2003 LAND ROVER NEW RANGE ROVER Power Train Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65-70 MILES AN HOUR MY TRUCK SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND IT FELT LIKE THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND MELT GRINDING SOUNDS. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE.

Mileage: 179,000

DRIVING UP A HILL AND STARTED TO LOSE POWER. EVENTUALLY LOST ALL POWER ON HIGHWAY AND HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME.

Mileage: 64,000

MY 2003 RANGE ROVER HSE SUFFERED A FAILURE OF THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AND DRIVESHAFT. A COMMON AND KNOWN ISSUE TO LAND ROVER. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND SUDDENLY LOST ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND PUT ON THE HAND BRAKE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. IT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND THE BROKEN PARTS WERE REPLACED. IT WAS FIXED WITH NEW PARTS, BUT THEY ARE THE SAME DESIGN OF THE ONES THAT FAILED. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOT PERMANENT FIX PROVIDED BY LAND ROVER AND THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 75,965

MY 2003 RANGE ROVER HSE DIFFERENTIAL DIED WITHOUT WARNING. I HAD TO BE TOWED HOME ($200) + $1500 TO FIX IT WITH AN AFTER MARKET DIFFERENTIAL. *TR

BOUGHT CAR JULY 2007 WITH 35,000 MILES; 3 DAYS AFTER I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY LITTLE GIRL IN THE CAR AND THE BRAKES LOCKED THEN THERE WAS A GRINNING NOISE, HAD TO CHANGE 4 LANES TO GET TO THE SHOULDER, NEARLY GOT RUN OVER BY A TRUCK..CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN I PUT IT ONTO PARK..IT WAS ROLLING DOWN THE SHOULDER HAD TO PULL UP HAND BRAKE. NEARLY DIED. CAR TOWED FOUND OUT IT WAS FRONT DIFF..PAID $4000 FROM MY POCKET. EIGHT MONTHS LATER SAME THING..FRONT DIFF WENT..COMPLAINED TO DEALER..THEY WERE RUDE AND ARROGANT..CALLED ROVER HEAD OFFICE..COMPLAINED TO THEM..THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME..THEY NEVER DID..WILL NEVER BUY A ROVER AGAIN..THE WORST CAR, THE WORST SERVICE EVER. *TR

Mileage: 35,000

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK LATE AT NIGHT MY 2003 RANGE ROVER STOP AND THE INDICATOR DIRECTED ME TO PUT MY CAR IN NEUTRAL. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND. I WAS STRANDED AT 1AM ON A WEEK NIGHT WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK RANGE ROVER SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL ESPECIALLY IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE AND WE PAID OVER 80,000 FOR OUR CARS. *TR

Mileage: 80,200

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 RANGE ROVER ON THE FREEWAY, THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SUDDENLY FAILED WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING. LOST ALL PROPULSION. WAS BARELY ABLE TO GLIDE ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS IS A KNOWN, SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED ALREADY. ONLY HAVE 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT IS WELL MAINTAINED. REQUIRES TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL BY THE DEALER. THERE IS A 2 WEEK DELAY IN GETTING REPLACEMENT PARTS; THIS IS A WELL KNOWN, TOO-COMMONLY-OCCURRING DEFECT. RANGE ROVER SHOULD BE PROTECTING THEIR REPUTATION BETTER. *TR

Mileage: 49,900

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WENT OUT ON MY 2003 RANGE ROVER WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED AND WAS UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

2-9-05-DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VEICHLE SHUT DOWN ON MOTORWAY, VEHICLE MAKING LOUD GRINDING NOISE WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. HAD TO WAIT TO BE TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A FAULTY FRONT FIF ASSEMBY.REPLACE FRONT FIFF AND ALIGN. REPLACE DRIVE SHAFT. 8-23-07-DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. VEICLE MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO PULL OVER THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CAR WAS TOWED INTO SHOP AFTER 4 HOURS OF WAITING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEING TOWED. FRONT DIFF AND DRIVE SHAFT SPLINES STRIPPED. REPLCED FRONT DIFF AND DRIVESHAFT

Mileage: 77,470

2-9-05-DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VEICHLE SHUT DOWN ON MOTORWAY, VEHICLE MAKING LOUD GRINDING NOISE WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. HAD TO WAIT TO BE TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A FAULTY FRONT FIF ASSEMBY.REPLACE FRONT FIFF AND ALIGN. REPLACE DRIVE SHAFT. 8-23-07-DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. VEICLE MAKING GRINDING NOISE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO PULL OVER THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CAR WAS TOWED INTO SHOP AFTER 4 HOURS OF WAITING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEING TOWED. FRONT DIFF AND DRIVE SHAFT SPLINES STRIPPED. REPLCED FRONT DIFF AND DRIVESHAFT

Mileage: 77,470

DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE ON MY 2003 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER. ALMOST GOT KILLED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. STOPPED AND PUT IN PARK AND VEHICLE STILL MOVED!! FINALLY USED HANDBRAKE TO STABILIZE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. *TR

