2014 Land Rover LR4

The contact owns a 2014 Land Rover LR4. The contact stated that while his wife was operating the vehicle, the gear selector would not shift out of Drive. Additionally, the vehicle could not be driven in Reverse. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the drive shaft assembly and the transmission control module were faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the driveshaft assembly was on back-order and currently unavailable. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

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.

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.