2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY Complaints

2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY ABS/ TRACTION CONTROL/ HILL DECENT LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING, HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF LAND ROVER VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SENSOR. LIKE I SAID IT HAS AFFECTED TO MANY VEHICLES AND PEOPLE TO JUST SAY THAT IT WAS A MINOR MISHAP WITH SOME OF THE VEHICLES. IT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY DAY GOING TO WORK AND DO NOT HAVE THOSE OPTIONS IN USE WHEN ON. *TR

OIL PUMP FAILURE RESULTING IN COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT....NOTICED CAR OIL LEAK COMING FROM CAR AND ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT & OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP...DEALERSHIP DISCOVERED OIL PUMP FAILURE AND OF COURSE ONLY REMEDY IS A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. ADVISED DEALERSHIP ABOUT TECHNICAL ALERT ISSUED ON 3/14/03 IN REFERENCE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE OIL PUMP FAILURE AND ALL I WAS TOLD WAS "SORRY, WE CANNOT COVER THIS...YOUR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE NEW ENGINE WILL COST $11,000.00....GAVE NO OFFER OF HELP, ADVISED THAT I COME GET CAR..I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO GET CAR FROM DEALERSHIP WITH A TOW TRUCK! *TR

LAND ROVER HAS ISSUED A "TECHNICAL ALERT" DATED MARCH 14, 2003 CODED TA03 1201 TO THE ATTENTION OF SERVICE MANAGERS, SERVICE ADVISORS, AND TECHNICIANS. THE ALERT STATES THAT "OIL PUMP FAILURES ON 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES MAY BE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR. LOCATING DOWEL PINS MAY BE SLIGHTLY MISALIGNED PERMITTING ASSEMBLY OF THE OIL PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT PLACING STRESS ON THE PUMP HOUSING WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO LEAKAGE OR FAILURE." THEY GO ON TO SAY THIS COULD CAUSE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE! THE RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY LAND ROVER IS "...THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REPAIR CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY..." IN SHORT THE ENGINE COULD SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY FAIL. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALL ISSUED RELATED TO THIS MATTER. I DO NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION? *TR

LEAK IN SUNROOF DRAIN ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES, RESULTED IN WATER DAMAGE IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING A BURNT MIRROR LIGHT AND BLOWN SPEAKER IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. *TR

UPON SEEING THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATE, I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE WHAT MAY BE THE CAUSE. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT LAND ROVER HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL ALERT (TA03-1201) ON MARCH 14, 2003 STATING THE FOLLOWING ISSUE AND RESOLUTION: 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II OIL PUMP FAILURES VEHICLES AFFECTED DISCOVERY SERIES II (LT) 3A771801 ? 3A808362 SITUATION OIL PUMP FAILURES ON 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES MAY BE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR. LOCATING DOWEL PINS MAY BE SLIGHTLY MISALIGNED PERMITTING ASSEMBLY OF THE OIL PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT PLACING STRESS ON THE PUMP HOUSING WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO LEAKAGE OR FAILURE. RESOLUTION WHENEVER AN OIL PUMP FAILURE IS ENCOUNTERED ON VEHICLES WITHIN THE ABOVE VIN RANGE THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REPAIR CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE FRONT COVER/OIL PUMP MANUFACTURED TO THE LATEST TOLERANCES. USE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS TO AFFECT A REPAIR: ? LBB112301 4.6 ENGINE ASSEMBLY LEV ? LBB111461 4.6 ENGINE ASSEMBLY NON-LEV I CHECKED MY VIN NUMBER AND FOUND IT TO BE WITHIN THE EFFECTED VEHICLES. I DELIVERED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP LAND ROVER OF THE GULFCOAST, MOBILE, AL)WHERE I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT MY VEHICLE OIL PUMP FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE EXACT REASON AS STATED IN THE TECHNICAL ALERT AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF LAND ROVER TO SEEK A RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER. THE TECHNICAL ALERT STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW AND ALSO GIVES THE REDESIGNED REQUIRED REPLACEMENT PARTS (WHICH IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY). LAND ROVER REFUSED TO MAKE GOOD IN THIS MATTER. I THEN CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN CONTACTED THE HEADQUARTERS ON MY BEHALF TO GET THE SAME REFUSAL. AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, THIS WAS DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AS PER THEIR ADMISSION IN THE TECHNICAL ALERT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *TR

