NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
226 reports63,216 miles · Jan 15, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
OUR 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER BEGAN TO OVER HEAT AT 63,216 MILES. WE WERE LUCKY IN THAT WE WERE AT A DRIVE THROUGH NEAR OUR HOUSE. WE TOOK THE CAR HOME RIGHT AWAY. UPON GETTING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER, THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION. THE LONG BLOCK NEEDED REPLACING. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT A CYLINDER SLEE…
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OUR 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER BEGAN TO OVER HEAT AT 63,216 MILES. WE WERE LUCKY IN THAT WE WERE AT A DRIVE THROUGH NEAR OUR HOUSE. WE TOOK THE CAR HOME RIGHT AWAY. UPON GETTING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER, THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION. THE LONG BLOCK NEEDED REPLACING. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT A CYLINDER SLEEVE HAD SLIPPED. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED. UPON FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE DEALER, IT SEEMS TO BE KNOWN THAT THE ENGINE WILL FAIL. THIS DEALER HAS HAD OWNERS COME IN FOR THEIR 3RD MOTOR ALL WITHIN THE WARRANTY. THE LIFE EXPECTANCY SEEMS TO BE BETWEEN 30,000 AND ABOUT 65,000 MILES. WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT ANYWHERE FAR AWAY OR MY WIFE WAS ON BUSINESS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A BAD DESIGN AND RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE LAND ROVER WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THOSE WHOM ARE OUT OF WARRANTY ARE OUT OF LUCK. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10178758
68,000 miles · Dec 15, 2006
Power Train
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10176225
68,000 miles · Dec 15, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE TEMPERATURE SPIKING. ENGINE SUCKED A LAVE INTO THE ENGINE - ENGINE SEIZED. HAD TO REBUILD ENGINE - $5500.00. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10176224
73,888 miles · Dec 14, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentService Brakes, Hydraulic
IN OCTOBER OF 2002 MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2002 FREELANDER FROM LANDROVER NORTH DADE OF FLORIDA. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOWROOM WITH MINIMAL MILES. WITHIN THREE(3) DAYS OF PURCHASE WE RETURNED THE CAR BECAUSE IT SHOOK VIOLENTLY AFTER REACHING A SPEED OF 50 MPH. I MUST ADMIT THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED US OF SOME TYPE OF MALFUNCT…
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IN OCTOBER OF 2002 MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2002 FREELANDER FROM LANDROVER NORTH DADE OF FLORIDA. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOWROOM WITH MINIMAL MILES. WITHIN THREE(3) DAYS OF PURCHASE WE RETURNED THE CAR BECAUSE IT SHOOK VIOLENTLY AFTER REACHING A SPEED OF 50 MPH. I MUST ADMIT THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED US OF SOME TYPE OF MALFUNCTION AND OFFERED US AN EXACT REPLACEMENT FREELANDER. AT THAT POINT WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A REFUND OF OUR CASH PAYMENT AND LEFT LANDROVER ALONE. IT HAS BEEN A COMPLETELY EXPENSIVE NIGHTMARE DIVING THIS LEMON WITH ITS MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS: REPEATED OVERHEATING, LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING (OFTEN TIMES RESULTING IN CLOSE CALL SITUATIONS, REPLACED BRAKES AND ROTOR (LOST COUNT), NOT TO MENTION AN AIR CONDITIONER UNIT THAT ONLY WORKS ON FULL POWER(IMAGINE THAT IN FLORIDA). AT PRESENT, THE VEHICLE IS AT AN AUTHORIZED LANDROVER REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS ENDED. THE LANDROVER DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NEGLIGENT EVEN RUDE WHEN APPROACHED REGARDING ALL THESE MECHANICAL DEFECTS. TWO WEEKS OUT OF EVERY TWO TO THREE MONTHS, MY YOUNG CHILDREN AND I ARE WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION AND AT LEAST $800.00 MINIMUM, EACH TIME. MOST IMPORTANTLY HOWEVER IS MY FEAR TO DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL, AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, WE ARE OFFERED $3000.00 BY CARMAX WHEN WE ATTEMPTED TO SELL THEM A CAR WE PURCHASED FOR OVER $30,000. WITH 73K MILES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10176177
69,000 miles · Dec 13, 2006
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS AND INCLINES I NOTICED MY TRUCK ENGINE SLIPPING AND LOSING SPEED...WHEN THE DECENT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, I LOOKED INTO THE MANUAL ONLY TO FIND THAT THE MANUAL SHOWS THAT PARTICULAR CONTROL - BUT STATES NOTHING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION- IT SAYS MY PROBLEM IS THE BRAKES. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE BRAKE SHOP…
