10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,489 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Land Rover Freelander engine problems

engine problem

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2002 Land Rover Freelander Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #35

Jul 292009

Freelander 6-cyl

  • 83,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2002 Land Rover Freelander. The contact was at a complete stop when the vehicle staled without warning. The oil warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times but to no avail. The vehicle was towed to a local automotive store where the battery was replaced. The contact was still unable to restart the vehicle. The manufacturer would not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 87,000. Updated 10/20/10 the consumer stated the issue has been settled with landrover. Updated 10/21/10

- Maryville, TN, USA

problem #34

Apr 122005

Freelander 8-cyl

  • miles
I took my vehicle to landrover when I noticed a loss of power in engine & tapping noise while it was in warranty. A few times landrover classified my problem as the throttle, which happened to be a recall item. Once they did the "recall" repair on the throttle in 4/05, I took it back a few days later because there was no change after the initial "recall repair". than I was told it was a common problem among all Freelanders. Now that the vehicle is out of warranty, I learned about a tsb that came out a year after I reported my problem for my identical problem that existed than and now that landrover tech's misdiagnosed, mistaken or ignored for something else. They are clever enough not to include what the customer complaint is on the repair ticket & only include what they did. The loss of power is unpredictable and is a hazard that landrover is fully aware of per the tsb listed below. It's disturbing that the repairs done to my vehicle under "recall" never fixes the problem. The roof & pillars recall was fixed twice when in warranty and broke yet again and remains broken. Landrover now wants to charge to fix it again. Why, the fix doesn't work. The vehicle hasn't stopped yet, eventually it will get to the point where I can't drive it because of the unpredictable behavior. KV6 variable intake manifold system (vis) motor diagnostic aid no: 19/01/06/nas fgn 310-00 ref: 19/03/03/nas ta02tb01, TA021901, TA031901 issue: 1 date: 26 June 2006.

- Maricopa, AZ, USA

problem #33

Jan 052010

Freelander

  • 93,400 miles
I bought a 2002 Land Rover Freelander hse with 92,000mi, about 6 months ago, few months after this the check engine light started flashing, so I took it to the repair shop, it turned out to be the thermostat and some related parts, I ended up paying 600 dollars. Then a week after that my transmission felt weird and showed a code in F-4 in the dashboard so I took it to the repair shop and it turns out it is a solenoid, the repair cost will be about another 300 dlls.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #32

Aug 292009

Freelander

  • 97,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We purchased a 2002 landrover Freelander with 71,000. Regular maintenance had been performed on car by original owner and we continued it. In the first 2 year of ownership we had to replace the waterpump twice at $ 1,100 and $565. There was a recall on fuel filter after I had it replaced due to breaking down. Now, my wife was driving it and it broken down on side of highway with my 2 year old daughter from almost 2 hours. Shop called said needs new engine because block is made of alloy and cylinder sleeve made of steel. When they get hot expand at different rates. After a while this cause the sleeve to drop into lower block and the engine has to be replaced. It cannot be rebuilt. This cost at least $4,000 for engine plus repair. Do a internet search and see all complaints about this engine. Most go out between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. Please do something about this and not let landrover get away with taking advantage of us citizen.

- Pataskala, OH, USA

problem #31

Aug 182009

Freelander

  • 79,000 miles
2002 Land Rover Freelander. Engine replaced at 56,000 miles, it is once again in shop for engine problems at 79,000 miles. Fuel pump replaced at 70,000 miles. 5-6 batteries have been replaced since owned car in 2005 and no one knows problem. This car has been in the shop at least 10 times for extended lengths since I've owned it. I have kept up with all oil changes and have taken very good care of this car. Everytime I research it, I find nothing but complaints a mile long. I believe there to be a serious problem with this car, and think that something should be done for the unfortunate owners of them.

- Evansville, IN, USA

problem #30

Jun 222009

Freelander

  • 49,800 miles
At less than 40,000 miles I needed to have my transmission replaced and less than 50,000 I needed to have the engine replaced because of a headgasket problem. Also many other problems with the vehicle but these were the major ones.

- Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA

problem #29

Jun 042008

Freelander

  • 90,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Since I purchased my 2002 landrover Freelander in Aug of 2007 with 63456 miles on it, I have taken it in for numerous costly repairs. The first being 12 days after the purchase in attempt to fix what I thought was causing the disappearance of my coolant, the cracked coolant reservoir was replaced, only to find out to the engine would continually overheat and I would become stranded on the road on at least 3 occasions even after I had taken it in by this point and had it suction tested to see if a leak could be located with in the coolant system and was told it passed. So I continued to operate the vehicle shuttling myself to and from school and work, stocking my vehicle with necessary coolant to maintain the proper level. After a traumatic incident on the freeway in I June 2008, where I was forced to quickly pull to the shoulder going form 60 to zero while still in traffic, I took the car in to have it serviced again where I soon found out the coolant contaminated the oil because of the seal slipping (through research of my own I have learned the material the seal is made of is in adequate to hold high temperatures for even a reasonable life of the car). Unable to afford the costly replacement of the engine which was advised at this time, 6/08 (over the worth of the vehicle at $7,579 + taxes new and with multiple research attempts done to find a used one with no success because it's such a common problem with these models) I bought some time with an engine flush only to have the internal damage the seal failure had caused result in the complete seizure of my engine as of 1/09. I have been put in harms way in near misses of causing an accident as I uncontrollably come to a stop and soon after sit helplessly on the side of the road through no fault of my own, countless times do to the manufactures negligence for the safety of the operator. Even after this whole ordeal, I still find myself fortunate to only be out a costly vehicle and not the loss of my life.

- Everett, WA, USA

problem #28

May 192009

Freelander

  • 59,828 miles
My 2002 Land Rover Freelander was having cooling leak problems starting at 50,000 miles. It was found that the leaks were caused by brittle heater lines and brittle universal heater joints made out of plastic. The lines failed catastrophically. The lines and joints were replaced costing $50. At 58,000 mi the thermostat had to be replaced because the coolant leak still existed and was leaking from this location. Cost of repair at dealer $1100. At 59,828 mi the engine failed catastrophically. The cause of the engine failure is due to the cylinder liner (sleeve) slipping causing a gap which caused the coolant leak into the engine block. The engine required total replacement. There is no recall against this known problem. Land Rover's stance is that they only guarantee the vehicle for 50,000 mi, so they are not responsible for the engine failure. Cost of replacement of the engine is $15,000 as quoted from the Land Rover dealer. Total consumption of coolant was at a rate of 1 gallon per week, with the exception of the catastrophic failure of the heater lines and universal joints.

- Aiea, HI, USA

problem #27

Mar 162009

Freelander

  • 65,000 miles
My landrover Freelander broke down suddenly while driving on the garden state parkway. No warning lights were lit, the gauges were fine, etc. The car stalled while at 65 mph. After taking it to the shop, the car needs a new engine at only 65,000 miles.

- Middletown , NJ, USA

problem #26

Mar 202009

Freelander

  • miles
Many Land Rover Freelanders are having serious problems due to the faulty construction of the engine. Prior to complete engine failure, there may be unexplained coolant loss, overheating, and other problems related to head gasket failure. Because the cylinder liners are steel and the block is alloy, the cylinder liners tend to work their way into the block. When this happens, there is no way to repair the vehicle short of engine replacement, and many of the replacement engines have the same construction defect as the original vehicle.

- St. Petersburg, FL, USA

problem #25

Nov 222008

Freelander

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have a 2002 Freelander that I bought new in 2002. I have had nothing but problems with it. Most recently the truck was undriveable for several months at the beginning of 2008 due to overheating. Finally saved enough money to take it and have it repaired. Have driven it for 5 months and am again losing coolant. Have paid several thousand dollars for repairs due to overheating and other issues over the last year. Now, the right rear passenger window motor is dead. Like many others who own these vehicles, the transmission had to be replaced. There are clunking noises when it is put in gear. There is an electrical gremlin that makes the rear window go up and down for no reason. I have had the sunroof stuck open and had that fixed. The motor was tapping constantly and the dealer told me the sound was normal. An independent mechanic repaired the tapping noise which was the intake manifold. My truck has been out of warranty and I'm out of money.

- Orange Park, FL, USA

problem #24

Sep 072008

Freelander

  • 93,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Land Rover Freelander. While driving approximately 25 mph on normal road conditions, the vehicle stalled. The engine failed to restart after several attempts. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. Roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technician stated that the failure was related to the cylinder and pistons. The vehicle is currently at the repair shop and has been there for one month waiting on the replacement parts. The technician discovered that the parts were discontinued by the manufacturer and the vehicle cannot be repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle has been repaired every month for one year for other defects prior to this recent failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 93,000.

- Spring , TX, USA

problem #23

Sep 162008

Freelander

  • 109,000 miles
Engine failure.

- Ringwood, NJ, USA

problem #22

Sep 232008

Freelander

  • 57,000 miles
After several incidents with my 2002 Land Rover Freelander type S overheating, I took it to my local Land Rover dealer to find out the problem. The coolant was found to be low, and a discussion with the mechanic and the shop person indicated that their is no external leaks, and that the coolant may be leaking into the engine. I was told that the cylinders/heads are made of different materials, and that a gap may have formed there causing the coolant to leak into the engine. I was told that if the coolant continues to leak without any visible signs of external problems, the engine would need to be replaced. I have 57,500 original miles on this vehicle, and all required maintenance has been done. It is now out of manufactures warranty, and I do not have an extended warranty. I have seen thousands of postings on the internet relating to this problem, with models from 2000 to 2005, the years the car was available in the us. It appears that there are no viable replacement engines available that do not have this same problem since, the vehicle was discontinued in 2005. Based on the information I have gathered, it appears that the engine used in this vehicle was of a faulty design, given the fact that a replacement with out this problem is not available for the record, my vehicle info is as follows: Make: Land Rover model: Freelander type S year: 2002 purchase date: 07/12/2002 I am the original owner, and I purchased this from a Land Rover dealer in simsbury, ct.