2003 DISCOVERY W/ 36K MILES. I WAS DRIVING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND THAN OIL LIGHT CAME ON. PUT IN NEUTRAL AND PULLED OVER. HAD IT TOWED TO NEAREST GARAGE. OIL PUMP HAD "EXPLODED" AND RIPPED A WHOLE IN ENGINE "COVER." I SAW THE OIL PUMP GEAR IN PIECES. THERE IS A KNOWN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR DISCO 2003 OIL PUMP FAILURE RESULTING IN NEW ENGINE REPLACEMENT AS ONLY PERMANENT FIX. CURRENTLY MY CAR IS AT LAND ROVER HINSDALE ILLINOIS. WILL NOT COVER B/C WARRANTY IS UP 10MOS AGO. HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DECIDING TO EITHER GIVE ME NOTHING OR A "GOOD WILL GESTURE" W/ UNLEAR MONETARY HELP. HUGE STRESS ON A CAR THAT HAS FEW MILES AND A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED FOR 500 DOLLARS OR SO AND NOW COULD BE UP TO 10,000. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THANKS JK *TR

THIS 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY BELONGS TO A FRIEND. I WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, WITH HER PERMISSION, BACK TO OUR HOME AFTER HAVING THE 60,000 SERVICE PERFORMED BY OUR LOCAL MECHANIC. I WAS STOPPED IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BLOOMSBURY AVE. AND FREDERICE RD. IN CATONSVILLE, MD 21228 AT AROUND 2:30 P.M. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO "ROAR/RACE." EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RACING FORWARD AND DID NOT STOP UNTIL I CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHICH, IN TURN, HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE WOULD STOP THE VEHICLE. (ON TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5, WHEN MY HUSBAND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICE, THIS ALSO, NEARLY HAPPENED TO HIM. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP JUST BEFORE HE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF OUR DODGE CARAVAN. HE MENTIONED IT TO ME AS AN ODDITY.) INITIALLY, BOTH OF US THOUGHT THAT WE HAD OUR FEET EXTENDED OVER TO THE ACCELERATOR. BUT AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH WE DISCOVERED THIS RECALL. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH LAND ROVER WHICH IS RESEARCHING THE VEHICLE AND WILL PROBABLY CALL IT INTO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. I AM CONFIDENT THAT I DID NOTHING TO CAUSE THIS INCIDENT AND THINK THAT LAND ROVER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGES. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE OIL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000. UPDATED 01/28/08. *LJ UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, SHE DISCOVERED OIL PUMP FAILURE SEEMED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. UPDATED *JB

ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE; MULTIPLE LIGHTS ILLUMINTE WHE HEAVY BRAKING DOWN HILLS. ALL BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE NEW. LIGHTS ON DASH EXTINGUISH UPON RESTART. VERY POOR BRAKING ALMOST ALLOWING VEHICLE TO TRAVEL INTO CROSS TRAFFIC. FELT AS THOUGH ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM STOPPED FUNCTIONING WITH STANDARD BRAKING REMAINING. HAPPENDED SEVERAL TIMES WITH MYSELF AND WIFE DRIVING VEHICLE. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND LOOKED UP INFO ON INTERNET. DEALER INDICATED IS WAS THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM MODULATOR. MANY COMPLAINTS ON ROVER WEBSITES ABOUT THIS GOING FAIRLY EARLY IN LIFE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP TOLD MY WIFE THAT THERE WAS STILL NORMAL BRAKING IF LIGHTS ARE ON,BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE USED LIKE YOUR BRAKING WITH ANTILOCK SYSTEMS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LANDROVER HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM AS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN BRAKING ON LIMITED HILLS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED PART WAS $1500 AND TOTAL JOB WAS $2100 TO REPLACE, BUT AGAIN SAID IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO DO AS BRAKING WOULD BE THERE IF LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. *TR

REAR LATCH MECHANISM FAILURE: REAR LATCH FAILURE DUE TO POOR MATERIAL SELECTION CAUSING CORROSION AND STICKING OF LATCH. REAR DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY CAUSING A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHEN OPENING DURING DRIVING. FINALLY BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AFTER LUBRICATION DID NOT WORK, AND AS USUAL THEY INDICATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. LATCH WAS GREASED AT DEALER AND FUNCTIONS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, HOWEVER I DID THE SAME THING AND IT LASTED ONLY A MONTH OR TWO. *TR