Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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!! …
Engine failure due to the use of varying alloys with different expansion properties used in engine manufacture. The design of engine includes metal sleeves that line the cylinder walls that when heated to normal operating temperature allow the sleeves to slide into the engine resulting in catastrophic engine failure. Lrna is been ware of this problem. The defect has been known since 2002 but it could range back to the 1990's and continued to manufacture the faulty engines. This defect is an accident waiting to happen. This failure leads to total power loss that in a snowy or icy conditions or heavy traffic at highway speeds inevitably cause serious accident resulting in an injury or death.
At 88,000 miles, my 2003 Land Rover Freelander lost ~80% of power while going up a hill on a major high way and started to billow smoke. After steering the vehicle out of traffic, I popped the hood to find the material on the lower side of the hood on fire. Upon putting this fire out, I realized there was still a large amount of smoke coming from the underside of the engine cover and my anti-freeze was empty, when served only a couple weeks prior. After letting the vehicle cool, I took off the engine cover to find it had a mixture of coolant and oil resting on top of it; a dark-milky colored liquid. Upon having it towed and further inspected by a professional, not only is my head gasket gone, a fitting on the a radiator line had melted above the engine, and a catalytic converter is as well. …
1.coolant system:strong antifreeze odor in vehicle cabin - replaced coolant reservoir;replaced coolant reservoir cap; thermostat housing failure; replaced all coolant lines and hoses as preventative measure; heater core failure - leaked anti freeze into heater chamber 2.transmission system (1 of 3): code f4 appeared on odometer; hill decent fault light illuminated; traction control light illuminated; brake anti block light illuminated; transmission (while in automatic d) will not downshift past 2. Transmission will not upshift beyond 3; manually shifting down to 1, transmission experiences harsh shifting accompanied by loud clunking sound shifting from 1 to 2; will not manually shift beyond 3. …
Numerous times the engine of my Freelander loses compression and the vehicle will not travel at a speed faster than 5 MPH. The vehicle lurches and won't maintain a proper speed. The vehicle has been into the dealership several times. I have been told that they aren't sure what is wrong with it. Approximately 8 months ago the replaced the throttle body. The vehicle worked properly for 7 months. A month ago it happened again. This time I was on the expressway in between semi trucks. The vehicle lost speed and I could not tracel faster than 5 MPH. I was able to get the vehicle off to the side of the road. I let it coll down for 20 minutes. When I started the vehicle it was able to drive. I took it to the dealership and they said that they didn't know what the problem was. …
I purchased a new 2002 Freelander from Land Rover fort worth (tx) in January of 2002. While under warranty the car had numerous problems. My warranty expired in February of 2006 (4 years), but due to my low mileage 32,000 miles, I did not purchase an extended warranty. Since February 2006, I have replaced the brakes for the 3rd time ($1000), had the engine overheat due to a faulty temp gauge which in turn blew the intake gasket ($1500), replaced the heater core again (pd. For by dealership), and am now faced with replacing the entire transmission ($5000). My transmission trouble began in early August 2006, when the car began to jerk and shudder unexpectedly. I immediately took the car into the dealership to check out the issue. They replaced the transmission temp sensor and said the care was fixed. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Land Rover Freelander years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (130), 2003 (91), 2004 (55) and 2005 (11) model years. Engine complaints make up 58% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Land Rover Freelander engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for any Land Rover Freelander model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Land Rover Freelander engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (83 mentions), followed by the cooling system (70).
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.