2002 Land Rover Freelander

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

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

HEATER DOESN'T PROVIDE POWERFUL HEAT AND RIGHT FOOT GETS SO HOT AND LEFT FOOT FREEZES WHILE DRIVING. CAR SHAKES AND RUMBLES OFTEN, SOUNDING LIKE THERE IS NO OIL. HAD SEVERE WATER LEAK FROM MISSING SEALS AROUND REAR CARGO DOOR. SEALS, HEADLINER AND RUG HAD TO BE REPLACED. GAS CAP CAN ONLY BE REMOVED WITH KEY IN IT. IF KEY IS REMOVED WHILE GAS CAP IS OFF, MAKES FOR EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME TO REPLACE (ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES TO WORK THE KEY BACK IN). DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON FREQUENTLY TO WARN OF A FAILURE WHEN THERE IS NO SUCH FAILURE. ENGINE DOESN'T START ON FIRST TRY A LOT OF TIMES. ONCE DRIVING FOR A WHILE THEN PARKING FOR, CAR SOMETIMES DOESN'T START ON FIRST TRY. SHIFTING IS DIFFICULT, RPMS REV PRETTY HIGH. CAR HAS LURCHED FORWARD WHEN SPEED DECREASES (I.E. GOING DOWN HILL). *CB

2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER EXPERIENCED A VEHICLE FIRE.*MR THE CONSUMER ADDRESSED DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, LAND ROVER TOLD HIM THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MEET THE MEXICO LEMON LAW GUIDELINES AND THEY WERE NOT IN ANY POSITION TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SUCH AS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DID NOT UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE, DRIVERS REAR SEAT DID NOT FOLD, THE REAR WINDOW DID NOT GO UP WHEN IT WAS COLD AND THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS SQUEAKY. THE CONSUMER HAD MADE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE THE FIRE OCCURRED. *CB *JB

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2002. WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 43 DAYS WITH CATASTROPHIC MECHANICAL FAILURES, INCLUDING: 21 DAYS FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS; 3 DAYS FOR A NEW GEARSHIFT ASSEMBLY AND 8 DAYS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND ECU AND FRONT BRAKES. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 8 TIMES FOR WARRANTY REPAIRS; AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP WHERE IT WAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 11 DAYS WITH THE DEALER ONCE AGAIN TRYING TO RESOLVE WARNING LIGHT AND TRANSMISSION ISSUE. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SHIFTING TO LOWER GEARS BY ITSELF AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. IN ADDITION ALL OF THE ON-BOARD FAILURE LIGHTS COMING ON AND STAY ON ROUTINELY. THE CAR CONTINUES TO BE PLAGUED BY ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. AFTER EVERY VISIT THE DEALER I AM ASSURED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED BY BOTH THE DEALER AND LAND ROVER CUSTOMER SERVICE; ONLY TO FIND MYSELF BRINGING THE VEHICLE BACK LITERALLY DAYS LATER WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. WITHIN 8 MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE NEW VEHICLE, IT REQUIRED THREE SEPARATE VISITS TO THE DEALER FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS, BUT THE PURCHASING DEALER COULD NOT FIX ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. IN JUNE 2002, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER WITH IDENTICAL MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS. THOUGH THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE HARD SHIFTING AND FAILURE LIGHTS. IN OCTOBER 2003, I STARTED CARING A DIGITAL CAMERA IN THE VEHICLE SO THAT I COULD DOCUMENT THE PROBLEMS. *LA

WE OWN A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. IT HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES. WHILE ON A TRIP ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LITE UP AND THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN 4TH GEAR. BECAUSE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE COULD NOT DIRECT US TO AN OPEN DEALERSHIP, WE HAD TO DRIVE FROM BUFFALO NY TO CHICAGO IL. ONCE BACK IN THE CITY, THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR AND REPLACED THE COMPUTER, WHICH TOOK MORE THAN TWO WEEKS. ON THE WAY HOME, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR THE PAST 26 DAYS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. WE WENT IN TO TRY AND TRADE IT IN FOR A DISCOVERY AND THEY ONLY OFFERED 14,000. WE HAVE TRIED TO GET CORPORATE TO BUY BACK THE CAR AT OUR PAY OFF AMOUNT AND THEY HAVE REFUSED. WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPLORING OUR OPTIONS UNDER THE UCC AND THE MAGNUSON-MOSS ACT FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY.*AK

ENGINE WILL STALL WHEN VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE, IN DIVE GEAR, AND ALLOWED TO ROLL BACK. ALSO, IF VEHICLE IS ALLOWED TO ROLLBACK AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WILL STALL. DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A "SAFETY FEATURE" AND THAT ALL SAME MODEL VEHICLES DOES THE SAME THING. IF THIS IS INDEED A "SAFETY FEATURE," THEN BRAKES SHOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS. THIS IS NOT THE CASE, HOWEVER AS THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO ROLLBACK WITH THE STALLED ENGINE. *LA