2003 Land Rover Freelander Engine and Engine Cooling Consumer Complaints
Complaint Number:
10451718
Incident Date:
May 4, 2011
Date Added to File:
March 14, 2012
Description of the Complaint:
Bought car used in fall 09, had several what seemed like normal wear and tear repairs. There was no warranty on it as I bought it from another owner. Early may '11 the oil light came on but I didn't know what it was. I arrived at my destination. On the way home it came on again and as I was 2 blocks away from home the car just slowed and came to a stop. This turned into a 2+ month stinch in the shop, with the engine needing to be rebuilt. This was done by my mechanic. I wished I had read the info listed here prior to the purchase or even a year ago. Last winter the coolant constantly needed to be replaced like every few days and the car was over heating. My mechanic said the hoses needed to be replaced. Between then and this winter both were replaced and now I'm experiencing the car over heating when its full with coolant, having problems with it starting, there not being enough power to get it up a hill etc.
At 88,000 miles, my 2003 land rover freelander lost ~80% of power while going up a hill on a major high way and started to billow smoke. After steering the vehicle out of traffic, I popped the hood to find the material on the lower side of the hood on fire. Upon putting this fire out, I realized there was still a large amount of smoke coming from the underside of the engine cover and my anti-freeze was empty, when served only a couple weeks prior. After letting the vehicle cool, I took off the engine cover to find it had a mixture of coolant and oil resting on top of it; a dark-milky colored liquid. Upon having it towed and further inspected by a professional, not only is my head gasket gone, a fitting on the a radiator line had melted above the engine, and a catalytic converter is as well. I got it back to my house in this condition because I still owe $7500 and have only had it for 1 year. Mechanically totaled in my driveway, it now only sometimes will shift and when it does, only happens with force. Prior to this almost fatal disaster, I had three window assemblies brake; ruining the motors and causing them to fall while driving, and my brake lights do not function. I replaced the brake light switch, problem with brake lights still persists. I've given up hope on this suv and have got not one reply from land rover costumer service. I am stuck making payments, and even if I could afford to fix it, would never put my wife and daughter in it again. Please get these vehicles off the road, before someone is even less lucky then I.
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. The contact stated that the engine coolant mixed with the oil and the engine seized as a result. The contact also stated that prior to the failure, the oil was changed and there were no signs of any failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where the contact was informed that the engine could not be repaired and would need to be replaced. The failure and current mileages were 70,000.
1) driving on the highway at 60mph, my engine suddenly shut off and I lost all power except brakes. I was able to pull over to and allow my car to rest, and later drove my car to the land rover dealership where I was told something along the lines of "the coolant gasket was cracked/broke" and had caused the engine to overheat. 2) I was having my car fixed for random failure of window motor and sunroof, I was told that the the carrier bearings/support bearings that the driveshaft goes through are bad, yet this repair is covered. The problem is that the place where the shaft comes apart is rusted and corroded which is a $3200 dollar repair. The warrantied part (driveshaft) is $429, and the corroded piece + labor was $3160. 3) while getting a smog check in california, I had error codes indicating "engine misfire" and "fuel injection error" and my car did not pass, even though there was no service/check engine light, the car drove "fine" with fine meaning a grinding noise of my drivetrain and knock when going from 2nd to 3rd gear. Land rover said that inside the upper intake manifold chamber, the actuator flap is stuck -a defect known to land rover but not covered since my car was out of warranty. This repair was $2000 4) while driving on the highway, suddenly check engine light came on at 65k miles, and all gauges shut down. Rpm, fuel, mph, and temperature all fell to read 0, empty, 130+, and 0 degrees respectfully. I emergently pulled to side of the highway fearing the engine had overheated but everything was "fine." I then turned the car back on after 30 minutes and saw all gauges again functional except speed. Please look at the internet, this has happened to hundreds of people and this car is unsafe. It needs to be recalled! I was lucky that no one died or was injured in any of these 4 incidents. I never feel safe driving on highways anymore.
