NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
226 reports21,000 miles · Sep 26, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentFuel System, GasolineFire
I PURCHASED THIS SUV WITH ONLY 14,000 ON IT WITH THE REMAINING FACTORY WARRANTY. AT 21,000 THE SUV ENGINE LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE 2 HOURS FROM HOME. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LAND ROVER FIXED IT, $13,000 THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE AT 21,000 MILES. THE WARRANTY COVERED THE ENGINE, BUT THEY CHARGED ME $80 FOR …
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I PURCHASED THIS SUV WITH ONLY 14,000 ON IT WITH THE REMAINING FACTORY WARRANTY. AT 21,000 THE SUV ENGINE LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE 2 HOURS FROM HOME. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LAND ROVER FIXED IT, $13,000 THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE AT 21,000 MILES. THE WARRANTY COVERED THE ENGINE, BUT THEY CHARGED ME $80 FOR AN OIL CHANGE~ YOU HAVE TO PUT NEW OIL IN A NEW ENGINE~~BUT THEY MADE ME PAY FOR THE OIL! THEY NAVIGATION SYSTEM SCREEN WENT BLACK AND KEEPS GOING OFF, THEY SAID THE WARRANTY WOULD PAY FOR IT, NEVER HEARD BACK AND THE WARRANTY IS OUT LAST MONTH. THEY FIXED A RECALL ON THE CARB THE LAST OIL CHANGE. THE BRAKES GROUND DOWN TO THE ROTORS, HAD TO REPLACE THEM AT 20,000. NEW ENGINE LEFT ME STRANDED IN ANOTHER STATE WITH MY LITTLE GIRL IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO CELL SERVICE. NEEDED TOWED AGAIN. THE ANTI-FREEZE HOSE HAD COME LOOSE FROM ENGINE, CAUSED IT TO SHUT DOWN...HAD TO FIX, NO WARRANTY,CAR HAD 52,000 MILES (2,000 OVER) LAST WEEK I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL AND SMELLED GASOLINE VERY STRONGLY, AFTER HAVING TO IDLE IN BEHIND THE BUSES IN FRONT OF HER SCHOOL. WITH CHILDREN WALKING BY, AND BLOCKED IN BY ANOTHER MOM, IT NEARLY EXPLODED! THE GAS GAUGE HAD WENT DOWN 1/2 TANK, IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND NEARLY GOT FIRE. THEY SAID I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN IN A FIRE WITH MY DAUGHTER. OVER 3/4 TANK OF GAS HAD LEAKED OUT UNDER THE HOOD OF THE SUV AND IF SOMETHING WOULD HAVE SPARKED IT, MY DAUGHTER & I WOULD NOT BE HERE, AND MAYBE NOT THE CHILDREN IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL STANDING BY BUSES OR ON BUS NEXT TO SUV. THEY ALSO FOUND OIL PLUG WAS LEAKING AFTER LAND ROVER DEALER CHANGED OIL AT $80 AND NEVER PUT SEAL BACK ON PLUG. ALMOST BURNT ENGINE UP AGAIN. RIGHT NOW IT IS SITTING AT REPAIR SHOP, LAND ROVER ACCIDENTALLY SENT THEM A WHEEL BEARING LAST WEEK INSTEAD OF THE PART TO FIX GAS LEAK, I HAVE A RENTAL CAR FOR OVER 1 WEEK NOW. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH THE COST WILL BE TO GET IT FIXED THIS TIME, I'M PRETTY MUCH SCREWED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10169289
37,100 miles · Aug 23, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic
I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER FORT WORTH (TX) IN JANUARY OF 2002. WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THE CAR HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2006 (4 YEARS), BUT DUE TO MY LOW MILEAGE 32,000 MILES, I DID NOT PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. SINCE FEBRUARY 2006, I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES FOR THE 3…
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I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER FORT WORTH (TX) IN JANUARY OF 2002. WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THE CAR HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2006 (4 YEARS), BUT DUE TO MY LOW MILEAGE 32,000 MILES, I DID NOT PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. SINCE FEBRUARY 2006, I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKES FOR THE 3RD TIME ($1000), HAD THE ENGINE OVERHEAT DUE TO A FAULTY TEMP GAUGE WHICH IN TURN BLEW THE INTAKE GASKET ($1500), REPLACED THE HEATER CORE AGAIN (PD. FOR BY DEALERSHIP), AND AM NOW FACED WITH REPLACING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION ($5000). MY TRANSMISSION TROUBLE BEGAN IN EARLY AUGUST 2006, WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND SHUDDER UNEXPECTEDLY. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK OUT THE ISSUE. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TEMP SENSOR AND SAID THE CARE WAS FIXED. I PICKED UP THE "FIXED" CAR AND 4 HOURS LATER THE DANGEROUS JUMPING/SHUDDERING HAPPENED AGAIN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE PROBLEM GREW WORSE AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASH. I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WAS THEN FLATBEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT AN ELECTRONIC COMPUTER CHIP (ECC) FOR THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED - BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP NOW STATES THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR $5000. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 37,000 MILES (HIGHWAY AND CITY MILES ONLY - NO OFF-ROADING) AND HAS BEEN SERVICED ON TIME AND ONLY AT LR DEALERSHIPS FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. I FIND THIS ENTIRE SITUATION UNACCEPTABLE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10166346
