2005 LAND ROVER LR3 Electrical System Problems

After a heavy rainstorm in [XXX] , my 2005 Land Rover LR3 experienced catastrophic water intrusion through the A-pillar design flaw documented in Land Rover’s own TSB LA501-007. When I opened the passenger door, ~1.5 inches of water poured out. Immediately afterward, the vehicle developed multiple failures: flickering lights, radio inoperative, driver’s window stuck, ABS warning lights illuminated, “Transmission Fault” error displayed, and the air suspension automatically lowered into its fail-safe mode. This is not wear and tear. Land Rover has acknowledged the defect internally (A-pillar locator holes allowing water ingress into the footwell), but never issued a recall or owner notification. Flooding the footwell shorts the electrical/fuse boxes, causing cascading failures in braking, suspension, powertrain, and electrical systems. This presents a serious safety hazard as the vehicle may lose proper braking, suspension height, or drivetrain function simply from exposure to rain. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THIS DESCRIPTION WAS BLANK.

THE DASH HAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS EVEN WHERE THE AIR BAGS ARE FEEL VERY UNSAFE WITH THE BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY. AT THE TIME OF AN ACCIDENT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LANDROVER LR3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL WAS LOWER THAN A QUARTER OF A TANK, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 07V011000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND 05V376000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE DEALER DID NOT NOTIFY THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V248000 (STEERING), WHICH WAS NOT COMPLETED BEFORE THE CONTACT OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,060.

Mileage: 80,060

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FROM EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR TO CRUISE CONTROL NOT SHUTTING OFF WHEN DEPRESSING THE CONTROL BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NOW THERE IS A EXCESSIVE WATER LEAK THAT HAS CAUSED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTION, WINDSHIELD WASHER TO FAIL, NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. THIS ALL CAUSES ME TO NOT USE THE VEHICLE, UNTIL IT DRIES OUT, FOR FEAR THAT THE LEAK FROM THE SUNROOF WILL CAUSE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO THE WIRING IS PROBABLY BECOMING VERY CORRODED AND COULD SHORT OUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE. DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF THIS VEHICLE IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS OTHER THAN THEY WERE UNIQUE TO THIS VEHICLE. *JB

Mileage: 90,355

VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM THAT ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK THROUGH THE SUN ROOF SEAL AND FRONT WINDSHIELD SEAL. THE WATER SEEPAGE IS CAUSING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN VEHICLE FUNCTIONS; NAMELY THE INABILITY TO USE THE KEY FOB REMOTE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AT THIS POINT APPEAR TO BE INTERMITTENT AND RESOLVE THEMSELVES SEVERAL DAYS LATER, PRESUMABLY AFTER THE WATER HAS EVAPORATED. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AFTER IT HAS BEEN RAINED ON, THE TRAPPED WATER WITHIN THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ESCAPE AND FALL THROUGH THE AIRBAG PORTS ON THE A-PILLAR AND FROM THE INTERIOR LIGHT CONSOLE. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL WHEN READING VARIOUS REPORTS ON THE INTERNET. *JS

Mileage: 33,000

JUST AS EXPERIENCED BY OTHERS, MY 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 EXPERIENCED WATER BUILD UP INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (APPROX 3 IN. DEEP OF WATER BOTH IN DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER AREA AFTER HEAVY RAIN). ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, WATER DRIPPED ALONG THE FRAME ON WHICH THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED AFTER A HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODED THE INSIDE. THIS WAS APPARENTLY DUE TO CLOGGED DRAINAGE TUBES. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE SYSTEM CAME ON. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NEVER REPAIRED / IS STILL NOT OPERABLE. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE TUBES WERE FIXED, THIS FLOODING OCCURRENCE HAS HAPPENED 4 MORE TIMES. NO RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GIVEN TO AVOID FUTURE OCCURRENCES, OR GUARANTEES GIVEN THAT ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY WATER DAMAGE (INCLUDING ONES VITAL TO SUPPORTING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION) WILL NOT FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 35,000

