— Land Rover LR4 and Range Rover Sport fuel leaks are under a federal investigation after owners complained about cracked fuel tank flanges and pressurized fuel leaks while the vehicles were running.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 36,000 model year 2010-2011 Land Rover LR4 and Range Rover Sport SUVs may be affected.
NHTSA says it knows of six customer complaints, five field reports and 200 warranty claims about fuel odors and leaks.
In 2013, Jaguar Land Rover recalled LR4 and Range Rover Sport vehicles in the Middle East due to cracked fuel tank flanges and leaks. NHTSA contacted the automaker about the recall and was informed that a modified fuel tank flange was implemented in model year 2011 production vehicles.
Land Rover says ribbing was added inside the modified flanges to increase the strength and resistance of the flanges where cracks had occurred.
The current fuel tank flanges in U.S. vehicles are identified by part number AH229039AB, while tank flanges with internal ribbing are identified by part numbers AH229039AC and AH229039AD.
A Land Rover owner will likely notice a fuel odor or possibly see leaking fuel at the rear of the vehicle. However, some owners reported they could smell fuel but never saw any evidence of a leak.
NHTSA will evaluate the severity and failure rate of fuel tank flange cracks and determine if a recall is warranted.
CarComplaints.com will update our website with results of the 2010-2011 Land Rover LR4 and Range Rover Sport investigation.
