NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
226 reports35,000 miles · Apr 25, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAD MY CAR FOR LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN THE RADIATOR/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE COOLANT (SOMETHING LIKE THAT.. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CARS). THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH I WAS TOLD BY THEIR SERVICE MANAGER AT THE TIME WAS A MA…
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I HAD MY CAR FOR LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN THE RADIATOR/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE COOLANT (SOMETHING LIKE THAT.. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CARS). THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH I WAS TOLD BY THEIR SERVICE MANAGER AT THE TIME WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH ALL LAND ROVER FREELANDERS OF 2002 AND 2003. I BROWSED THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION, AND SURE ENOUGH, MY CAR WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. THANKFULLY, WHEN I HAD ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE CAR, I HAD ALSO PURCHASES THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY. BUT THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT IN 2010, AND I'M SURE I'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I WANT TO SELL MY CAR, BUT I CAN'T JUSTIFY SELLING A CAR THAT I KNOW HAS SO MANY PROBLEMS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10225677
50,300 miles · Apr 10, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
OUR WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 FREELANDER HAD ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF REACHING 50,000 MILES. IN BOTH CASES THE FAILURES OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS. IN BOTH CASES THE LOSS OF POWER/CONTROL POSED A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO EVERYONE IN THE CAR. ONE OF TH…
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OUR WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 FREELANDER HAD ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF REACHING 50,000 MILES. IN BOTH CASES THE FAILURES OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS. IN BOTH CASES THE LOSS OF POWER/CONTROL POSED A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO EVERYONE IN THE CAR. ONE OF THESE EVENTS OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SERVICE AND SAFETY CHECK BY THE DEALER. THIS CARE IS SO BADLY DESIGNED THAT IS A DRIVING HAZARD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED IN ITS ENTIRETY. THE VERY EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ON MAJOR FAILURES WITHOUT WARNING ATTEST TO THE DANGERS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS IMPOSING ON THE PUBLIC ON A DAILY BASIS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10224154
53,772 miles · Apr 2, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LANDROVER FREELANDER THAT IS ON ITS THIRD ENGINE (WITHIN 1 YEAR). WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY INCONVENIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE HAVING ISSUES THAT BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIM TO FIX THE ISSUE AND WITHIN 3,000 MILES WE ARE BACK AGAIN LIKE CLOCKWORK. LANDROVER DOES KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND WE HAVE A …
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WE CURRENTLY HAVE A LANDROVER FREELANDER THAT IS ON ITS THIRD ENGINE (WITHIN 1 YEAR). WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY INCONVENIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE HAVING ISSUES THAT BRING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIM TO FIX THE ISSUE AND WITHIN 3,000 MILES WE ARE BACK AGAIN LIKE CLOCKWORK. LANDROVER DOES KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND WE HAVE A VEHICLE THAT WE COULD NEVER SELL TO ANYONE ELSE, PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON, AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO RECOURSE WITH. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN LAST WEEK FOR THEM TO FIX AN ISSUE, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND I WAS INHALING COOLANT FUMES; THEY STATED THAT IT WAS FIXED, NO SOONER THAN 4 HOURS AFTER I PICKED THE CAR UP ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DID THE SAME CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GO ON AND I CURRENTLY AM DRIVING AROUND INHALING FUMES FROM COOLANT AGAIN. WHEN DO THESE ISSUES GET RESOLVED. IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR OF THE SAME ISSUES WITH A CAR, THAT THE SALES WOMAN'S WORDS TO MY HUSBAND WERE, THE FIRST VEHICLE CREATED BY LANDROVER IS STILL ON THE ROAD. MY CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW, HAS APPROX. 57,600 MILES ON IT, IT IS 5 YEARS OLD, AND FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HAS HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER HOW MANY OF THESE MODELS HAVE HAD ISSUES STATED, MORE THAN HE WOULD LIKE TO ADMIT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE. AT THIS POINT MY HUSBAND WOULD LIKE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY MONEY BACK AND AT LEAST HALF OF THE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10223211
57,000 miles · Mar 25, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
WE PURCHASED A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF OVERHEATING, LOSING COOLANT AND OIL AND WE HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD A NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED. THE CAR OWNER WAS ALSO TOLD AT 50,756 MILES THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NECESSARY. APPARENTLY LAND ROVER IS AWARE OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT …
