2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

@ 65MPH, I HEARD A MUFFLED 'POP' COMING FROM BENEATH AND IN FRONT, AND MY 2006 RANGE ROVER SPORT SUPERCHARGED IMMEDIATELY LURCHED. A GEAR WHINE PROCEEDED, WHICH WOULD REACT IN PITCH TO MY RATE OF SPEED. FEATHERING THE THROTTLE IMPACTED THE NOISE, AND I SUSPECTED MY FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, OR A FRONT WHEEL BEARING. AS IT WAS EXTREMELY COLD OUTSIDE, AND EXTREMELY LATE, I BABIED THE SPORT THE REMAINING 10 MILES HOME, WHERE I RAISED THE TRUCK AND CONFIRMED A GREAT DEAL OF HEAVY VISCOSITY FLUID HAD COATED THE BOTTOM OF MY VEHICLE, EMANATING FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, ON THE LEFT (US DRIVER'S) SIDE. IT CAUSED QUITE A BIT OF SMOKE, HAVING PAINTED ITSELF ON TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT LAND ROVER HAS ISSUED A SPECIAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE, SAYING THAT ON EARLY MODELS, THE INSIDE OF THE DIFFERENTIALS WERE COATED WITH A PAINT THAT DELAMINATES, MIXING WITH THE GEAR FLUID AND CONTAMINATING IT, CAUSING OVERHEATING AND BEARING/SEAL FAILURE. I AM OUT OF WARRANTY (THE TRUCK IS NOW @ 50K MILES), AND HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH LAND ROVER TO PETITION TO GET THIS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS, APPARENTLY, IS A COMMON PROBLEM - ENOUGH SO THAT THEY ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ADMITTING A FAULT. *TR

2006 RANGE ROVER SPORT. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE DUE TO A LOUD GRINDING NOISE *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS BAD ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE DRAIN PLUG WAS REMOVED, THE FLUID HAD OVERHEATED AND WAS FULL OF METAL SHAVINGS. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED THE DIFFERENTIAL AND FOUND THE PAINT DELAMINATED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL.

THERE ARE OIL LEAKS COMING FROM BOTH FRONT AND REAR DIFFERENTIALS. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS THAT BOTH DIFFERENTIALS EVENTUALLY FAIL AND THE VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERABLE. THERE HAS BEEN INCIDENTS WHERE THE WHEELS HAVE GOTTEN LOCKED. THIS HAS CAUSED VEHICLES TO COME TO A FULL STOP RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS WHERE THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES HAVE SUFFERED LIFE THREATENING INCIDENTS. MANUFACTURER KNOWINGLY REFUSES TO REPLACE A PART THAT IS PRONE TO FAILING DUE TO AN ERROR ON THEIR SIDE. A SERVICE BULLETIN (SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE 34304) HAS BEEN ISSUED TO THE SERVICE CENTERS ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS BULLETIN LISTS THE CAUSE TO BE "THE CASING BLACK PAINT /SEALER DEGRADES, DETACHES AND CONTAMINATES THE OIL. THIS RESULTS IN THE OIL OVERHEATING WHICH RESULTS IN OIL SEAL LEAKS AND BEARING NOISE." AND ALSO NOTES THAT "DIFFERENTIALS FROM THE VINS QUOTED BELOW ARE MANUFACTURED WITH A NEW CASING PAINT WHICH OVERCOMES THE ABOVE MENTIONED ISSUES." BELOW IS AN FULL EXCERPT OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED SSM #34304: SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE, # SSM34304 MODELS LM - NEW RANGE ROVER LA - DISCOVERY 3 LS - RANGE ROVER SPORT TITLE FRONT & REAR DIFFERENTIAL NOISE & OIL LEAKS LAST MODIFIED 03-MAR-2009 12:23 CATEGORY: DRIVELINE SYMPTOM: 509000 AXLE CONCERNS CONTENT: FRONT & REAR DIFFERENTIAL NOISE, MINOR OIL SEAL LEAK & DEBRIS IN OIL. CONCERN: NOISE (WHINE OR HUMMING) FROM THE FRONT OR REAR DIFFERENTIAL. A MINOR OIL LEAK MAY BE EVIDENT WITH POSSIBLE DEBRIS IN OIL. OIL WILL BE BLACK IN COLOR. CAUSE: THE CASING BLACK PAINT /SEALER DEGRADES, DETACHES AND CONTAMINATES THE OIL. THIS RESULTS IN THE OIL OVERHEATING WHICH RESULTS IN OIL SEAL LEAKS AND BEARING NOISE. NOTE: DIFFERENTIALS FROM THE VINS QUOTED BELOW ARE MANUFACTURED WITH A NEW CASING PAINT WHICH OVERCOMES THE ABOVE MENTIONED ISSUES. PLEASE ONLY RAISE AN EPQR FOR DIFFERENTIAL ISSUES WHICH OCCUR POST THE QUOTED VIN NUMBERS: DISCOVERY 3 LR3 - LA8A459201 RANGE ROVER SPORT - LS8A141510 RANGE ROVER. LM8A268394. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, I BEGAN TO HEAR A LOUD SQUEAL FROM BENEATH MY VEHICLE, BUT NO SERVICE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS CLEARLY WRONG, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT MY FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES. LAND ROVER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED ONLY A "SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGE" TO DEALERS. I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT I WAS FORTUNATE AS SOME USERS HAVE HAD THE DIFFERENTIAL LOCK UP BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A SKIDDING HALT. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND LAND ROVER SHOULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH A RECALL. *TR