I JUST BOUGHT A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 SE. TWO DAYS LATER AFTER A RAIN, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FLOOR WAS WET. THE NEXT DAY THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY STOPPED WORKING. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE KEYLESS ENTRY DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE SUNROOF DRAINS POURING WATER INTO THE FLOOR AND CAUSING CORROSION OF THE WIRING. *TR

Mileage: 61,000

I HAVE A 2005 LAND ROVER LR 3. BOTH REMOTE CONTROLS STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL I CHECKED VARIOUS BLOGS AND I DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUNROOF DRAINAGE LEADING TO WIRE CORROSION AND RESULTING IN SHORT CIRCUIT AND KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTES NOT WORKING. DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY SAY THIS IS NOT A REASON FOR A RECALL. *TR

A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 EXPERIENCED WATER INTRUSION INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AREA. WATER DRIPPED ALONG THE FRAME ON WHICH THE WINDSHIELD IS MOUNTED AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE'S REMOTE LOCK/UNLOCK SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY LAND ROVER SERVICE PERSONNEL REVEALED CLOGGED "DRAIN TUBES" LEADING FROM THE SUNROOF ALONG THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FRAMES, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE THROUGH AN UNDERTERMINED ENTRY POINT. ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM WAS RENDERED INOPERABLE. OTHER CABLING AND INTERIOR CARPETING WERE ALSO WATER-DAMAGED. LAND ROVER SERVICE PERSONNEL REPLACED EXISTING DRAIN TUBES WITH LARGER DIAMETER ONES. THE FAULTY REMOTE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED. OTHER SYSTEMS WHOSE CABLING WAS EXPOSED TO LIQUID WERE NOT TRACED OUT OR REPLACED. NO RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GIVEN TO AVOID FUTURE OCCURRENCES, OR GUARANTEES GIVEN THAT ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS AFFECTED BY WATER DAMAGE (INCLUDING ONES VITAL TO SUPPORTING THE VEHICLE IN MOTION) WILL NOT FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 63,391

MY 2005 LAND ROVER LR3 HAS SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS, VARIES FROM BRAKE TO SUSPENSION WHICH USUALLY CLEARS ITSELF AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE. LAST WEEK THE AMBER LIGHT ON THE SUSPENSION HEIGHTS IS ON AGAIN WITH CHIMES EACH TIME THE ENGINE STARTS. 3 DAYS AGO, I WAS DRIVING TO A SUPERMARKET WHEN THE AMBER LIGHT TURNED RED, THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED, THE VEHICLE DROPPED TO A LOW STANCE AND VERY BOUNCY. IT MADE STRANGE NOISE FROM THE LEFT REAR SIDE, I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE MORE THAN 25 MILES PER HOUR, AS IT WILL BOUNCE WILDLY. THE CAR IS NOW STILL STUCK IN A LOW LEVEL SUSPENSION, PARKED IN THE A PARKING SPACE NEAR MY HOUSE. LUCKY IT HAPPENS NOT MORE THAN 10 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOUSE, SO I DROVE IT VERY SLOWLY. IF THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS IN A FREEWAY, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

Mileage: 79,645

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER LR3. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE ENGINE REVVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT EVERYTIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

Mileage: 10

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LAND ROVER LR 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE BATTERY EXPLODED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW BATTERY MODEL, SERIAL NUMBER OR PART NUMBER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 57,659 MILES. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY EXPLOSION RESULTED IN $11,252.34 WORTH A DAMAGES FOR CAR RENTAL, LOSS OF VEHICLE FOR 3 MONTHS, AND DAMAGES ON THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

Mileage: 58,654

2005 LR3. UNABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS WITH KEY REMOTE. OPENED DOORS MANUALLY. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER 6 DAYS, NOTIFIED THAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO CAR. TWO DRAINS FROM SUNROOF WERE "SPLICED" AND WATER DRAINING INTO INTERIOR OF CAR RESULTING IN "MOLD" THROUGHOUT MAT AND CARPET. CARPET AND PAD REMOVED AND TREATED WITH "LYSOL" ONLY, RECARPETED, AND ELECTRICAL REPAIRED. NOT CONVINCED THAT MOLD PROBLEM RESOLVED COMPLETELY. MOTHER AND 10 YEAR OLD CHILD SUFFERED CHRONIC BRONCHIAL PROBLEMS FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR (2007). *TR

