FAILURE OF FRONT DIFFERENTIAL OF 2004 RANGE ROVER. THESE FAILURES ARE CHRONIC AND DUE TO A DESIGN FAILURE, BUT LAND ROVER HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I'VE ASKED MY LOCAL DEALER TO REPLACE THE FRONT END AS AN 'EXTENDED WARRANTY' BUT HAVE NOT HEARD IF THEY WILL. IF NOT, ITS A $5,000 REPAIR ITEM. *TR
2004 Land Rover Range Rover
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Range Rover years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
45 reports with mileage · 6 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
25 reportsI WAS TRAVELING HOME ON I-H201 WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD GEAR CRANKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE WARNING CAME ON AND SAID TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NEEDED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP BECAUSE IT COULDN'T SHIFT INTO PARK. IT WAS TOWED IN AND THE DEALER …
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I WAS TRAVELING HOME ON I-H201 WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD GEAR CRANKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE WARNING CAME ON AND SAID TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NEEDED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP BECAUSE IT COULDN'T SHIFT INTO PARK. IT WAS TOWED IN AND THE DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS A FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE WHICH WAS COMMON WITH THIS YEAR. IT'S LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN THERE WASN'T ANY TRAFFIC. THERE WEREN'T ANY MECHANICAL WARNINGS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING IN MY 2004 RANGE ROVER WITH 47K MILES ON I-H201 IN HAWAII AT 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP, THE WARNING SIGN CAME ON AND SAID TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT STOPPED ACCELERATING. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ROLLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR COULD NOT LONGER GET INT…
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I WAS TRAVELING IN MY 2004 RANGE ROVER WITH 47K MILES ON I-H201 IN HAWAII AT 55 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP, THE WARNING SIGN CAME ON AND SAID TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT STOPPED ACCELERATING. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ROLLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR COULD NOT LONGER GET INTO GEAR, MADE HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISES, AND ONLY COULD ONLY STOP WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED (PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK DID NOTHING). THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED INTO THE LAND ROVER DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS FAULT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY LAND ROVER. *TR
MY HUSBAND, SON 10 YRS OLD, MYSELF , AND TWO PUGS WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 31 AT APPX 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY OUR CAR MADE A LOUD CRACK NOISE AND SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING TELLING US TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WE WERE ON OUR WAY ON VACATION APPX 90 MILES OUT OF TOWN. FORTUNATELY THE LAND ROVER DEALER WAS OPEN AT 630 PM AND W…
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MY HUSBAND, SON 10 YRS OLD, MYSELF , AND TWO PUGS WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 31 AT APPX 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY OUR CAR MADE A LOUD CRACK NOISE AND SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING TELLING US TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. WE WERE ON OUR WAY ON VACATION APPX 90 MILES OUT OF TOWN. FORTUNATELY THE LAND ROVER DEALER WAS OPEN AT 630 PM AND WHEN WE DESCRIBED WHAT HAD HAPPENED HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WE HAD TO WAIT 3 HOURS ON BARELY WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD IN THE SNOW AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO TOW OUR CAR TO THE NEAREST LAND ROVER DEALER. THE CAR HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT AND WE PAID 63,000 DOLLARS FOR THE VEHICLE. IT WAS COMPLETELY INCOMPACITATED AND LEFT US STRANDED IN A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE WITH ABSOUTELY NO RECOURSE OTHER THAN TOWING. THANK GOD WE MADE IT SAFELY HOWEVER THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOME. TO DATE MY CAR IS STILL OUT OF SERVICE AND I A, LEFT WITHOUT A VEHICLE. *TR
2004 RANGE ROVER FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE ON HIGHWAY, SUDDENLY LOST POWER COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, HAD TODDLER AND INFANT IN CAR. *TR
Official recalls
108V635000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft
Dec 3, 2008
LAND ROVER IS RECALLING 19,168 MY 2003-2005 RANGE ROVER VEHICLES. THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL COUPLING SLEEVE AND THE PROPELLER SHAFT MAY BE MISALIGNED, RESULTING IN SPLINE WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. AS THE WEAR BETWEEN THE PROPELLER SHAFT AND THE DIFFERENTIAL SPLINE COUPLING PROGRESSES, NOISE AND VIBRATION ARE EXPECTED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONTINUED VEHICLE OPERATION CAN EVENTUALLY RESULT IN THE SPLINES SHEARING AND A LOSS OF DRIVE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED DESIGN OF THE PROPELLER SHAFT, THE FLANGE KIT AND HEAT SHIELD KIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 6, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800- 637-6837.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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