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)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LANDROVER LR3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL WAS LOWER THAN A QUARTER OF A TANK, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 07V011000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 05V376000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER DID NOT NOTIFY THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V248000 (STEERING), WHICH WAS NOT COMPLETED BEFORE THE CONTACT OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,060.

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FROM EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR TO CRUISE CONTROL NOT SHUTTING OFF WHEN DEPRESSING THE CONTROL BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NOW THERE IS A EXCESSIVE WATER LEAK THAT HAS CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION, WINDSHIELD WASHER TO FAIL, NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. THIS ALL CAUSES ME TO NOT USE THE VEHICLE, UNTIL IT DRIES OUT, FOR FEAR THAT THE LEAK FROM THE SUNROOF WILL CAUSE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO THE WIRING IS PROBABLY BECOMING VERY CORRODED AND COULD SHORT OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE. DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF THIS VEHICLE IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THEY WERE UNIQUE TO THIS VEHICLE. *JB

VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM THAT ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK THROUGH THE SUN ROOF SEAL AND FRONT WINDSHIELD SEAL. THE WATER SEEPAGE IS CAUSING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN VEHICLE FUNCTIONS; NAMELY THE INABILITY TO USE THE KEY FOB REMOTE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AT THIS POINT APPEAR TO BE INTERMITTENT AND RESOLVE THEMSELVES SEVERAL DAYS LATER, PRESUMABLY AFTER THE WATER HAS EVAPORATED. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAS BEEN RAINED ON, THE TRAPPED WATER WITHIN THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ESCAPE AND FALL THROUGH THE AIRBAG PORTS ON THE A-PILLAR AND FROM THE INTERIOR LIGHT CONSOLE. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL WHEN READING VARIOUS REPORTS ON THE INTERNET. *JS

JUST AS EXPERIENCED BY OTHERS, MY 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 EXPERIENCED WATER BUILD UP INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (APPROX 3 IN. DEEP OF WATER BOTH IN DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER AREA AFTER HEAVY RAIN). ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, WATER DRIPPED ALONG THE FRAME ON WHICH THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED AFTER A HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODED THE INSIDE. THIS WAS APPARENTLY DUE TO CLOGGED DRAINAGE TUBES. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE SYSTEM CAME ON. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NEVER REPAIRED / IS STILL NOT OPERABLE. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE TUBES WERE FIXED, THIS FLOODING OCCURRENCE HAS HAPPENED 4 MORE TIMES. NO RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GIVEN TO AVOID FUTURE OCCURRENCES, OR GUARANTEES GIVEN THAT ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY WATER DAMAGE (INCLUDING ONES VITAL TO SUPPORTING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION) WILL NOT FAIL. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 SE. TWO DAYS LATER AFTER A RAIN, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOOR WAS WET. THE NEXT DAY THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY STOPPED WORKING. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE SUNROOF DRAINS POURING WATER INTO THE FLOOR AND CAUSING CORROSION OF THE WIRING. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 LAND ROVER LR 3. BOTH REMOTE CONTROLS STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL I CHECKED VARIOUS BLOGS AND I DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUNROOF DRAINAGE LEADING TO WIRE CORROSION AND RESULTING IN SHORT CIRCUIT AND KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTES NOT WORKING. DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY SAY THIS IS NOT A REASON FOR A RECALL. *TR

A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 EXPERIENCED WATER INTRUSION INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AREA. WATER DRIPPED ALONG THE FRAME ON WHICH THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE'S REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY LAND ROVER SERVICE PERSONNEL REVEALED CLOGGED "DRAIN TUBES" LEADING FROM THE SUNROOF ALONG THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FRAMES, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH AN UNDERTERMINED ENTRY POINT. ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM WAS RENDERED INOPERABLE. OTHER CABLING AND INTERIOR CARPETING WERE ALSO WATER-DAMAGED. LAND ROVER SERVICE PERSONNEL REPLACED EXISTING DRAIN TUBES WITH LARGER DIAMETER ONES. THE FAULTY REMOTE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED. OTHER SYSTEMS WHOSE CABLING WAS EXPOSED TO LIQUID WERE NOT TRACED OUT OR REPLACED. NO RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GIVEN TO AVOID FUTURE OCCURRENCES, OR GUARANTEES GIVEN THAT ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY WATER DAMAGE (INCLUDING ONES VITAL TO SUPPORTING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION) WILL NOT FAIL. *TR