Mileage: 84,082

2003 RANGE ROVER, I WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE CAR MADE A VERY LOUD METALLIC GRINDING NOISE. A WARNING MESSAGE TOLD ME TO IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO NEUTRAL, I WAS DOING 50 MPH IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CAR LOST DRIVETRAIN POWER, AND I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO CHANGE LANES AND COAST INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, NARROWLY MISSING A PILE UP ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS FLAT BEDDED TO A LAND ROVER DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT WAS BURNED OUT. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THEY SAID YES! SEEMINGLY IT COULD HAPPEN ANYWHERE BETWEEN 30000 AND 100000 MILES . THIS CAR HASD 7500. MILES ON IT) I ASKED IF RANGE ROVER KNEW ABOUT IT AND HAD RECALLED THE CAR. THEY SAID THAT RANGE ROVER HAD BULLITINS SINCE 2003 AFTER THE CAR WAS INTRODUCED, BUT HAD NOT ACCEPTED THIS AS A FAULT OR ISSUED ANY SAFETY RECALLS. THIS WAS A DISGRACE, AND THE NHTSA NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS. THE PROBLEM WA S WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE RANGEROVER.NET WEBSITE.*AK

Mileage: 75,000

FAILURE OF FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT ON A 2003 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER WITH 48,000 MILES. NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED, EXCESSIVE WEAR IDENTIFIED BY DEALER DURING ROUTINE SERVICE AND CLANKING"NOISE IDENTIFIED BY OWNER UPON SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. PROBLEM WAS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER REPORTED FAILURES IN SAME MODEL WITH BMW DRIVE TRAIN. DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT WAS SERVICED TWICE IN 2004- ONCE DUE TO AN OWNER COMPLAINT OF A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ,AND ONCE DUE TO A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM LAND ROVER. DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED ON 11 JULY 2007 AT A COST OF $2300.00 TO VEHICLE OWNER. LAND ROVER CONTINUED TO LACK ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PROBLEM AND FAILURE TO ISSUE A FORMAL RECALL WAS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR OWNERS OF PRE JAGUAR DRIVE TRAIN RANGE ROVER . *AK

FAILURE OF FRONT DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT ON A 2003 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER WITH 48,000 MILES. NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED, EXCESSIVE WEAR IDENTIFIED BY DEALER DURING ROUTINE SERVICE AND CLANKING"NOISE IDENTIFIED BY OWNER UPON SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. PROBLEM WAS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER REPORTED FAILURES IN SAME MODEL WITH BMW DRIVE TRAIN. DIFFERENTIAL/DRIVESHAFT WAS SERVICED TWICE IN 2004- ONCE DUE TO AN OWNER COMPLAINT OF A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ,AND ONCE DUE TO A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM LAND ROVER. DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED ON 11 JULY 2007 AT A COST OF $2300.00 TO VEHICLE OWNER. LAND ROVER CONTINUED TO LACK ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PROBLEM AND FAILURE TO ISSUE A FORMAL RECALL WAS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR OWNERS OF PRE JAGUAR DRIVE TRAIN RANGE ROVER . *AK

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN VEHICLE MOVED FOR ABOUT HALF A BLOCK THEN THERE WAS THIS NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT THAT IMMEDIATELY DISABLED THE TRUCK IN TRAFFIC . THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED INSTANTLY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, BUT TRUCK WON'T MOVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY DIFFERENTIAL AND DRIVESHAFT. *AK

Mileage: 62,213

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN IT TURNED GREEN VEHICLE MOVED FOR ABOUT HALF A BLOCK THEN THERE WAS THIS NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT THAT IMMEDIATELY DISABLED THE TRUCK IN TRAFFIC . THE TRUCK JUST STOPPED INSTANTLY, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, BUT TRUCK WON'T MOVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY DIFFERENTIAL AND DRIVESHAFT. *AK

Mileage: 62,213

2003 RANGE ROVER HAD FRONT DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED AT 50K MILES. AT 80K MILES CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN 30MPH AND SUDDENLY MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND COASTED TO A STOP IN A HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE. AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE COULD NO LONGER MOVE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIR. FORTUNATELY THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY HIGHER SPEEDS, IT IS UNCLEAR IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAFELY NAVIGATE OUR WAY OUT OF TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 83,000

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. *TR

Mileage: 62,697

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. *TR

Mileage: 62,697

FRONT DRIVE SHAFT SPLINE FAILURE. DRIVING ON FREEWAY APPROX. 60 MPH AROUND TOWN. LOUD METAL GRINDING NOISE. NO VEHICLE ACCELERATION RESPONSE. VEHICLE SLOWLY ROLLED TO STOP. PULLED OVER TO SIDE. TOWED VEHICLE TO LR DEALER. RECEIVED EST. OF $3500 TO REPLACE SHAFT AND FRONT DIFFERENTIAL DECLINED AND ARRANGED FOR TOW TO HOME. AFTER A WEEK OF RESEARCH, PURCHASED AFTERMARKET DRIVESHAFT. INSTALLED MYSELF AND WORKING GREAT. DID NOT HAVE TO REPLACE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. *JB