Mileage: 30,000

MY 2005 LR3 HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR SUSPENSION. THE COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED 2 TIMES, AND I HAD 2 OR 3 DIFFERENT SOFTWARE UPDATES. RECENTLY IT STARTED WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ALSO AFFECTING THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE. FIRST TIME IN JAN 07 CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER, WHO SAID IT JUST NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THE SECOND TIME JUST NOW IN APRIL I GOT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ABS WARNING, SUSPENSION FAILURE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH LR3 AND NOTHING TO WORRY, IT JUST WAS ELECTRONIC AND NEEDED AGAIN ANOTHER COMPUTER UPDATE. BUT HOW CAN I KNOW IT IS STILL SAFE? I ALSO HAVE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH WINDOW SWITCHES AND STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED CONTROLS WHO GO TOTALLY CRAZY. *JB

ONE DAY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, ALMOST EVERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SUSPENSION DID NOT INFLATE TO NORMAL HEIGHT, PARKING BRAKE STAYED ON, AND DISPLAY SHOWED "HDC FAILURE." RESTARTING VEHICLE FIXED THE PROBLEM. ARE THEY USING WINDOWS NOW? *JB

Mileage: 24,000

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND THE BENT CONNECTOR WAS NOT MAKING PROPER CONTACT, THIS WAS REPAIRED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE THE REPAIR. *AK

1). DISCONNECTED PLUG TO GENERATOR WHICH RESULTED IN ELECTRIC FAILURE IN NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND STEREO - FIXED. 2). VEHICLE CONTINUES TO VEER TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, HOWEVER AFTER EACH COMPLAINT AND SERVICING TO LAND ROVER WE ARE TOLD THERE IS NO ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WHEN THEY DRIVE THE CAR. 3). REPEAT OF THE SAME PROBLEM, APPROXIMATELY THREE WEEKS LATER - DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE STEREO/NAVIGATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT INITIALLY CAUSED THE PROBLEM - FIXED 3). 9-14-2005 VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN A CANYON, LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKES OR POWER STEERING, ALMOST VEERING OFF THE MOUNTAIN. STARTED ENGINE AGAIN AND IT STALLED AGAIN ONLY 30 FEET FURTHER - CALLED LAND ROVER AND WAS INFORMED THERE IS A RECALL THAT IS SUPPOSED TO START OCTOBER 14 - IT IS A FUEL IGNITION PROBLEM - VERY DANGEROUS - AND NEEDS A NEW FUEL TANK. RECALL # 05V37600. *NM

Mileage: 5,774

DT: IN FEBRUARY WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING, AND NO ELECTRICAL POWER IN THE VEHICLE. HE CAR RESTARTED. CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR HOME, AND THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER WAS PROVIDED WITH A LOANER CAR OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, AND IT DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING. THE LOANER CAR STALLED AT A STOP SIGN, AND THEN RESTARTED RIGHT AWAY, BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE, AND THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED. THEN THE CAR WAS BEING TAKEN ACROSS COUNTRY IN MAY. THE VEHICLE HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER. NO DASH BOARD LIGHTS, THEN IN JUNE 2005 THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD . THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE IT WOULDN'T GO ANY FASTER THAN 5 MPH. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE TOWED VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH SOME CHIP IN THE CAR, AND IT WAS PICKED UP THE NEXT DAY. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN UNTIL LAST NIGHT WHEN BATTERY LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THEN CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND PUT THE CAR WAS IN PARK. THEN CONSUMER TRIED TO PUT IT IN DRIVE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED. THERE WAS VERY LOW POWER, THE WINDOWS WOULD ROLL DOWN SLOWLY. CONSUMER FOUND A WAY TO UNLOCK THE TRANSMISSION BY LOOKING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THEN WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO DRIVE BUT THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. *AK

Mileage: 1,000