I paid $2,700.00 for an extended warranty throughlandrover/easycare my (2003 freelander ) in june of 2007. The warranty is for 60months and up to 100,000miles. My vehicle has not been operable for over 2 months largely due to the difficulties of conducting what should be normal business with easycare. Easycare has been so difficult to deal with that the first car repair shop I took the vehicle to 'advanced auto service' chose to give up after getting nowhere with easycare. 'advanced auto service' stated 'they are just too difficult to deal with' and requested I pick-up/tow the vehicle to a land rover dealership, this was 3 weeks after I had dropped off the vehicle. I then had my vehicle towed to '[xxx]' and the vehicle is still at [xxx]and has been there for 2.5 weeks and counting. [xxx] has expressed to me that major repairs need to be performed on to the engine. They have also expressed to me this engine repair was not due to 'lack of maintenance' and that the appearance of 'sludge' is not in excess. [xxx] has relayed to me that easycare informed them engine repairs will not be covered, and have only given the reason of 'lack of maintenance' ' due to 'sludge'. On two separate occasions I have asked three of easycare's staff (unknown name, [xxx]) to provide me with the reason for the denial of the engine repair claim. Both times they have refused to provide this documentation and/or the evidence for decision made. To date there has been no communication to me from easycare other than the 2 times I called. The requested information has never been provided to me, nor has easycare provided me with any documentation as to why they have denied, the required engine repair. Since I bought my warranty at [xxx] and through easycare, I expect them to work together to resolve these issues without me having to constantly waste my time. This car is truely a lemon. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6).
Tl-the contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. While driving at any speed the vehicle would stall. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was told the head gasket needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure continues. The failure mileage was 36,000 and the current mileage was 55,000. The vin was unavailable. Sm.
The contact owns 2003 land rover freelander. While driving approximately 10 mph he noticed that the temperature gauge displayed that the vehicle was hot. He pulled over, inspected the vehicle and noticed that the fan was running at a very high rate. The contact had to add anti freeze every other time fuel was added to the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who advised him to replace the engine because of a well know coolant failure. The local mechanic advised him to continue adding coolant and that if the failure continued to occur the seal could break, mix with the coolant and ruin the engine. The vehicle was purchased used in june 2010. The engine was destroyed when the complaint was filed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 58,000 and the current mileage was 80,000.
03 freelander, purchased used with 74,000 miles. Engine had knocking noise, was told by dealer that was "normal", not even ninety days later fuel pump failed. Ok, no big deal. Towed car 90 miles to lr dealer for covered part. Was determined at lr dealer that there were serious issues with engine and vehicle was not safe to drive. Coolant mixing with oil, etc. Have read all of the issues I am experiencing in forums online. This is a defective vehicle and lr needs to be held responsible before someone gets hurt.
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the vehicle over heated. A local mechanic performed a diagnostic test. The timing belt and the water pump were replaced. Two weeks later the vehicle over heated again and it was taken back to the mechanic who then replaced the over flow reservoir and hoses. When the vehicle over heated the third time it was taken to an authorized dealer. The dealer replaced the thermostat but the failure recurred. The dealer stated that there was air in the engine, which was removed; yet, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified and advised the contact that they were willing to buy back the vehicle for less than the purchase price. The contact refused and was advised that they would investigate the failure and notify her of the results. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 51,483 and the current mileage was approximately 55,900.
I took my car to tuffy service center on 02/16/2008 to have my car serviced for a timing belt. After they changed the belt and put everything back . The odometer switched from mileage to kilometers. When talking to dealerships, they mention that they have seen this before and it is common. If it is common why they do not recall the vehicles and fix them.
Known defective metal used in engine with this model... Causes engine to overheat and engine failure, coolant loss... Etc. First overheating in my ownership of the car... Busted thermostat 1500.00 repair estimate.
When I purchase my car jan 2009 it had roughly 56,000 miles on it. I did notice that when I started it in the morning it had a funny sound. I tried to bring back to the dealership several times to have it looked at, either no one was there to help me or the noise was gone since the car was warm. I notice some smoke a week ago and filled the antifreeze fluid back to max line, then I notice the antifreeze was down past the min line again, with no antifreeze on the ground??? Took it in the shop and he gave a list of this wrong, intake manifold valves always open, bank 1 & 2 lean, he replace my "t" connector, just to name some.. Oh yeah and noise coming from three different places.. Valve tran, water pump/timing belt and the alternator. No he told me it will cost thousand of dollars to fix it.