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WE PURCHASED A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. THE CAR HAS HAD NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF OVERHEATING, LOSING COOLANT AND OIL AND WE HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD A NEW ENGINE IS NEEDED. THE CAR OWNER WAS ALSO TOLD AT 50,756 MILES THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NECESSARY. APPARENTLY LAND ROVER IS AWARE OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS. THERE HAS BEEN OCCASIONS WHEN THE CAR STOPS OR OVERHEAT IS CAUSING POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS/PROBLEMS FOR THE CAR OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10222310
30,000 miles · Mar 23, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 FREELANDER. MAINLY RELATED TO ENGINE OVER-HEATING WHICH CAUSES COOLANT TO EVAPORATE AND ALSO THE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE ENGINE. I MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN WARRANTY, BUT THEN THEY SIMPLY REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE CORE PROBLEM WHICH IS THE ENGINE. THIS…
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I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2002 FREELANDER. MAINLY RELATED TO ENGINE OVER-HEATING WHICH CAUSES COOLANT TO EVAPORATE AND ALSO THE COOLANT LEAKS INTO THE ENGINE. I MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN WARRANTY, BUT THEN THEY SIMPLY REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE CORE PROBLEM WHICH IS THE ENGINE. THIS ENGINE OVER-HEATING RESULTED IN SPOILING THE A/C BLOWER AND HEATER CORE, AND ALSO I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO-WHERE 4 TIMES. AND EACH TIME I HAD TO TOW THE VEHICLE ($150 EACH TIME) AND THE ONLY RESPONSE FROM DEALERSHIP WAS TO KEEP ADDING MORE COOLANT. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT SURE WHAT DO I DO WITH THIS VEHICLE. I CANNOT USE THIS TO GO ANYWHERE (IT CAN FAIL ANYTIME), DON'T FEEL LIKE CHEATING SOMEBODY SELLING THIS CAR. I AM TOTALLY CLUELESS AND NEED HELP TO THE CORE ISSUE RESOLVED, WHICH I THINK IS ENGINE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10222066
44,000 miles · Feb 22, 2008
Power Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION GEARS FAILED TO SHIFT. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO KEEP DRIVING UNTIL THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 44,000.
NHTSA ODI #10218876
50,050 miles · Feb 11, 2008
Power Train
TRANSMISSION BROKE AT 50,050 MILES. NEEDED FULL REPLACEMENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10217668
61,500 miles · Feb 8, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
THE CAR IS JUST POORLY DESIGNED AND A DISASTER. DESPITE OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT MANUFACTURER'S DEALERS & AT NORMAL INTERVALS, THE CAR'S ENGINE & TRANSMISSION FAILED. REPAIR COSTS READILY EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. ALL WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES. LAND ROVER & FORD WERE UN-WILLING TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY. WE ARE OUT …
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THE CAR IS JUST POORLY DESIGNED AND A DISASTER. DESPITE OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT MANUFACTURER'S DEALERS & AT NORMAL INTERVALS, THE CAR'S ENGINE & TRANSMISSION FAILED. REPAIR COSTS READILY EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. ALL WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES. LAND ROVER & FORD WERE UN-WILLING TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY. WE ARE OUT OF THE CAR AND WILL NOT PURCHASE LR OR FORD PRODUCTS IN THE FUTURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10217436
Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicStructure
HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE WITH REPLACEMENTS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: SUNROOF ASSEMBLY, BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE, COOLANT TANK, COOLANT TANK LID, INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY, WIPER SWITCH, 2 VACUUM HOSES, WINDOW REGULATOR, SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES AND HEADLINER. NOW, DESPITE MAINTAINING THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE SCHED…
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HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE WITH REPLACEMENTS NEEDED FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: SUNROOF ASSEMBLY, BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE, COOLANT TANK, COOLANT TANK LID, INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY, WIPER SWITCH, 2 VACUUM HOSES, WINDOW REGULATOR, SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES AND HEADLINER. NOW, DESPITE MAINTAINING THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE SCHEDULE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED AT 67K MILES. THE COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO THE OIL AND AFTER HAVING THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED AND A COOLER PART REPLACED, THE DEALER NOW BELIEVES THAT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE SLEEVE. THERE APPARENTLY IS A BACK ORDER ON REPLACEMENT ENGINES SO I WILL HAVE TO COUGH UP $$$ TO KEEP THE OIL DRAINED AND COOLANT FILLED UNTIL ONE IS AVAILABLE. WHY SHOULD A $35,000 VEHICLE NEED AN ENGINE REPLACED AT 67K MILES? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10215477
70,000 miles · Dec 21, 2007
Power Train
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10212541
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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