2014 Land Rover LR4

OUR 2014 LR4 LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING ON A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREEWAY IN THE FAST LANE. SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED SHUTTING DOWN WITH ZERO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE ACCELERATION/POWER NOT WORKING. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE HAD TO NAVIGATE OUR WAY TO THE SHOULDER THROUGH VERY FAST TRAFFIC WHILE OUR CAR CONTINUED TO SLOW DOWN. WE MADE IT TO THE SHOULDER JUST AS THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING AND IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN. THIS INCIDENT WAS INCREDIBLY FRIGHTENING AND OUR ENTIRE FAMILY IS VERY LUCKY WE WERE NOT HIT AND/OR INJURED. OUR CAR WAS IN GREAT CONDITION WITH ONLY 56K MILES AND THERE WAS NEVER A WARNING LIGHT THAT CAME ON AT ANY PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN.

WHILE MERGING ONTO INTERSTATE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN SMOKING, SHUDDERING AND LOSING POWER. CONTINUED DOWN INTERSTATE UNTIL I COULD EXIT. AT THE TOP OF THE EXIT RAMP THICK ACRID SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE EXHAUST AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE EVEN WORSE. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP INTO A GAS STATION AT WHICH POINT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY ILLUMINATED. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD NEVER RESTART. VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. MILEAGE AT TIME OF FAILURE IS ONLY 65,000. VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED WITH PROPER SPECIFICATION OIL, FILTER AND PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICES. NO FLUIDS OR VISIBLE SIGNS OF TROUBLE WERE PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART, ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START AS IF NO FUEL WAS BEING DELIVERED INTO THE CYLINDERS.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR JUST STARTED LOSING POWER. I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE CAR HAD ANTIFREEZE UNDER THE ENGINE AREA AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE CAR HAS UNDER 90,000 MILES. REPLACED THE ORIGINAL WATER PUMP AT 40,000 MILES. THE NEW WATER PUMP WENT OUT AT 89,000 MILES CAUSING THE ENGINE TO CEASE UP.

THE AUTO START STOP ON THIS VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY VIOLENT IN ITS RESTARTS. IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WILL JERK FORWARD WHEN IT AUTOMATICALLY RESTARTS. THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLAINT SINCE THE LR4 WAS REFRESHED IN 2014 WITH AUTO STOP START. IT SEEMS LIKE A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO THE WAY THE TRANSMISSION REENGAGES AFTER A START WOULD FIX THIS ISSUE. IF YOU'RE UNAWARE THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN, THE CAR COULD LUNGE FORWARD ENOUGH TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY LOCAL DEALER THAT THERE IS NO SOFTWARE UPDATE AVAILABLE AND THE THE SYSTEM IS JUST JERKY. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ROTARY SHIFTER ON THE LR4 DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGE PARK WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED LIKE IS NOW REQUIRED FOR ALL FCA VEHICLES AFTER THEIR RECALL. IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION, IT'S POSSIBLE TO SELECT THE WRONG GEAR WHEN GETTING OUT WITHOUT SHUTTING OFF THE VEHICLE AND IT ROLLING AWAY.