2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY Complaints

I HAD AN OIL PUMP FAILURE ON MY 03 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, SO IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER, EVEN BEFORE THEY GOT BACK TO ME WITH A DIAGNOSIS, I HAD RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, AS IT IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR, AND WITHIN A CERTAIN VIN RANGE. LAND ROVER EVEN ISSUED A TSB ABOUT THE ISSUE, AND BY THE TIME THEY CALLED ME BACK, I HAD THAT TSB IN HAND. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT MY CAR WOULD BE READY TO PICK UP THE NEXT DAY, THAT THE OIL PUMP HAD, "BASICALLY EXPLODED" THAT THEY HAD CLEANED ALL THE METAL OUT OF THE ENGINE, AND THAT IT WOULD BE FINE. I PROTESTED THIS BASED ON THE TSB, PUBLISHED BY LAND ROVER, THAT STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE! THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS TSB DID NOT APPLY ANYMORE. I ASKED FOR THE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THAT THE TSB HAD BEEN OVERRIDDEN. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NONE, BUT THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT IN THE, "NEW WAY". I CONTACTED THE LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA CORPORATE HQ AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO, THAT THE DEALERSHIP COULD DECIDE WHAT IT WANTED TO DO WITH THE ISSUE. SINCE THEN, I HAVE GOT SEVERAL FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE AND WHO HAD A NEW ENGINE PUT INTO THEIR CAR WITHIN A MONTH. I ALSO HAVE FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THE ISSUE, DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE TSB, AND NEVER GOT A NEW ENGINE. LAND ROVER'S OWN DOCUMENTATIONS SAY THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE IN MY CAR, INDEPENDENT MECHANICS SAY I NEED A NEW ENGINE, AND EVEN MECHANICS AT OTHER LAND ROVER DEALERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE ALL THESE ON RECORD, WILLING TO VOUCH FOR MY SIDE OF THIS ARGUMENT. *JB

A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT ON JULY 20TH, MY WIFE AND I HEARD A VERY SLIGHT NOISE. AT FIRST IT WAS ONLY OCCASIONAL AND SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS VIBRATING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. AFTER A COUPLE MORE DAYS WENT BY, THE VIBRATING/RATTLING NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND BEGAN OCCURRING MORE OFTEN. WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AT THE SHOP. THE CAR WAS DUE FOR IT'S 75,000 MILE CHECKUP ANYWAY. I CALLED THE LAND ROVER DEALERSHIP IN CARY, NORTH CAROLINA FOR AN APPOINTMENT ON MONDAY, JULY 16TH, 2007 AND HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THURSDAY UNTIL A SCHEDULER GOT BACK TO US TO MAKE AN ACTUAL APPOINTMENT. THE EARLIEST THEY COULD TAKE US WAS THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY. IN THE MEANTIME, MY WIFE BECAME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS THE NOISE INTENSIFIED. ON THURSDAY, JULY 19TH SHE DROVE HOME FROM WORK AND BARELY MADE IT HOME THAT EVENING. SHE SUGGESTED CALLING ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP WITH A MASTER LEVEL LAND ROVER TECHNICIAN IN THE AREA TO SEE IF THEY COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE ANY EARLIER. AT THIS POINT, THE GRINDING NOISE WAS INCREASING AND IT INTENSIFIED WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS. IT SEEMED AS IF THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN NECESSARY AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. SHE WAS FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE IT AT A HIGH SPEED AND CALLED ME TO ALERT ME AS SHE WAS DRIVING HOME SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HER. THE NEXT MORNING ON FRIDAY, JULY 20TH I CALLED THE OTHER LAND ROVER REPAIR SHOP IN TOWN AND THEY SAID THEY COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE THAT DAY. ON FRIDAY MORNING, I WAS ONLY ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM HOME AND DRIVING ABOUT 30-40 MILES AN HOUR ON THE WAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHEN I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AND THE TRANSMISSION BECAME TOTALLY DISENGAGED. WITH THE CAR NOW COMPLETELY INOPERABLE, I WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD US IT IS THE FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATED TO 95 MPH. THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY RETURNED TO 65 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO BE PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 03V133000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES). THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000.

