2003 Land Rover FREELANDER: complaints, problems and recalls

I PURCHASED A 2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER OTHER DRIVERS COMMENTED TO ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN-SIGNALS WERE TO LOW TO BE SEEN, THAT I REALIZED THEY WERE ON THE BUMPER, NOT UP WHERE I THOUGHT THEY WERE. THESE LIGHTS ARE ONLY 20 INCHES OFF THE GROUND. IN THIS DAY AND AGE WITH SO MANY HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, THIS HEIGHT IS WELL BELOW THESE DRIVERS FIELD OF VISION. I REALIZE LAND ROVER DID THIS BECAUSE OF THE SPARE TIRE, AND THE NEED TO ADHERE TO THE 45-DEGREE-INBOARD-VISIBILITY LAW. HOWEVER, THERE FIX …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013770 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH FRONT BRAKES AT ONLY 15,000 MILES. DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS, THESE ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BECAUSE IT IS A "WEAR & TEAR ITEM".

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028927 at NHTSA ↗

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. ONLY ON THE FIRST OCCASION THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND A PART IN THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053801 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE PADS ON 2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER SE.*MR THE BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 18000 MILES. THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THIS WAS COMMON WITH LAND ROVER'S. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089551 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *NM THE MIRRORS DID NOT REACH SOME ANGLES, THE GAS CAP COULD NOT GET OPEN, AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY WAS A PROBLEM. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10101431 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10101557 at NHTSA ↗

2003 LAND ROVER FREELANDER 1. DEFECTIVE ENGINE 2.DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3.DEFECTIVE SUNROOF. *JB 4.DEFECTIVE MARKER LIGHT 5.DEFECTIVE BRAKE SYSTEM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10102809 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE RACK & PINION MAKES A NOISE EVERY TIME YOU TURN LEFT. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, IN FACT I WAS TOLD IT WILL HAPPEN TO THE RIGHT LATER.CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER DIRECT , THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT THE COMPANY DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT MAY LOOSE STEERING CONTROL IF THIS PART THAT IS RUBBING AGAINST THE OTHER PART IN THIS RACK & PINION SYSTEM FAILS. I WISH SOMEONE FROM THE NHTSA FI…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10111817 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-05-05 (May 5, 2004)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE CHILD DOOR LOCK ON THE LEFT HAND REAR DOOR CAN BECOME DISENGAGED.

Consequence: THIS COULD LEAD TO A CHILD BEING ABLE TO OPEN A REAR DOOR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT HAND REAR LATCH. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 4, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800-637-6837.

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: 2004-10-07 (October 7, 2004)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AN INCORRECT WELD NUT WAS INSTALLED. LACK OF THIS BOLT COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE SUBFRAME TO CRACK OR BECOME DEFORMED.

Consequence: A CRACKED OR DEFORMED SUBFRAME COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INSTABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE SUBFRAME FIXING IS CORRECTLY FITTED AND CLAMPED UP. IF NECESSARY, THE SUBFRAME WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS CORRECT WELD NUTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. 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.