NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
226 reports93,000 miles · Nov 3, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE CYLINDER AND PISTONS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE REPAIR SHOP AND HAS BEEN THERE FOR ONE MONTH WAITING ON THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE PARTS WERE DISCONTINUED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED EVERY MONTH FOR ONE YEAR FOR OTHER DEFECTS PRIOR TO THIS RECENT FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,000.
NHTSA ODI #10247558
70,712 miles · Nov 2, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
I BEGAN EXPERIENCING REASONABLY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF COOLANT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I MONITORED AND REFILLED EVERY TIME I SAW THE LEVEL BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL IN THE OVERFLOW TANK. OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS I HAVE BEGAN NOTICING WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOLIDIFIED OIL IN THE OIL CAP AND AM GROWING VERY WORRIED THAT I AM HEADING …
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I BEGAN EXPERIENCING REASONABLY SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF COOLANT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I MONITORED AND REFILLED EVERY TIME I SAW THE LEVEL BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL IN THE OVERFLOW TANK. OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS I HAVE BEGAN NOTICING WHAT APPEARED TO BE SOLIDIFIED OIL IN THE OIL CAP AND AM GROWING VERY WORRIED THAT I AM HEADING DOWN THE SAME PATH THAT SO MANY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. COOLANT IS CLEARLY LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE, IS MIXING WITH THE OIL AND IS IN VERY SHORT ORDER DESTROYING MY ENGINE. WITH 100'S OF REPORTS OF THIS VERY SAME ISSUE IT'S OBVIOUS LAND ROVER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND BASED ON THE BEST INFORMATION I CAN GATHER HAS NO SOLUTION. THEY APPARENTLY DON'T EVEN HAVE REPLACEMENT ENGINES AVAILABLE AS THE MODEL WAS DISCONTINUED. THIS MAKES REPAIR COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE. I STILL OWE SEVERAL THOUSAND ON THE VEHICLE. GIVEN THE ACCOUNTS OF MANY WHOSE ENGINES HAVE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING I AM FEARFUL OF DRIVING IT. THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF THE WIDESPREAD KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE, BAD PR, HAS DEVALUED MY FREELANDER TO THE POINT THAT IT CANNOT BE SOLD FOR WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE VALUED AT. I OWN A VEHICLE FROM LAND ROVER THAT DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE ON THE STREETS. TO REPAIR IT IS APPARENTLY IMPOSSIBLE. SELLING IT CAN ONLY BE DONE AT AN EXTREME FINANCIAL LOSS. THE ISSUE IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING FLAW. I BELIEVE IT'S TIME THE DOT STEPPED UP AND PULLED THESE CARS OFF THE STREET BEFORE SOMETHING VERY BAD HAPPENS AND HOLDS LAND ROVER RESPONSIBLE BY COMPENSATING ALL FREELANDER OWNERS FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE OF A VERY, VERY FLAWED VEHICLE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION AND HELP TAKE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE OFF US ROADS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247487
Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2005. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH OVERHEATING, WHEN I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THEY TOLD ME THE FREELANDER BURNT THROUGH COOLANT FASTER THAN MOST CARS. I DID NOT THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR IT TO BURN THROUGH A GALLON OF COOLANT EVERY 3…
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THE 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2005. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS WITH OVERHEATING, WHEN I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT, THEY TOLD ME THE FREELANDER BURNT THROUGH COOLANT FASTER THAN MOST CARS. I DID NOT THINK IT WAS NORMAL FOR IT TO BURN THROUGH A GALLON OF COOLANT EVERY 3-4 WEEKS. THIS HAS CONTINUED SINCE THEN. UNTIL NOW, MY FREELANDER"S TIMING BELT BROKE ( AT 60,800) WELL BEFORE RECOMMENDED CHANGING OF THE BELT AND HAS ESSENTIALLY TOTALED MY CAR. SINCE IT WILL COST ME A MINIMUM OF $4,500 TO FIX IT. (UP TO $8,500). THE CAR IS ONLY WORTH $8,000. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247407
80,000 miles · Oct 31, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
I OWN A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER, WITH A NEED OF A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE SPENT OVER $10,000 IN REPAIRS TO DATE AND NOW THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247336