I ENCOUNTERED A FAIRLY WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERIES. THERE WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE OIL PUMP THAT ULTIMATELY CAUSES THE ENTIRE ENGINE TO FAIL. LAND ROVER HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM YET IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT WHEN THE DISCOVERIES BREAKDOWN. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FAULTY PART THAT CAUSED THE ENGINE FAILURE IN MY VEHICLE YET THEY ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ME TO PUT IN THE NEW ENGINE. *JB

MY HUSBAND BOUGHT ME THE 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY AS A 2006 CHRISTMAS GIFT. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 46,000 MILES ON IT. WE WERE DRIVING IT AND HEARD A POP & THE CAR JUST DIED. I HAD THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH. THERE WAS OIL & CHUNKS OF METAL UNDER THE CAR. WE HAD IT TOWED HOME AS THE DEALERSHIP WAS HOURS AWAY. MY HUSBAND LOOKED THROUGH THE PARTS BOOK & FOUND THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY THE FRONT ENGINE COVER/OIL PUMP. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET & FOUND LAND ROVER ISSUED A TECHNICAL ALERT ENTITLED 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II OIL PUMP FAILURES, #T03 1201, ON MARCH 14, 2003 TO ITS DEALERS. IT ADVISED THAT THE DOWEL PINS ON THE BLOCK DID NOT ALIGN CORRECTLY WITH THE OIL PUMP. THIS CAUSED OIL STARVATION , WHICH IN TURN, CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE. IT CLEARLY STATED THE DEFECT WAS THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR. MY HUSBAND PULLED OFF THE FRONT ENGINE COVER TO DISCOVER THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CRANKSHAFT DESTROYED. I CALLED LAND ROVER CUSTOMER RELATIONS & SHE ADVISED ME THERE WAS NO RECALL & TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THEY WOULD DO. I AM STILL PENDING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. LAND ROVER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE DEFECT ISSUE AS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT . *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT DETECTED A FAINT BURNING SMELL WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND OIL SUDDENLY BEGAN ERUPTING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE REAR WINDOW. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE OIL PUMP. WHILE REPLACING THE OIL PUMP THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE BEARING AND CRANK SHAFT WERE RUINED, AND THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 50,300.*AK

WE BOUGHT A NEW 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II FROM LAND ROVER OF MILFORD, CT IN 12/03. WE HAVE CHANGED THE OIL FAITHFULLY EVERY 3,000 MILES AND HAD THE NECESSARY SERVICES DONE AND WERE AT 44,724 MILES. WE WERE DRIVING HOME FROM VT A MONTH AGO AND THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND CHECKED THE OIL, WHICH WAS FULL. I TURNED ON THE CAR AND THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STARTED MAKING A STRANGE SOUND. I CALLED LAND ROVER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND OUR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED 28 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS. WE HAD IT FLAT BEDDED HOME TO CONNECTICUT IMMEDIATELY. THEN WE HAD IT FLAT BEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE OIL PUMP HAD BLOWN AND THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. AT FIRST THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT AS IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE OIL PUMPS ON THE 03 DISCOVERY MODELS AND IN FACT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL RECALL FOR THAT YEAR. WHEN WE ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THAT, HE SAID THAT IF IT WAS A FAULTY OIL PUMP IT WOULD HAVE BLOWN BY 20,000 MILES AND NOT GONE TO 44,000 MILES. WE SENT THEM DOCUMENTATION OF ALL THE SERVICES WE HAVE HAD DONE ON THE CAR AND THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST OF THE ENGINE. WE STILL DON'T HAVE A CAR, AS THEY HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED AN ENGINE. (AND THEY DID NOT OFFER US A LOANER CAR FOR THE INTERIM). NOW TODAY I WAS DOING FURTHER RESEARCH AND FOUND ON THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE 3 OTHER 03 DISCOVERY IT'S WITH 40,000, 57,000 AND 60,000 MILES ON THE ENGINES THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPEN. SO OBVIOUSLY IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IF IT IS HAPPENING TO SO MANY CARS. AND THAT IS JUST THE ONES WE KNOW ABOUT ON THE EDMUNDS WEBSITE FORUM. *JB