39,100 miles · Aug 5, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainVisibility
THIS IS ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 2002 LANDROVER/FREELANDER. KEEPING THE CAR IN BEST SHAPE AND MAINTAINING ON SCHEDULE, STILL THE TRANSMISSION WENT BAD WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILEAGE. CAR WARRANTY IS FOR 50K OR 4 YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WARRANTY WAS UP IN JANUARY 2006. ENGINE HAS SPECIAL NOISE AND CAR IS COMING APART. WIND…
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THIS IS ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAILURE FOR 2002 LANDROVER/FREELANDER. KEEPING THE CAR IN BEST SHAPE AND MAINTAINING ON SCHEDULE, STILL THE TRANSMISSION WENT BAD WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILEAGE. CAR WARRANTY IS FOR 50K OR 4 YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WARRANTY WAS UP IN JANUARY 2006. ENGINE HAS SPECIAL NOISE AND CAR IS COMING APART. WINDOW DOES NOT ROLL UP AND DOWN, REAR SEAT GOT STUCK AND WOULDN'T GET ITS POSITION. ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER, BUT THE MAIN ONE IS THE TRANSMISSION. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10164615
10,000 miles · Jul 10, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
I HAVE A 2002 LANDROVER FREELANDER WITH 50,000 MILES, AND I AM ON MY 4TH SET OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. I DRIVE PRIMARY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK, WHICH IS NO MORE THAN 15-20 MILES EACH WAY, SO I FEEL THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FOR THE FREELANDER WAS DESIGNED IMPROPERLY AND THE COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD WARN EVERYONE, NO…
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I HAVE A 2002 LANDROVER FREELANDER WITH 50,000 MILES, AND I AM ON MY 4TH SET OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. I DRIVE PRIMARY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK, WHICH IS NO MORE THAN 15-20 MILES EACH WAY, SO I FEEL THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM FOR THE FREELANDER WAS DESIGNED IMPROPERLY AND THE COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD WARN EVERYONE, NOT TO BUY THIS SUV. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10161956
56,439 miles · May 17, 2006
Power Train
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM FIFTH GEAR TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING AND THE REVERSE FAILED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THEY REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
NHTSA ODI #10157756
Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2006
Exterior Lighting
BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE. CHECKED FUSE, BULBS AND WIRING. ALL WERE OPERATIVE. HAD BRAKE LAMP SWITCH REPLACED. LIGHTS STILL NOT OPERATIONAL. (NEW STOP LAMP SWITCH WAS THE SAME MANUFACTURER AS THE ONE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER NHTSA INVESTIGATION.) SINCE NEW PART DIDN'T WORK, OLD PART WAS REINSTALLED AND NEW ONE RETURNED TO D…
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BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE. CHECKED FUSE, BULBS AND WIRING. ALL WERE OPERATIVE. HAD BRAKE LAMP SWITCH REPLACED. LIGHTS STILL NOT OPERATIONAL. (NEW STOP LAMP SWITCH WAS THE SAME MANUFACTURER AS THE ONE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER NHTSA INVESTIGATION.) SINCE NEW PART DIDN'T WORK, OLD PART WAS REINSTALLED AND NEW ONE RETURNED TO DEALER. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE 300.00 JUST TO TELL ME WHY BRAKES WON'T WORK AND IS AWARE OF WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED. BRAKE LIGHTS STILL NOT OPERATIONAL. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10149711
51,000 miles · Jan 27, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE FAILURE-CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED & SLOW ACCELERATION, UPPER INTAKE OF ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 51,000 MILES, DEALER NOT WILLING TO COVER DUE TO REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE NOT DONE AT DEALERSHIP, THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE MAGNUSON-MOSS ACT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10148819
41,000 miles · Jan 20, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES OVERHEATED. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES TO MAKE THE DRIVER AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE PRESSED AT NORMAL SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SLIGHT CHIRPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10148198
60,548 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
Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2005
Equipment
THE REMOTE CONTROL COMPLETELY STOP OPENING THE DRIVERS DOOR. LANDROVER WAS NOT RECEPTIVE TO MY COMPLAINTS. THE REGIONAL GUYS STILL HAVE NOT RETURN MY CALL ABOUT THE MATTER. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10143282
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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