJOR ONES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278085
67,000 miles · Jun 26, 2009
Power Train
2002 LANDROVER FREELANDER. BOUGHT WITH 4,000 MILES FROM LANDROVER OF ASHEVILLE, NC. TODAY AT 67,000 MILES THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR 5K. I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT THE SENDS ME OVER THE EDGE. I HAVE BEEN READING BLOGGS FROM OTHER OWNERS WHO STATED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT CAN BE…
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2002 LANDROVER FREELANDER. BOUGHT WITH 4,000 MILES FROM LANDROVER OF ASHEVILLE, NC. TODAY AT 67,000 MILES THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR 5K. I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT THE SENDS ME OVER THE EDGE. I HAVE BEEN READING BLOGGS FROM OTHER OWNERS WHO STATED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT CAN BE DONE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10275059
65,000 miles · May 27, 2009
Power Train
MY 2002 FREELAND LANDROVER IS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE F4 LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEY ARE SAYING I NEED TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. THERE AREN'T EVEN 65K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10270145
77,000 miles · Mar 7, 2009
Electrical SystemPower Train
HAVE OWNED 2002 LR FREELANDER SINCE MAY 2008, FOR AROUND $9,000, HAVE SPENT $4000 ON REPAIRS SINCE. TRANSFER CASE WENT IN THE END OF NOVEMBER, THEN THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME "FIXED" EARLY FEBRUARY BUT THE TRANSMISSION DIED AGAIN WITHIN 25 MILES OF THE AUTO SHOP, LUCKILY THE WORK W…
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HAVE OWNED 2002 LR FREELANDER SINCE MAY 2008, FOR AROUND $9,000, HAVE SPENT $4000 ON REPAIRS SINCE. TRANSFER CASE WENT IN THE END OF NOVEMBER, THEN THE TRANSMISSION DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME "FIXED" EARLY FEBRUARY BUT THE TRANSMISSION DIED AGAIN WITHIN 25 MILES OF THE AUTO SHOP, LUCKILY THE WORK WAS UNDER WARRANTY, THEY FOUND THAT AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WAS THE TRUE PROBLEM AND RETURNED IT TO ME "FIXED" AGAIN MARCH 6, 2009, NOT EVEN 20 MILES THIS TIME AND I'M GETTING THE F4 SIGNAL, HDC WARNING, AND THE GEARS WON'T SHIFT. I OWE TO MUCH ON THE CAR TO SCRAP IT, BUT CAN'T IMAGINE WASTING MORE MONEY TO HAVE IT SIT IN THE SHOP FOR ANOTHER COUPLE OF MONTHS (WHILE IM MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT) JUST TO SUFFER THE SAME FATE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10261013
72,601 miles · Feb 27, 2009
Power TrainVisibility
2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER - 72,000 MILES: REPLACED 3 WINDOW REGULATORS LAST YEAR. ON MY WAY TO WORK ONE MORNING & HILL DESCENT LIGHT CAME ON, F / 4 LIGHT FLASHES, AND IT IS JERKY / JUMPY WHILE DRIVING. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM - 3 LAND ROVER DEALERSHIPS IN 5 WEEKS. MY CAR IS NOW 100 MILES AWAY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS …
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2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER - 72,000 MILES: REPLACED 3 WINDOW REGULATORS LAST YEAR. ON MY WAY TO WORK ONE MORNING & HILL DESCENT LIGHT CAME ON, F / 4 LIGHT FLASHES, AND IT IS JERKY / JUMPY WHILE DRIVING. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM - 3 LAND ROVER DEALERSHIPS IN 5 WEEKS. MY CAR IS NOW 100 MILES AWAY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS FIXED, BUT WHEN I GOT THERE IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. THEY LOOKED AT IT AGAIN & I WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $4800. FOR SOME REASON, NO ONE COULD PICK UP THE PROBLEM WITH THE TESTERS. I LOVED MY CAR BUT AFTER READING ABOUT ALL THE CHRONIC PROBLEMS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. PLUS, I OWE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT AS THE TRANSMISSION! I WILL NEVER BUY A LAND ROVER AGAIN & THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10260232
128,000 miles · Feb 21, 2009
Power TrainVisibility
AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIRS TO MY 2002 FREELANDER INCLUDING MULTIPLE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURES. THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT. DEALER SAYS THEY CANT REPAIR MUST REPLACE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10259509
105,000 miles · Feb 6, 2009
Power Train
2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER - MANIFOLD FAILURE - TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10257763
65,000 miles · Jan 7, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
I BOUGHT A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER AS A 2ND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE FROM A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP. SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, I REPLACED A SUNROOF, A TRANSMISSION, THE BRAKES REQUIRE CONSTANT REPLACEMENT (MORE OFTEN THAN SHOULD BE NECESSARY), A PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW MOTOR AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND NOW HAS …
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I BOUGHT A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER AS A 2ND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE FROM A LOCAL CAR DEALERSHIP. SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, I REPLACED A SUNROOF, A TRANSMISSION, THE BRAKES REQUIRE CONSTANT REPLACEMENT (MORE OFTEN THAN SHOULD BE NECESSARY), A PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW MOTOR AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND NOW HAS BLOWN AGAIN - I AM UNABLE TO HAVE THIS ENGINE REPLACED #1 THERE ARE NO MORE ENGINES AS THE LANDROVER DEALER ONLY MADE THIS DEFECTIVE MODEL 1 YEAR AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY ENGINES REPLACED BY OTHER OWNERS THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER ENGINES AVAILABLE. EVEN IF THERE WERE ANY ENGINES I WOULD NOT PAY $10,000 TO HAVE ANOTHER "DEFECTIVE" ENGINE PLACED IN THIS VEHICLE. THERE ARE OVER 1400 MESSAGES ON THE EDMOND FORUM.COM OUTLINING OTHER PEOPLES SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE HAS CAUSED COUNTLESS PEOPLE'S CREDIT TO BE RUINED, AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIP TO UNTOLD FAMILIES. I WONDER WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ALREADY WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED. LANDROVER NEEDS TO REIMBURSE THESE OWNERS THE MONEY THEY HAVE SPENT - SUCH AS MYSELF ON REPAIRS, CONSTANTLY IN THE SHOP AND HAVING TO PAY FOR RENTAL VEHICLES. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS RUDE AND HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPATHY AND ACTUALLY TOLD ME AFTER BRINGING MY VEHICLE IN TO THEM OVER AND OVER THAT "HE WILL BE GLAD WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I GET OUT FROM UNDER THIS VEHICLE" AND ADMITTED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THEM. BUT... THE DEALER WOULDN'T EVEN OFFER US A FREE OIL CHANGE FOR ALL OF OUR HARDSHIPS. IT IS A SHAME. I HOPE EVENTUALLY SOMETHING IS DONE BEFORE THIS COMPANY "BELLIES UP" AND FILES BANKRUPTCY AND ALL OF THESE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN RUINED WILL HAVE NO RECOURSE FOR THEIR FINANCIAL WOES AS A RESULT OF THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION. PLEASE HELP ANY WAY YOU CAN! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10254082
116,000 miles · Jan 3, 2009
Power Train
THE CAR HAS DIED AGAIN, AND IS NOT RUNNING. THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10253653
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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