WHEN DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP, CAR ROLLS FORWARD WHILE THE BREAK PEDAL IS ENGAGED, DEALER STATED LAND ROVER SPORT 2006 HSE, FAULT CODE ON MODULE NEEDS AN UPGRADE, WHICH THE CUSTOMER IS CHARGED. HENCE, IF THE COMPUTER MODULE IS NOT UPGRADED, "VEHICLES CAN BECOME INOPERABLE DUE TO TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE COMPLICATIONS AT FURTHER COST TO THE OWNER" ( CLAUDIA, AT LANDROVER N.A. 800 637 6837 EXTN 2916). *TR

ON DEC1, 2007 I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 RANGE ROVER SPORT SUPERCHARGED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN TORONTO CANADA. ALL OF A SUDDEN THEIR WAS A MAJOR SQUEALING NOISE, THEN THE FRONT TIRES LOCKED UP. IT WAS A MAJOR FAILURE AND COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE ACCIDENT. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS IN A DANGEROUS PLACE. THE POLICE STOPPED, GOT A TOW TRUCK RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THORNHILL LAND ROVER IN TORONTO. TURNS OUT IT WAS A MAJOR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE. THE SPLINES ALL SHEERED OFF ON THE INPUT DRIVE TUBE. LAND ROVER WAS GREAT, THEY FIXED THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE I FEEL MY KIDS AND I WERE VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE IN A HUGE ACCIDENT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MY ISSUE IS NOT UNCOMMON. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. THANK YOU*CN

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT WITH ONLY 26,000 MILES ON CAR, A 2006 RANGE ROVER SPORT. I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALER ONCE TIRE WAS REPAIRED, AS AAA ROAD SERVICE FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE HOME BECAUSE THE OTHER REAR TIRE LOOKED JUST AS BAD. DEALER INITIALLY SAID IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, BUT ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, UNCOVERED A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL.*AK

1) THERE WERE NO SIGNS OR EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. 2) AT 65 MPH THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CAME APART, LOCKING UP THE FRONT TIRES AND PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SKID. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DISABLED AND WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. THIS ALMOST CAUSED US AN ACCIDENT AND WE WERE ALMOST REAR ENDED TWICE. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED! 3)LAND ROVER NORTH SCOTTSDALE REPLACED FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BENT AND REPLACED DRIVE SHAFT, FRONT DIFF MOUNT BENT & STRAIGHTENED MOUNT. THEY REPLACED THEM WITH NEW IDENTICAL PARTS. WE HAVE HEARD OF OTHER INCIDENCES WITH FRONT DIFF. FAILURE. WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS! *NM