Mileage: 67,000

FAILURE OF FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL WITH 24,396 MILES ON 2003 RANGE ROVER III HSE. *JB

Mileage: 24,396

FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE, SECOND TIME. *JB

Mileage: 66,737

FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE ON 2003 RANGE ROVER. *JB

Mileage: 92,973

RANGE ROVER FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE - LEADING TO LOCK UP OF TRANSMISSION. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT SPEED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLES SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. DO WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEBODY IS KILLED? NM

Mileage: 40,000

1)NONE REGULAR AND UNEVENTFUL DRIVING. 2)TOTAL LOSS OF DRIVE POWER WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN BETWEEN THE EMERGENCY LANE AND RIGHT LANE OF HIGHWAY. SECOND TIME 3RD LANE OF FREEWAY RIGHT AFTER SERVICE FROM THE DEALER FROM THE FIRST INCIDENT. 3) THE FAILURE WAS A MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVESHAFT AND THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ON A 2003 LAND ROVER, RANGE ROVE. *JB

Mileage: 50,000

DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE I HAD JUST EXITED THE FREEWAY AND CAME TO A STOP AT THE LIGHT AS THE LIGHT CHANGES I APPLY THE GAS AND EXPERIENCE A HORRIBLE METAL ON METAL GRINDING NOISE ACCOMPANIED BY SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND PUT IT INTO PARK WHICH DIDN'T WORK SO I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO KEEP FROM ROLLING BACKWARD. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I AM TOLD QUITE COMMON. THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF A FREEWAY OFF-RAMP. *NM

Mileage: 25,000

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 RANGE ROVER. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERS LOT TO MY HOME, I DECIDED TO TAKE MY FIANCE FOR A DRIVE. I DROVE DOWN A FAIRLY BUSY HIGHWAY WHICH IS LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM MY HOME. AS I PROCEEDED DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND BECAME IMMOBILE. LUCKILY, TRAFFIC WAS NOT EXTREMELY HEAVY AND OTHER DRIVERS ALLOWED ME TO DRIFT INTO THE MEDIAN. ONCE IN THE MEDIAN, I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO PLACE IT IN GEAR SO THAT I COULD DRIVE AGAIN BUT IT CONTINUED TO MAKE THIS GRINDING NOISE AND WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE POLICE SHOWED UP AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK SO THAT I COULD GET OFF OF THE BUSY HIGHWAY. I CALLED THE CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL EUROPEAN MECHANIC SHOP AND THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS SHOCKED AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED, SINCE THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND THE DEALER IS A REPUTABLE BUSINESS. THE QUOTE FOR THIS WORK IS $5000 AND I WAS ASKED BY THE DEALER IF I COULD COME UP WITH A PORTION COST FOR THE REPAIRS. SINCE THE INCIDENT, I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS VEHICLE AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON INCIDENT AMONG OTHER RANGE ROVER OWNERS OF MODELS 2002 THROUGH 2006. IN MY FINDINGS, THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW AND MECHANICAL ISSUE, NOT TO MENTION A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I WOULD LIKE THIS COMPLAINT TO BE FILED WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN HOPES THAT A VEHICLE RECALL OR INSPECTION IS PROMPTED. *JB

Mileage: 58,146

I OWN A 2003 RANGE ROVER, AND I HAVE READ OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE DRIVESHAFT AND FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILING IN THESE MODEL SUVS. I WANT TO DO MY PART AND REPORT THAT I TOO HAD MY FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAIL ON THE ROAD AT 40200 MILES. I HOPE THAT REPORTING THIS WILL ULTIMATELY REQUIRE LAND ROVER TO REDESIGN THIS PART, BECAUSE THIS WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE SOMEONE TO LOSE THERE LIFE. THE TRUCK IS TOTALLY UNDRIVABLE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, AND THE ACCELERATION JUST GAVE OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT IT WAS LIGHT TRAFFIC, AND I WAS ABLE TO SOMEHOW GET THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *NM

Mileage: 40,200

WHILE CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN GRADE THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY COMPLETELY FAILED, ELIMINATING POWER TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AND ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL AND ENDED UP SIDEWAYS IN A 60 MPH HIGHWAY. FORTUNATELY, THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO STOP THEREBY AVERTING AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO WARNING WHATSOEVER PRIOR TO FAILURE AND THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AND THE NEARBY TRAFFIC. *JB

Mileage: 24,059

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE: 2 TIMES, WITH IN 21K MILES IF EACH, FIRST REPAIR SPLITTING COST WITH LAND ROVER, SECOND TIME REPAIRED UNDER PARTS WARRANTY. NO WARNING OF FAILURE, BOTH TIMES, FIRST TIME LEFT STRANDED UNABLE TO MOVE IN BUSY INTERSECTION, SECOND TIME FAILURE OCCURRED ON I-5 AT SPEED, CAUSING FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK MOMENTARILY. AGAIN STRANDED. BOTH TIMES COST FOR TOWING AND LODGING TRANSPORTATION HOME AN BACK TO RETRIEVE VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 53,000