- Clarksville, IN, USA

problem #21

Mar 072008

Freelander

  • 70,000 miles
My 2002 landrover Freelander's engine failed at around 70,000 miles without any warning from the vehicles warning light system and just as the vehicle's original 5 year warranty ended. The dealers repair shop attributed the engine failure to overheating. Due to the manufacture discontinuing manufacturing this engine's the dealer had to locate a "rebuilt" engine as a replacement. The total cost of the "rebuilt engine and labor was an astounding $7,500. Due to the high incident of this particular engine failing and the manufacturer not making the engine any longer it took around 3 months to procure a replacement "rebuilt" engine and install it. Also, the sunroof motor and the rear passenger window motor both failed and had to be replaced at a cost of around $1,200. My dealer recommended that I join a class action law suite if I could find one dealing with this vehicle's clear lemon qualities. I understand from other Freelander owners the next thing to go will likely be the transmission. All of this leaves me with very little confidence in the vehicle's safety or reliability. I feel the out of pocket expenses for this engine replacement are unwarranted and should be the responsibility of the manufacture. On behalf of all Freelander owners who have had to replace the engine of this car please issue a recall of the engine and force the manufacture to take responsibility for their failure to produce and/or use a sound piece of equipment in this vehicle. Thank you.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #20

Aug 022006

Freelander

  • 55,000 miles
2002 Land Rover Freelander. Transmission failed at 45,000 miles. Catastrophic engine failure at 55,000 miles. Vehicles stopped dead in the middle of rush hour traffic. Mechanics at the Land Rover dealership said that 100% of the Freelander model had the same transmission & engine failures.

- Nashville, TN, USA

problem #19

Jun 132008

Freelander

  • 50,000 miles
2002 Land Rover Freelander - over a 2 year period repeatedly took the car to Land Rover dealer for missing coolant - car fails to drive April 2006 - informed engine needs to be replaced - replaced engine July 2006 - ~8 dealer servicing including ~5 for engine related issues over the next one and half years - car fails to drive three times in 2 months - taken to Land Rover dealer for diagnosis each time of failure - told engine needs to be replaced June 2008 - Land Rover customer care center / service contacted repeatedly with escalation to a supervisor - Land Rover will not take any action to help resolve customer issue around defective engines - stand by 12 month warranty - one car, 2 engines failed/defective over 5 years ownership - manufacturer refusing to acknowledge product defects, take responsibility and assist customer to make good on subsequent product liability.

- Northampton, MA, USA

problem #18

Jan 062007

Freelander

  • miles
I have a 2002 landrover Freelander. This vehicle has been nothing but problems. I bought the car back in late 2005 and it had 32K miles on it. In January of 2007 it was overheating and had a very loud sound to the engine. I took it into the shop and they told me that the engine went bad and needed to be replaced. During the time of the replacement the car only had 59K miles on it. Now over year later the truck is overheating again and I have been told the engine is failing again. I have spend over 6,000 dollars on this SUV that is clearly a lemon.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #17

Jun 012008

Freelander 6-cyl

  • 49,015 miles
After buying the car used @ 42,000 miles my 2002 Land Rover Freelander was immediately diagnosed a month after intermittent starting problems with a blown head gasket and I needed a new engine. My car is a safety hazard as it stopped randomly of a highway and left me stranded. I am not the only person experiencing this blown head gasket problem as it is an engineering failure of this SUV. Land Rover will not help, this is a disgrace that so many people have suffered from this problem and nothing has been done.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #16

May 162008

Freelander

  • 29,717 miles
Date issuerepairs date returned 6/7/06vehicle stalled, won't startbattery replaced6/8/2006 6/16/2006vehicle stalled, won't startreplaced ignition switch, key reader7/17/2006 8/15/2006vehicle stalled, won't start, intermittent startreplaced fuel pump8/18/2006 6/5/2007vehicle stalled, won't startsecured started wire6/6/2007 6/7/2007vehicle stalled, won't start, intermittent startreplaced immobolizer 2 times8/20/2007 11/16/2007vehicle won't acceleratereplaced intake manifold, engine, heater core3/5/2008 5/16/2008vehicle won't acceleratewant to replace entire transmission.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

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