Most common 2005 Land Rover Freelander problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Land Rover Freelander complaints by model year
Best Freelander years: 2005, 2004. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2005 Land Rover Freelander recalls (3)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights May remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights May also be illuminated.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake lamp operation and where required, adjust and/or replace the brake light switches with new switches of the same design until a newly designed brake lamp switch is available in May 2007.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the latch assembly. The recall began on September 8, 2005. Owners should contact Land Rover at 1-800-637-6837.
Air bags
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'occupant crash protection.' the deflector panel contained in the passenger side air bag module May not have been built to specification.
Remedy: Dealers have replaced the passenger air bag modules in all the affected vehicles.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2005 Land Rover Freelander:
Brake light switch failure
On June 16, 2005, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-034) to investigate alleged stop lamp (brake) switch failures in certain model year (my) 2004 Land Rover discovery series ii vehicles.on October 14, 2005, the investigation was upgraded to an engineering analysis and the scope expanded to include certain my 2002 through 2005 freelander vehicles that use a substantially…
What 2005 Land Rover Freelander owners say
Engine & cooling
I purchased my car in 2011 from a county auction. I've spent almost $8,000 on engine and electrical issues since I've bought it. Had a new timing belt, spark plugs and ignition coils installed on 02/02/2015, but now my car stalls and I have great difficulty picking up speed, even when driving on the street. If I stop at a stop sign, I literally have to push the gas to the floor to get my car to take off and even then, it takes forever. The highest speed my car will go to now is 30mph. My driveway is at a slope and I had to press down on the gas to get me car to reverse out the driveway.
Was driving down the road during hurricane sandy and the car shifts (or lags) into extremely low gear, maybe 5-10 MPH. The service engine, service engine soon, and other lights on dash came on and vehicle was lurching. Once I able move to the side of the road, I am able to turn the vehicle off, wait less than 5 minutes and turn back on, still doing same thing. Luckily friends house was just down the street, and cop stayed behind us until we got there. This vehicle had about 110,000 miles when we purchased from a private party out of state - three weeks and three hundred miles later the vehicle is now dead. These freelanders are not dependable. I don't know what to do because it was fine when I bought it, and mechanic now says it needs 7,000 worth of work!! …
Transmission & drivetrain
I am driving down the road and the car shifts into extremely low gear (maybe 5 MPH), f4 flashes, and the service engine, hill descent control, and traction control light up. Once I can move to the side of the road, I can turn off the car, wait less than 5 minutes and the car starts without any of the lights. The vehicle only had about 42,000 miles when the problem started - one month after the warranty ran out. For the last two years, I've driven the vehicle less than 5,000 miles because it is not dependable. They change a sensor, it's OK for about two months then the same thing happens, they clean off parts and it's good for another couple of months then it happens again. I don't know what to do with this vehicle because it runs fine when it is working! This is extremely dangerous, especially if you are on the interstate and your auto suddenly goes from 60-75 MPH to 5 MPH.
2005 Land Rover (free lander): shifting rears from drive (d) to reverse (r) resulted in broken gear linkage cable on one occasion. The SUV became totally immovable and unsafe (locked in park mode) in the middle of the street. Vehicle had to be towed on flatbed to dealer after two tow truck drivers (mechanics) manuvered the vehicle to a safe position. Dealer replaced with new gear selector with cable . Cost $1019.23.
2005 Land Rover Freelander engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 19 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Land Rover Freelander a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Freelander rates better than average: 89% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Freelander at the same age. It is one of the best Freelander years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Land Rover Freelander?
The engine & cooling — 11 complaints, 69% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cooling system. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (3) and electrical system (2).
How many recalls does the 2005 Land Rover Freelander have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2005 Land Rover Freelander, the most recent from February 9, 2007 (switch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Land Rover Freelander?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002 and 2003. See the full Land Rover Freelander years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Land Rover Freelander problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 58,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.