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WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS AND INCLINES I NOTICED MY TRUCK ENGINE SLIPPING AND LOSING SPEED...WHEN THE DECENT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, I LOOKED INTO THE MANUAL ONLY TO FIND THAT THE MANUAL SHOWS THAT PARTICULAR CONTROL - BUT STATES NOTHING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION- IT SAYS MY PROBLEM IS THE BRAKES. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE BRAKE SHOP AND YES MY BRAKES WERE IN NEED OF ITS SET OF 2ND ROTORS. SO I HAD THAT FIXED. ON MY WAY TO WORK A FEW NIGHTS AFTERWARDS, I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL WHEN MY TRUCK DIED. TRANSMISSION DEAD. MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER'S HAS ONLY 69,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS IN NEED OF ROTORS, A BACK WINDOW REGULATOR AND A TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALREADY HAD OVERHEATING PROBLEMS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I HAVE DRIVEN IT. HEADLIGHT ISSUES, BRAKES, WATER PUMP, TEMP GAUGE, ENGINE PROBLEMS, RADIATOR AND A FEW RECALLS. : (. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10176030
50,654 miles · Dec 4, 2006
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting
LAND ROVER, FREELANDER HSE 2002. ENGINE VALVE LEAK, 5TH CYLINDER NOT FIRING, CATALYTIC SENSOR WENT BAD, PRESSURE VALVE LEAKAGE. THE CAR STOOPED ALL OF A SUDDEN. JUST CROSSED THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, BY 700 MILES. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10175130
44,237 miles · Nov 19, 2006
Electrical SystemSteering
AFTER THE STEERING SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY A WEEK AGO (REPORTED SEPARATELY, ODI# 10173809), THE LAND ROVER DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. WITHIN 2 HOURS AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10173810
44,235 miles · Nov 19, 2006
Steering
THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER FAILED COMPLETELY A WEEK AGO WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10173809
43,000 miles · Nov 7, 2006
Visibility
IN DEC '05 I HAD THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW OF A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER FAIL TO OPERATE. IT WAS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND COVERED. IN NOVEMBER '06 THE LEFT REAR WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE ON HAS 43K MILES BUT IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO YEARS. BOTH WERE A RESULT OF A POOR CABLE OPERATING SYSTEM, A…
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IN DEC '05 I HAD THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW OF A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER FAIL TO OPERATE. IT WAS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND COVERED. IN NOVEMBER '06 THE LEFT REAR WINDOW FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE ON HAS 43K MILES BUT IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO YEARS. BOTH WERE A RESULT OF A POOR CABLE OPERATING SYSTEM, AND IS A KNOWN COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO THE LAND ROVER DEALER. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10172852
Mileage unknown · Oct 16, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling
MY 2002 LANDROVER FREELAND HAS OVERHEATED 5 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2003. EACH TIME THE RAND ROVER DEALER REPAIRED IT AND SAID IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT TO A GARGAGE. (SINCE MY WARRANTY IS UP AND THE DEALER SHIP CLAIMED IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT EACH TIME.).. THIS TIME IT WAS FI…
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MY 2002 LANDROVER FREELAND HAS OVERHEATED 5 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2003. EACH TIME THE RAND ROVER DEALER REPAIRED IT AND SAID IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT TO A GARGAGE. (SINCE MY WARRANTY IS UP AND THE DEALER SHIP CLAIMED IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT EACH TIME.).. THIS TIME IT WAS FIXED COSTING ME $800.00. NOT ONLY HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT ON ME WHILE DRIVING ACROSS STATE AT NIGHT ON THE THRUWA AND NOW THE REAR WINDOW IS NOW NOT WORKING. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND HAVE SPENT ALOT OF $$ ON THIS TRUCK. UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE. I AM A SINGLE MOM TRYING TO OUT HER KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE... : ( I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT ANOTHER CONSUMER HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AND SOMEONE REALLY GETTING HURT. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVENT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR HAD THE TRUCK BLOW UP WHILE IT OVER HEATED !!! LOL THANKS.... *NM
NHTSA ODI #10170913
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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