Coolant has been leaking into the engine ever since I purchased about 18 months ago. Landrover finally acknowledge the problem but now there is not enough funds on my extended warranty to cover a new engine. For the past 18 months my vehicle has been at the dealership at least half the time. It just seems like a big cover up.
After knowing about the coolant problems of this car we took care, had an coolant flush and regularly control that there was enough coolant. When we noticed that the coolant was running low, we topped it off, but this happened again and again without any obvious leaking. The repair facility saw some cracks in the coolant tank so we changed it, a few days later the car did not work at all and hand to be towed. The whole engine had to be change; the explanation was coolant was leaking and mixing with oil. Now, with the new engine there are again warning lights blinking and repair facility told us we could need a new intake manifold. Meanwhile the coolant was low again and we had to change the thermostat because they found a leaking there. There are so many complaints with the coolant and engine to find in the internet and even on this page, so when do they recall the coolant system and engine??
Coolant leaks into the engine in the 2003 land rover freelander. Problem started at 25,000 miles and was dismissed by the land rover dealer (frankel land rover- hunt valley) who I bought the car from. I bought it brand new. Eventually at about 60,000 miles they told me I would need a new engine after the warranty expired. I continued to fill the coolant chamber daily and drove it until it completely failed at 103,000 miles while I was driving on the baltimore beltway (695) at 60 mph. Freelander k-series engines have been known to drop the cylinder liners into the block. Because the liners are steel and the block is alloy, the liners being harder, work their way into the block. This is due to the engine block and cylinder head being composed of different materials that expand at different rates with heat generated during running of the vehicle. This can cause the head gasket to fail. The head gasket/cylinder liner design fault has not been classified as a recall.
Engine needed to be replaced. Mechanic said that the coolant was going into engine and mixing with the oil causing oil pressure to drop. Also pistons were cracked because engine was running to hot (possible cause). I have numerous problems with this car windows, left passenger door jams up, thermostat needed to be replaced, fuel pump needed to be replaced after car stalled while I was driving, brake lights were malfunctioning dealership said I had replaced wrong bulb on one brake light and that caused malfunction. I found out after shelling out 400 dollars that there was a recall on brakes. I have also had to replace battery the battery twice in the five years I have owned this car. All window motors had to be worked on front right twice.
Well I have had several problems with the landrover. Its a horrible car, I have already replaced the engine twice, along with a faulty brake light that was later recalled. This summer, my car began to smoke and overheat I immediately took it to the shop I was told there had been a crack and the coolant was leaking into my engine. They fixed the vehicle, a week later the crack came back but this time my sixteen year old daughter was driving and it began to smoke leaving her stranded on the freeway. I again took it to the shop and it was fixed they replaced the pipe and fixed the crack. 2 days later the same thing happened she was again stranded on the freeway, and it was taken back to the shop. We were told by our mechanic that I now needed to replace my engine for the third time and it was a complete lemon. I called landrover and they were very rude, and said they could do nothing. I began to read reviews about the vehicle and this apparently has happened to about 85 % of the vehicles. Please recall this car so people know the dangers of this vehicle , and me and the rest of the landrover owners can get justice!
Car lost power on highway after driving 10 miles at speed of 65-70 mph, exiting the highway. Temperature gauge showed high temperature only when decreasing speed. Coolant was smelled in the engine compartment. Car was towed to repair shop. Repair shop did not have proper equipment. Land rover of st.Louis was called. Repair dept. Told me that the repair would total more than the vehicle was worth, the engine had known problems for that model year. Nothing has been done, due to lack of funds and the advice of the repair shop.
2003 landrover freelander with 35000 when problems started. Check engine light came on soon after purchase. Car wouldn't hold coolant and constantly overheated. We drove it as little as possible. Engine blew on highway. Certified mechanic said it was because of the head gasket and that engine needed replaced for approx $6500.
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. The contact stated that the engine was warm and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The engine was overheating prior to the failure. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was inspected by a certified mechanic, who stated that the failure was contributed to the head gasket. The mechanic further stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 55,000. Updated 8/10/09 *cn updated 08/13/09.