85,000 miles · Oct 24, 2008
Visibility
I HAVE REPLACED FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS IN MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER AND JUST NOW REALIZED THAT I AM ABOUT TO REPLACE THE FIFTH. THE COST IS OUTRAGEOUS BUT THE POOR DESIGN IS ABSORB. EACH TIME THE REGULATOR BROKE IT STUCK IN AN OPEN POSITION LEAVING ME NO OPTION BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10246663
80,000 miles · Oct 23, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingInjury
ENGINE FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKAGE. ENGINE OVERHEATING. THE INSIDE OF MY CAR BECAME SO HOT MY MOTHER WHO WAS RIDING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT PASSED OUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10246541
109,000 miles · Oct 21, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10246252
83,000 miles · Oct 18, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
PROBLEM STARTED OUT WITH ENGINE OIL LEAKING INTO ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 15, 2008. ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED FROM SYSTEM, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL IN TRAFFIC. ROOT CAUSE OF FAILURE STILL TO BE DETERMINED. VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF SERVICE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10245852
57,000 miles · Sep 23, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
AFTER SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER TYPE S OVERHEATING, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT WAS FOUND TO BE LOW, AND A DISCUSSION WITH THE MECHANIC AND THE SHOP PERSON INDICATED THAT THEIR IS NO EXTERNAL LEAKS, AND THAT THE COOLANT MAY BE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. …
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AFTER SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER TYPE S OVERHEATING, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT WAS FOUND TO BE LOW, AND A DISCUSSION WITH THE MECHANIC AND THE SHOP PERSON INDICATED THAT THEIR IS NO EXTERNAL LEAKS, AND THAT THE COOLANT MAY BE LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CYLINDERS/HEADS ARE MADE OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS, AND THAT A GAP MAY HAVE FORMED THERE CAUSING THE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. I WAS TOLD THAT IF THE COOLANT CONTINUES TO LEAK WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE SIGNS OF EXTERNAL PROBLEMS, THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE 57,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON THIS VEHICLE, AND ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE. IT IS NOW OUT OF MANUFACTURES WARRANTY, AND I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM, WITH MODELS FROM 2000 TO 2005, THE YEARS THE CAR WAS AVAILABLE IN THE US. IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE NO VIABLE REPLACEMENT ENGINES AVAILABLE THAT DO NOT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM SINCE, THE VEHICLE WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2005. BASED ON THE INFORMATION I HAVE GATHERED, IT APPEARS THAT THE ENGINE USED IN THIS VEHICLE WAS OF A FAULTY DESIGN, GIVEN THE FACT THAT A REPLACEMENT WITH OUT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECORD, MY VEHICLE INFO IS AS FOLLOWS: MAKE: LAND ROVER MODEL: FREELANDER TYPE S YEAR: 2002 PURCHASE DATE: 07/12/2002 I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, AND I PURCHASED THIS FROM A LAND ROVER DEALER IN SIMSBURY, CT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10243234
61,000 miles · Sep 15, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling
THIS CAR HAD ONLY 61000 MILES ON IT AND NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. COOLANT LEAKED INTO ENGINE JUST 3 WEEKS AFTER I PAID $2K FOR WORK ON THE COOLANT SYSTEM (RESERVOIR, HOSES) AND A PLENUM VALVE REPLACEMENT TO ADDRESS THE SAME PROBLEM IT WAS THEN EXPERIENCING (OVERHEATING AND ENGINE REVVING). DEALER SAID A PISTON SLEEVE HAD SLIPPED. …
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THIS CAR HAD ONLY 61000 MILES ON IT AND NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. COOLANT LEAKED INTO ENGINE JUST 3 WEEKS AFTER I PAID $2K FOR WORK ON THE COOLANT SYSTEM (RESERVOIR, HOSES) AND A PLENUM VALVE REPLACEMENT TO ADDRESS THE SAME PROBLEM IT WAS THEN EXPERIENCING (OVERHEATING AND ENGINE REVVING). DEALER SAID A PISTON SLEEVE HAD SLIPPED. FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT REQUIRED. THIS CAR HAS RECEIVED ALL OF ITS RECOMMENDED SERVICE APPOINTMENTS AND HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 50K MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10242252
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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