2005 Land Rover LR3

After a heavy rainstorm in [XXX] , my 2005 Land Rover LR3 experienced catastrophic water intrusion through the A-pillar design flaw documented in Land Rover’s own TSB LA501-007. When I opened the passenger door, ~1.5 inches of water poured out. Immediately afterward, the vehicle developed multiple failures: flickering lights, radio inoperative, driver’s window stuck, ABS warning lights illuminated, “Transmission Fault” error displayed, and the air suspension automatically lowered into its fail-safe mode. This is not wear and tear. Land Rover has acknowledged the defect internally (A-pillar locator holes allowing water ingress into the footwell), but never issued a recall or owner notification. Flooding the footwell shorts the electrical/fuse boxes, causing cascading failures in braking, suspension, powertrain, and electrical systems. This presents a serious safety hazard as the vehicle may lose proper braking, suspension height, or drivetrain function simply from exposure to rain. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SINCE PURCHASING MY SECOND HAND 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 IN 2013, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM. I EXPERIENCE DRIVABILITY CONCERNS SUCH AS HESITATION, MISFIRE, STALLING, ROUGH RUNNING, AND DIFFICULTY IN STARTING, AND THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT IS ALMOST ALWAYS ILLUMINATED. I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY CHASING THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING EQUIPMENT AND SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN DOING SO. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THIS ISSUE BEING A RECALL ISSUE FOR 17263 OTHER LAND ROVERS LR3 (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 05V376000) NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL I WAS RESEARCHING THE VALUE OF MY VEHICLE IN ORDER TO SELL IT. WHILE ON THE KELLY BLUE BOOK WEBSITE, I WAS ALERTED THERE WERE 2 RECALLS FOR 2005 LAND ROVER LR3. AFTER READING THE FIRST RECALL DESCRIPTION, I REALIZED THAT I HAVE HAD THE IDENTICAL ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER, AFTER INPUTTING MY VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, THE SITE STATED THAT MY VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALL. I FOUND THIS TO BE VERY DISCONCERTING, AS I HAVE THE IDENTICAL ISSUE. I THEN CALLED LAND ROVER TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE MANUFACTURER. I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I STATED THAT SAFETY RECALLS WERE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH WARRANTIES. I WAS THEN ASKED FOR, AND PROVIDED MY VIN. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND I HAD NO RECOURSE. I ASKED HIM, GIVEN THAT OVER 17,000 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 HAD BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, WHAT WERE THE ODDS OF MINE HAVING THE SAME PIECE OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT. HE AGAIN STATED THAT SINCE MY VIN WAS NOT LISTED, IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND I HAVE NO RECOURSE. HE THEN DISMISSED ME AND HUNG UP. MY WIFE HAD THE STALL ISSUE OCCUR THIS MORNING ON HER DRIVE TO WORK AT 06:30 AM!

THE AIR RIDE SUSPENSION IS TOTALLY DEAD. THERE WAS A RECALL YEARS AGO BUT I DIDNT GET IT DONE. NOW WHEN I SEARCH RECALLS ITS NOT THERE, BECAUSE SOMEONE THINKS THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. THAT IS SIMPLY FALSE. I CAN BARELY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW BECAUSE THE LEFT SIDE DROPPED DUE TO AIR SUSPENSION. THE SERVICE GUY TOLD ME THE SUSPENSION WAS BUILT IMPROPERLY.

SHOULDER BRACKET MANUFACTURING DEFECT, ALL YEARS, PROBABLY LR4 AS WELL AS EOROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL MODELS DISCOVERY 3 AND 4, RANGE ROVER SPORT CASTING SPLITS AND CRACKS AT MULTIPLE POINTS AROUND BOLT HOLE OVER TIME. 4 OF 4 UNITS I INSPECTED WITH SIMILARR FAILURE. THERE WAS NO INCIDENT, FRAYED SEATBELT, ORDERED USED REPLACEMENT, THEY WERE AS BAD AS THE ONE ON THE VEHICLE, ALL WERE CRACKED. NO ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE. FACTORY ORIGINAL AND ONE ADDITIONAL UNIT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

VEHICLE AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP STATIONARY WITH ENGINE RUNNING IN DRIVE, IE, STOP LIGHT, STOP SIGN, AND PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL THE VEHCLE FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, MORE PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL TO ELICIT RESPONSE FROM VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY EVERYTHING SEEMS TO 'KICK' IN RESULTING IN A VIOLENT JOLT AS VEHICLE SUDDENLY REVS UP AND BEGINS TO MOVE. DELAY BETWEEN FORWARD MOVEMET AND APPLIED GAS PEDAL IS SEVERAL SECONDS AND HAPPENS OFTEN. VEHICHLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO VISIBLE ISSUES AND NO ERROR CODES BELIEVE TO BE PRESENT. WHEN READING ON THE ONLINE LAND ROVER FORUMS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND HAS RESULTED IN WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE SEVERAL THOUSAND TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS BEFORE 85,000 MILES AND IS NOT SAFE. CONTINUES TO TAKE PLACE SINCE VEHICLE PURCAHSE. I HAVE REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT MY OWN COST AND DEFECT CONTINUES TO TAKE PLACE!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY AFTER 10 TO 15 MILES OF DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V376000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.