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle began overheating. There was no fire or smoke, but the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was hot. The contact took the vehicle to a toyota dealer, but they could not find any failure or a leak. The contact had to continuously place coolant in the vehicle to prevent it from overheating. Six months after the failure began, the engine shut off while driving 5 mph in the driveway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that there was engine damage, which could have possibly been the water pump leaking coolant due to overheating. The only solution would be to replace the entire engine. The failure mileage was 62,000 and current mileage was 65,000.
My lr freelander 2003, has an overheating problem, the head gasket is blown and is in need of repair. There are now mechanics that will fix the problem except for the land rover dealer and they can not guarantee the work. There is a design defect with the heads in this vehicle know by the manufacturer but they refuse to make this a recall to the consumers and they have stopped making this engine. I need this repair done so I may at least trade the vehicle in for a new vehicle.
Head gasket and engine problem. Car started off having coolant leak and progressively got worse and is now inoperable. It has been inoperable since september 2008. There are a number of forums that describe this same issue so it is well known within the lr organization. I do not have $3500 to replace my engine nor cover the additional $3k for labor to have it installed. Since lr knowingly manufactured this defective engine (made out of aluminum and iron cast which are not compatible), they should be liable for replacing this engine.
Poor mechanical design on 2003 freelander land rover with 75,000 miles leading to numerous mechanical failures. Low mileage (40,000 to 70,000) failure of vehicle components including: brakes (twice), fuel pump, and water pump. Over $5,000 in repairs. Engine now leaking coolant indicating head gasket and eventual engine failure.
In july 2004 I purchased a 2003 land rover freelander hse with 25k miles. In the four and a half years of owning the vehicle we have had numerous problems. The sunroof failed twice and repaired under warranty and has since broke again. Three of the four window regulators have failed (2 fixed under warranty). I have just replaced the fuel pump @ 95k miles. Had to repair myself because the nearest dealer is 120 miles away and nobody else would work on it. Now it seems the head gasket or who knows what else has failed. We have to put a gallon of water in per week. Land rover has discontinued the sale of the freelander in the us. This does not surprise me because of all the complaints due to the overall poor quality of a "luxury suv".
My car has endless problems in every aspect!! Anyone that owns one are having the same issues and nobody can seem to fix it, nor can I get parts to fix it, and the parts you do get to repair the vehicle break faster than the original parts on the car !! My engine has not failed yet but my transmission has and the dealer ship wont fix it and said there is nothing wrong with it !! Iv paid more money fixing the car than I have for the car !! I can't go more than 1000 miles before something else breaks !! I have owned the car for about 18 months and its been in the shop for about 12 of those 18 months !! Everyone that has one of these landrover freelanders has the same issues and nobody can get parts for this car ! Nothing works right and nothing runs like it should and even the mechanics at the dealer ship will take you aside and tell you get rid of it while you still can !!! I cant and neither can allot of others like me because of the money they have put into the car just to keep it on the road !! This car has left me and my 20 month old son stranded in the middle of nowhere on more than three or four or five occasions !! I lost track of how many times !! And when something goes wrong with this car your stuck wherever your at !! Its not safe to walk down a freeway with a baby at any time during the day or night and that's exactly what iv had to do on many different occasions !! This is not a safe car by any means ! When my fuel pump went out my car just died at 60 miles an hour on the highway and nearly caused an accident with me and many other cars and I thank the good lord nothing happened when the car died and it felt like someone was slamming on the brakes !! This car is a safety hazard in the worst way !! Kids should not be allowed too ride in this car do too the fact they might get hit by a car when it dies and leaves you on the freeway or anywhere else your at !! I don't let my son in this car unless its absolutely necessary !! I'll borrow my moms car just to go to the store with him !!
