1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE ACCELERATING AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE LACKED COMPRESSION. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CYLINDER WALLS WERE SCRATCHED, WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM GAINING HORSEPOWER. HE ALSO STATED THAT EXCESSIVE DIRT FROM THE DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 143,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

1996 DISCOVERY I PUMP ASSEMBLY LINES RUSTED. *TS THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 04V203000. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA RECALL LETTER #04V203000 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR THE RECALL WORK, WHERE THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE FILLER HOSE AND OTHER HOSES THAT MAY COME APART WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS REPLACED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE RECALL WORK SHOULD COVER ALL INVOLVED PARTS AND LABOR.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A RECALL LETTER WAS RECENTLY RECEIVED AND THERE WAS CURRENTLY NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CALLED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIR UNDER NHTSA RECALL 04V203000, CONCERNING THE FUEL TANK. WHEN THE DEALER WAS CONSULTED THEY STATED THERE WAS A HIGH POSSIBILITY THE FUEL PUMP AND GAUGE WOULD GO OUT WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS CHANGED. THE DEALER ASKED THE CONTACT TO SIGN A WAIVER FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FUEL PUMP AND GAUGE IN CASE THEY ARE DAMAGED DURING THE CHANGE OF THE FUEL TANK. UPDATED 07/25/06. *JB

AT HIGHER SPEEDS, ABOVE 55 MPH, ENGINE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY MISFIRE AND RETURN TO NORMAL IN UNPREDICTABLE SEQUENCES. LOSS OF POWER AND INABILITY TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY ON HILLS, THE WORST CONSEQUENCE. CHARLOTTE DEALER SAID IT COULD BE A STICKY EXHAUST VALVE, OFFERED $2900 TO PERFORM AN EXHAUST VALVE JOB. I DECLINED AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE CYLINDER HEADS OFF MYSELF AND TAKE THEM TO A MACHINE SHOP WERE THEY COULD CLEAN OUT AND RE-GRIND THE VALVES FOR ABOUT $500. MACHINE SHOP SAID THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF STICKING VALVES BUT I DIDN'T MIND SINCE I GOT TO PLAY AROUND AND TAKE THE ENGINE APART. THE ENGINE RAN GREAT AFTERWARDS BUT THIS DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. FINALLY TOOK CAR TO AN ENGLISH CAR SPECIALIST IN RALEIGH, NC. THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A SPEED SENSING TRANSMITTER. THIS DEVICE TELLS THE CAR'S COMPUTER HOW FAST THE CAR IS MOVING. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, IT WAS GETTING A SIGNAL OF 130 MPH. THINKING IT WAS MOVING TOO FAST, THE CAR WILL AUTOMATICALLY MISFIRE IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW IT DOWN. THEY REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR (FOR $120) AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR OLDER LRS AND THE DEALERS SHOULD KNOW THIS. THEY USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHARGE FOR A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE VALVE JOB. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A SMELL OF GASOLINE THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 04V203000, CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM: GASOLINE: STORAGE. THE CONTACT TRIED FOR A YEAR TO GET THE RECALL WORK COMPLETED, HOWEVER THE DEALER WILL NOT MAKE THE APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER, WHEN CONTACTED, INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO WORK OUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER. UPDATED 4/11/2006 - *NM

LAND ROVER HAS A SAFETY RECALL ACTION L#B156 AND THE FEDERAL VEHICLE RECALL GOVERNMENT HAS THEIRS AS 04V20300. LAND ROVER BUILT A DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK THAT WILL LEAK AND INSTALLED IT IN MY VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS NEW. LAND ROVER NOW WANTS ME TO PAY FOR THE FUEL PUMP WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE RECALL. I FIND THIS DEMAND UNREASONABLE BOTH ON ITS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY OUT OF POCKET COST, AND THAT THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AND SEAL, WHILE DISTURBING 10 YEAR OLD HOSES/PUMPS/FUEL LINES ECT. WHEN CONTACTED LAND ROVER SAID THAT WAS THEIR POLICY. WHERE IS THE SAFETY IN THIS RECALL? *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 02V028000 CONCERNING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THIS RECALL IS FOR 1999-2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005 - AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WORN IDLE SPEED CONTROL VALVE. THE VEHICLE NO LONGER EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AFTER THE PART WAS REPLACED. *NM

DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE INVOLVING CRACKED FUEL TANKS CONCERNING LAND ROVERS. HAD APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER, AND THEN WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WOULD BE A $600 CHARGE FOR THE FUEL PUMP THAT WOULD BE DAMAGED WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS REMOVED. CALLED MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER EXTRA EXPENSE OF THE FUEL PUMP OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES INCURRED BY THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS RECALL. *AK

CONTACT STATES; LAND ROVER DEALERSHIP ARE TRYING TO GET CUSTOMER TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE FOR REPLACING FUEL PUMP BECAUSE IT IS RUSTED. RECALL ON FUEL TANK. MUST REMOVE FUEL PUMP TO REPLACE FUEL TANK. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CAN NOT REPLACE FUEL TANK WITHOUT REMOVING FUEL PUMP. CUSTOMER HAS HAD CONTACT WITH DEAL AND DEALERSHIP.*AK