2002 Land Rover FREELANDER: complaints, problems and recalls

I FEEL THE DESIGN OF THE TAIL LIGHTS HAS CAUSED MANY CLOSE-CALL NEAR ACCIDENTS WITH MY FREELANDER. THE DESIGN IS COUNTER-INTUITIVE FOR THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME, WHO EXPECT THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THE CORNERS OF THE VEHICLE TO ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKING. THE BRAKE LAMPS ARE IN THE BUMPER, HOWEVER- WHICH DOESN'T SEEM INTUITIVE OR SOMETIMES AREN'T VISIBLE TO A CLOSE-FOLLOWING VEHICLE. WHEN NOT ILLUMINATED, IT'S DIFFICULT TO EVEN SEE THE BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES EXIST, YET THE CORNER MOUNTED ASSEMBLIES ARE AT EYE LEVEL- BUT THEY HAVE NO BLINKERS OR BRAKE L…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000221 at NHTSA ↗

BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS AND REAR TURN SIGNALS ARE LOCATED FAR LOW DOWN INTO THE REAR BUMPER; DIFFICULT FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE; COULD EASILY CAUSE REAREND COLLISIION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013876 at NHTSA ↗

I STRONGLY URGE THE MODIFICATION OF THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL CONFIGURATION ON CURRENT FREELANDERS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE PLACEMENT OF THESE CRUCIAL SIGNALS IS LOCATED IN AN UNEXPECTED AND LESS VISIBLE LOCATION TO OTHER DRIVERS . I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION (AND HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS) ON THE HIGHWAY LIKELY BECAUSE THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME DO NOT NOTICE MY BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD EASILY BE MOVED TO THE CURRENT FOG LIGHT LOCATION AND THE TURN SIGNALS COULD BE MOVED TO WHERE THE REVERSE LIGHTS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020545 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE HAS 19,000 MILES. BROUGHT INTO DEALER FOR EMISSIONS WORK. DEALER STATED I NEEDED NEW FRONT BRAKES (PADS & ROTORS). ROTORS ARE DEEPLY GROOVED. I EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT AT UNDER 20K MILES I NEEDED NEW ROTORS. WAS TOLD THIS WAS "REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR" AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER STATED THAT LAND ROVER NEEDS THEIR ROTORS REPLACE EVERY 10-15K. I CONSIDER THIS EXCESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR. DEALER WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE NUMEROUS OTHER ISSUES WITH CAR & DEALER AS WELL. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023385 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2002 FREELANDER S I OWN HAS VERY POOR BRAKES. AT 12000 MILES OR SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SOME OTHER PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WANT TO NOTE THAT LAND ROVER COMPENSATED ME FOR THE COST OF THE BRAKE PADS BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER FRONT END PROBLEMS. TODAY I TOOK MY FREELANDER IN AND THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME AN IDENTICAL 2003 FREELANDER. THE BRAKES WERE SOMEWHAT BETTER AND THE FREELANDER HAD 11000 MILES. I AM HOPING THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028437 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY 2002 LANDROVER IN AUG 02. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 30 DAYS FOR REPAIR WORK TO THE STEREO, SUNROOF, THROTTLE ASSEMBY, TRANCTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT, PASSENGER WINDOW BREAKING, ETC. HOWEVER, I WAS MOST DISTURBED TO LEARN THAT LANDROVER IS "FINDING" OUT, AS QUOTED BY TWO DEALERSHIPS, THAT THE BREAKS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 12000 MILES BECASUE THE VEHICLE IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE PADS USED DURING MANUFACTURING. LANDROVER NORTH AMERICA HAS PROVIDED NO RELIEF IN THIS MATTER AND MAINTAINS THAT IT IS MY PERSONAL DRIVIN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031157 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE WILL STALL WHEN VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE, IN DIVE GEAR, AND ALLOWED TO ROLL BACK. ALSO, IF VEHICLE IS ALLOWED TO ROLLBACK AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WILL STALL. DEALER SAYS THAT THIS IS A "SAFETY FEATURE" AND THAT ALL SAME MODEL VEHICLES DOES THE SAME THING. IF THIS IS INDEED A "SAFETY FEATURE," THEN BRAKES SHOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS. THIS IS NOT THE CASE, HOWEVER AS THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO ROLLBACK WITH THE STALLED ENGINE. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 24,615 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043123 at NHTSA ↗

WE OWN A 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. IT HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES. WHILE ON A TRIP ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LITE UP AND THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN 4TH GEAR. BECAUSE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE COULD NOT DIRECT US TO AN OPEN DEALERSHIP, WE HAD TO DRIVE FROM BUFFALO NY TO CHICAGO IL. ONCE BACK IN THE CITY, THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR AND REPLACED THE COMPUTER, WHICH TOOK MORE THAN TWO WEEKS. ON THE WAY HOME, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR THE PA…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043819 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT." DURING TESTING, THE FREE MOTION HEAD FORM REGISTERED A MEASUREMENT MARGINALLY ABOVE THE PERMITTED 1000 HEAD IMPACT CRITERIA. AT THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND A-PILLAR TRIM AREA.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS MAY OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE A-PILLAR TRIM WITH A REVISED COMPONENT THAT ENABLES THE VEHICLE TO FULLY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 201. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800-637-6837.

Reported: 2005-06-28 (June 28, 2005)

ON CERTAIN FIVE DOOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO OPERATE THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN THE CHILD SAFETY LEVER IS IN THE "ON" POSITION.

Consequence: THE OCCUPANT MAY OPEN THE DOOR INADVERTENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND FALL OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, PERSONAL INJURIES COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE LATCH ASSEMBLY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800-637-6837.

Reported: 2007-02-09 (February 9, 2007)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY REMAIN ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT DEPRESSED. HILL DESCENT CONTROL (HDC), TRACTION CONTROL (TC) AND CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS MAY ALSO BE ILLUMINATED.

Consequence: FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LAMP OPERATION AND WHERE REQUIRED, ADJUST AND/OR REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCHES WITH NEW SWITCHES OF THE SAME DESIGN UNTIL A NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LAMP SWITCH IS AVAILABLE IN MAY 2007. OWNERS WILL THEN BE RE-NOTIFIED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR THE NEW BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. AN INTERIM LETTER FOR THE INITIAL INSPECTION WAS MAILED ON MARCH 26, 2007. THE SECOND LETTER FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE SWITCHES WAS MAILED BEGINNING JULY 30, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-80-637-6837.