I am the original owner of a 2003 land rover freelander. I have always followed all of the factory service maintenance intervals and have all of the service records for this well-maintained vehicle. Although the vehicle has only 63,000 miles on it, I recently had to take it in twice for service at the land rover of fort lauderdale dealership where I purchased it in december, 2004. I was shocked to learn from my service advisor, jesse robinson, that the vehicle needed a "head gasket and possibly a new engine." he explained to me that coolant was leaking into the engine's cylinders, and that it was only a matter of time before the engine would stop working and be worthless. He told me that changing the head gasket would not solve the problem anyway, that it is the result of a severe engineering flaw that the land rover corporation has been aware of for several years. It seems that the engine block, while made of aluminum, has cylinder sleeves that are made of steel. Since metals expand with heat and different metals have major differences in their metallurgic properties, what eventually happens is that the sleeves disjoin from the engine block and begin to slip and slide in place, something no engine should do regardless of the mileage on it. Once the sleeves move, they bend and soon after break the head gasket, which allows coolant to enter the cylinders, which causes the engine to run very erratically until it stops running altogether. Changing the head gasket, therefore, doesn't fix the problem, and even replacing the engine isn't possible. The manufacturer that once built and supplied them for land rover went out of business, and what few engines are available are only released to those who bought the factory extended warranty. I have since discovered that there are thousands of very similar cases out there, that anyone with the 2002 to 2005 model experiences the same problems once their vehicles reach 40,000 to 70,000 miles (please see edmunds.Com).
2003 land rover freelander engine overheating. Consumer has issues with land rover fixing the vehicle that is no longer under warranty. *nj the consumer was informed that the engine had seized. It was a known defect in the engine, which caused the coolant to disappear and the engine to overheat. The consumer stated the vehicle never showed any signs of a problem. *jb updated 03/01/10.
My 2003 land rover freelander broke down on the highway. Took it to scott motors of reno (the land rover dealer in reno), found out that it needs a new engine. I have an extended warranty through fidelity warranty, they are refusing to pay for it, saying that there is sludge in the engine. I have given them my maintenance records, the car was maintained regularly. Land rover of reno has had my car for 5 months while I have been trying to get someone to honor my warranty. I bought the car from internet auto of reno they are willing to reimburse me for my warranty of $2540. The cost to fix replace the engine is $7250, for the same engine. I have been told that there is no way to prevent this from happening again. I have been making payments on this car and still owe more on it than it is worth. So far no one is willing to pay for the repairs, the cost to replace the engine is as much as the car is worth, land rove knows of this problem, and fidelity warranty is not honoring their contract.
Purchased pre-owned 2003 landrover freelander may 07 and two weeks later check engine soon light came on intermittently. Car was taken to dealership and they said computer showed up nothing. Two weeks later light came on for several days. Was taken back to dealership and they replaced coil wire. Two weeks later happened again and they replaced coil pack. Happened again two months later and local mechanic changed head under the coil pack and car ran good. One month later the car ran hot, was towed to dealership once again and they replaced "something" (the guy I purchased the car from took care of the bill) fast forward ahead 5 months and the valves started clicking. Oil was changed and lucas oil added. Car ran fine for approximately two weeks and then my 16 year old daughter (whom the car was purchased for) got in it from her summer job from the local ball stadium and it would not crank. The car was towed to a garage and he tells me that one of the timing belts broke and warped the cams and a new engine was needed. He said he had all kinds of reports stated that this was a defective engine and should have been recalled. They tell me it will cost 3-7 thousand to repair and I will still be getting a used "defective" engine and will be facing the same potential problem. Thank you in advance for your help. *tr 2/21/10 2003 updated 04/14/10.
Driving on freeway 65 miles an hour in the left lane attempting to pass a car. While accelerating, the car continued to lose speed. Had to maneuver my way to the right side of the freeway crossing 3 lanes of traffic in order to get to a safe place. Had the car towed to the dealership. We have been told that the engine blew up and it had to be replaced the cost of replacing the engine was more the replacement of the vehicle. The car only has a little over 60,000 miles on it and has been maintained on a regular basis. There was no warning that this might occur.
Vehicle was brought into the dealership multiple times for overheating. After the 4th time the car overheated and I lost all power as it caught on fire. I had to make a dangerous lane change across 4 lanes of highway while losing power. The engine was replaced in 2006 but the dealership said it was just over warranty. The vehicle still is having problems starting and is being towed to the mechanic again today.
Cruise control is not working, parking brake light stays on, vehicle stalled out while driving at highway speeds, heater core leaking. Took vehicle into dealership they replaced the leaking heater core, hose camshaft, anti freeze hose.