I ACCELERATED TO PASS AND HEARD A MUFFLED POP BUT INITIALLY HAD NO OTHER INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING CAUTIOUSLY FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILES THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AT THIS POINT I PULLED OVER TO CHECK ON THE CAR. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND, SEEMED NORMAL. SO I DROVE ON FOR ANOTHER .5 MILES WHEN I BEGAN HEARING RANDOM, BUT DISTINCT CLANKING AND RATTLES. AT THIS POINT I DETOURED TO A KNOWN SAFE SPOT AT NO MORE THAN 10-15 MPH FOR APPROX. 1 MILE BEFORE THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACTING AS IF IT WOULD STALL. I SHUT DOWN AND HAD IT TOWED. DUE TO MY CONNECTIONS IN THE LR OWNERS COMMUNITY, AND IN TALKING WITH A WELL KNOWN INDEPENDENT LR MECHANIC, WITHIN HOURS OF THE INCIDENT I HAD LRNA'S TA03 1201 IN MY HANDS WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF MY SYMPTOMS WERE EXACTLY WHAT THEY THEMSELVES HAD ENCOUNTERED. THE TECH ADVISORY IN QUESTION STATES THAT, "...THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REPAIR CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE..." SO, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN LR CONTACTED ME WITHIN A FEW HOURS TO TELL ME THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD BE READY FOR PICK UP THE NEXT DAY. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RETRIEVE THE CAR UNDER PROTEST (THEY DID NOT INITIALLY PROVIDE A LOANER, AND ONLY PROVIDED A RENTAL AFTER MORE THAN 24 HOURS) AND EVEN WHEN I PRESENTED THE TA TO THEM, THEY REFUSED TO, OR WERE UNABLE TO, SHOW ME THAT THE REPAIRS THEY MADE SUPERSEDED THOSE INDICATED IN LRNA'S OWN DOCUMENTATION ON THIS ISSUE. I CONTACTED THE OWNER OF THE FRANCHISE -- THEY DID NOT RETURN MY CALLS. I WROTE A LETTER TO THEM. I WROTE A LETTER TO LRNA AND CALLED THE CORPORATE HQ SEVERAL TIMES. THEIR STATEMENT WAS THAT IT WAS UP TO THE DEALER. I EVEN HAD AN INSURANCE AND WARRANTY LAWYER TELL ME THAT I HAD AN EXTREMELY STRONG CASE -- IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. OUR WARRANTY IS NOW EXPIRED, AND WE AWAIT THE DAY WHEN THE OIL PUMP WILL FAIL AGAIN BECAUSE LRNA DID NOT REPAIR THE ACTUAL PROBLEM, THEY MERELY REPLACED THE PARTS THAT WERE BROKEN BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE LOUD CLANGING NOISE. AS I BEGAN TO PULL OVER, THE CAR STALLED. I CALLED LAND ROVER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALTHOUGH I WAS STILL UNDER THE MILEAGE,THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED 5 DAYS EARLIER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT LAND ROVER WOULD NOT COVER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW MOTOR. AN INDEPENDENT LAND ROVER REPAIR FACILITY HAS CONCLUDED THAT ENGINE FAILURE WAS THE RESULT OF OIL PUMP FAILURE. LAND ROVER ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON MARCH 14, 2003 STATING THAT ENGINE FAILURES ON '03 AND '04 DISCOVERY ARE THE RESULT OF MANUFACTURING ERROR ON THE OIL PUMP. VEHICLE STILL NEEDS A NEW MOTOR, LAND ROVER HAS BEEN VERY UNCOOPERATIVE EVEN WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE TECH ALERT (TA03 1201). I AM 2 MONTHS WITH OUT A VEHICLE. CAR IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *NM

MY 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY RECEIVED ITS SCHEDULED 60K SERVICE THEN AT 65K THE OIL PUMP FAILED AND CAUSED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL DOCUMENTED CASES SIMILAR TO MINE LAND ROVER DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OR PLAN TO RECALL. THE CONSUMER IS LEFT WITH A POTENTIAL DANGER AND CONSIDERABLE FINANCIAL BURDEN. I HAVE TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS WITH LAND ROVER WHO AT THIS TIME IS NOT WILLING TO HELP OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. AT THIS TIME I CAN NOT RECOMMEND THE LAND ROVER LINE OF VEHICLES TO ANYONE AFTER OWNING ONE MY SELF FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS. *NM