2003 freelander, will stall or come to a complete stop. Nothing works, no brakes, steering, everything locks up. I was on the freeway going about 75 mph and my vehicle just stalled, this has happened on multiple occasions.
2003 land rover freelander hse, head gasket failure diagnosed by auto technician at dealership service department after reported smell of burnt coolant and visible radiator coolant in the engine-oil. Technician advised me this is problem is engine defect in head gasket stress bolts and location of thermostat. Engine overheats and oil in radiator system due to head gasket failure. Vehicle no longer functional, overheated due to no head gasket/cannot be fixed. Mechanic just advised me to try and trade it in when I purchase a new vehicle, as manufacturer discontinued model and also engine, not under warranty nor is product repairable (engine & vehicle discontinued , manufacturer has refused to help in any way).
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. The contact stated that the vehicle began smoking heavily underneath the hood. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and completely shut off. The dealer stated that the coolant was mixing with the engine oil and the engine needed to be replaced. The engine model in the contact's vehicle has been discontinued. The dealer stated that they could order the engine, but there is a long waiting list and they do not know when it would arrive. The failure and current mileages were 37,000. Updated 05/19/08. *lj updated 05/19/08
03 land rover free lander. 85k miles engine died with no explanation. Towed to land rover dealer and they said that there is nothing they could do except put me on a waiting list for a new engine that would cost over $8000 to fix and could not guarantee that I would even get an engine at all. The truck is a total loss and I still have a loan to pay off. I am in shock over the fact that I no longer have a vehicle and land rover could not care less! After reading on and on about this same problem with every other owner it appears to me that land rover should be punished for selling such a vehicle! We as the consumers should also be compensated or justified for such a loss after putting faith into a well known "high end" company. I am willing to be a part of a class action lawsuit and I know there are many others willing to bring land rover to justice.
I own a 03' freelander with only 34,000 miles on it. At this stage in a vehicle's life, there should be very little mechanical problems. It has not been the case for me. I have had this car for 1 and 1/2 years and problems began occurring 1 year after ownership. There is the smell of burnt antifreeze inside the car and an even stronger smell outside the car once the engine is turned off. The smell is toxic and I'm afraid that the fumes could easily impact someone's driving ability if not have the driver go unconscious after a long road trip. I have read about this problem existing on many other freelander vehicles on blogs and customer reviews. Something ought to be done. Also, for the past few days, I've been hearing a clicking noise coming from my engine. I immediately took my car to a repair shop to get checked out. The owner of the shop operated on my vehicle and discovered the engine manifold needed to be replaced ($970 part + $240 service). He contacted the lr parts dealer and the dealer notified him that this is a constant occurrence. In fact, dealer said that he had received 4 other phone calls the same day for the same exact part. This is ridiculous. Lr needs to take proactive steps in resolving these problems. This is a frequent occurrence and implies that there were problems with the manufacturing of these vehicles. As of right now, these frivolous repairs are costing freelander owners lots of money, and in the future, as these cars become a bit older, they will cost people lives. I urge you to please take corrective action and help in orchestrating a recall on this part. Thank you, robert gleyzer
Own a 2003 land rover freelander se, vehicle looses coolant into engine then over heats. Had head gaskets replaced at a cost of $1,700.00. Vehicle still leaking coolant into engine. I did some investigation into this matter found a chat room on edmunds.Com it seems it is a common problem with this vehicle, the cause of the coolant leak is a poor design of the engine. It seems that the cylinder sleeve shifts inside the engine and the coolant burns internally. Land rover is well aware of this issue but does not want to replace engine.
Engine coolant disappearing into combustion chamber(s), engine overheating, due to engine sleeve. Requires replacement engine, either new or remanufactured. *tr problem: there are no replacement engines, anywhere. Vehicle has been in the lr dealership since 9/27/07. First estimate was repair by 10/5. Then it became 10/22. Now I'm told it might be months before a replacement engine is available. This is an intolerable situation which land rover pretends does not exist. It is affecting owners of this model all over the country and canada, which is part of the reason the engines are in short supply. The other part is because land rover made a huge mistake by selling the engine to a chinese mfg. Company and now can't meet demands for replacing what is really a poor design with a new poorly designed engine. In my opinion, land rover should be buying these failed vehicles back if they can't be repaired. These are not old vehicles, and the owners have been abandoned by land rover.
Engine began overheating, took it to dealer. Dealer replaced hoses and checked seals, etc.. Problem continued. Now it is in the dealers shop because it began spewing smoke and lost power on the highway. It appears to be end of the engine problem.
Numerous large repairs needed for a 2003 land rover freelander, current mileage approx 79,000 including: new engine oct 2007, new radiator june 2007, new fuel pump may 2007, new thermostat april 2007, internal electrical fault september 2006, cooling system september 2006, broken sway bar april 2006, right rear window replaced february 2006, child safety lock recall november 2005, brake switch failure november 2005, heater core leaking coolant november 2005, coolant bottle replaced november 2005, driver door replaced december 2004, windshield washer broken december 2004.
A sensor shut down the motor while I was driving on I-55. It required me to coast to the side of the road. (this happened in the summer of 2006.) last month, the water resevoir in the engine busted (despite dutiful maintenance) requiring a completely new engine to be installed. The radio has also malfunctioned twice, being replaced last time. No one was injured in either case, but it could have easily resulted in deaths when the vehicle quit in 70 mile per hour traffic!
Complete engine failure on 10/13/2007 at just over 34,000 miles. Two weeks prior car was serviced due check engine light on/car overheating. Service dept. Claimed due to fluid leakage and claimed it was repaired. Even though car is under warranty land rover has declined to cover engine replacement. They want me to pay them over $6400 to replace engine.
(1) engine coolant level diminishing; coolant bottle replaced several times heater core also replaced (2) engine now needs to be replaced (3) land rover denies accountability and states they will provide engine with labor cost being extended to me!
The contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. After driving 25 mph, the contact noticed smoke under the passenger side of the hood. She allowed the vehicle to cool down and drove to purchase antifreeze to replace what leaked out. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the vehicle was fine. When she returned to the dealer, they stated that a new engine would be needed. When the heat is activated, toxic fumes of burning antifreeze enter into the vehicle. The current mileage was 77,600 and failure mileage was 58,494. Updated 01-14-08. *kb updated 12/12/07
1. In the shop three times for cooling system problem. Repair covered by warranty. Note the repairs did not fix the water loss problem. Last repair 52,000 miles 2. 9-23-07 engine fails without warning on I-77. 56,000 miles now out of warranty 3. Car towed 260 miles to land rover dayton. Told engine would need replaced at a cost of $4,000.
Vehicle's engine had head gasket failure as so many have. This resulted in anti-freeze leaking into the oil. Subsequently, the lower bearings failed and the engine needs to be replaced. Land rover refused to honor the warranty which was still in effect. They claimed a lack of proper maintenance even though we had all the proper service records. This will cost $6700.00 to repair. Land rover even addresses this issue in a memo to their dealers. The internal memo is # 0036. A lawsuit will be filed. It may be a class action as there are so many complaints for the same thing posted on the web.
: the contact stated the vehicle's engine cam bolt backed out causing the motor to blow. The service dealer determined the engine needed to be replaced. The contact expressed this was a vehicle defect and was looking for a recall. Updated 10/17/2006 - the consumer experienced the second failure at 29000 miles, the third failure at 37000. A fourth failure at 49000. The final failure occurred at 64000 and the consumer was advised by land rover that the engine was blown and that a remanufactured on could be installed.
2003 land rover freelander would not accelerate and lost power. Vehicle wouldn't start. Upon inspection mechanic determined the bolt that holds the upper cam started to back out. *kb the engine blew at 56869 miles. The dealer recommended that the consumer replace the entire engine. The vehicle was out of warranty therefore the consumer was going to be responsible for the repairs.
My daughter was driving 65 mph when her vehicle lost all power and she pulled onto the shoulder. The vehicle was towed to an authorized service center where they found that the head gasket had failed. Before this the vehicle was operating normally with only routine maintenance.
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.
2003 Land Rover Freelander Engine and Engine Cooling Consumer Complaints