Most common 2005 Land Rover LR3 problems
Share of the 96 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Land Rover LR3 complaints by model year
Best LR3 years: 2008, 2007. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006. Compare all years →
2005 Land Rover LR3 recalls (4)
Steering › Column
Land Rover is recalling 37,142 my 2005-2006 lr3 and range Rover sport vehicles. Relative motion between the steering wheel hub and/or the steering column cowl with the clockspring, which includes the driver side air bag circuitry, could result in fracturing of the air bag wiring connection.
Remedy: Dealers will insert 1mm spacers between the lower left hand side of the column switch mounting point and the column lock to improve the alignment of the column switch.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
Some sport utility vehicles May have fuel tanks that contain an internal breather pipe that was not made to specification. This could result in excessive swelling and cracking of a grommet and subsequent detachment of the breather pipe from a connector tube.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tanks. The recall began on March 12, 2007. Owners May contact Land Rover at 1-800-637-6837.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, 'theft protection.' when the ignition is switched off, after a period of time, it is possible to remove the ignition key when the transmission shift lever is not in park.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the driveline control transfer box electronic control unit (ECU) with revised software. The recall began on June 30, 2006. Owners May contact Land Rover at 1-201-818-8500.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
Some sport utility vehicles May have fuel tanks that contain an internal breather pipe that was not made to specification. This could result in excessive swelling and cracking of a grommet and subsequent detachment of the breather pipe from a connector tube.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tanks. The recall began on October 24, 2005. Owners May contact Land Rover at 1-800-637-6837.
What 2005 Land Rover LR3 owners say
Suspension all 20 →
The air ride suspension is totally dead. There was a recall years ago but I didnt get it done. Now when I search recalls its not there, because someone thinks the work was completed. That is simply false. I can barely drive this vehicle now because the left side dropped due to air suspension. The service guy told me the suspension was built improperly.
2005 Land Rover LR3 with broken wiper blades and suspension problem** 07/19/07 dup letter send in** the consumer stated he purchased the vehicle new on sept 1, 2005 upon possessing the vehicle for 24 days the windshield wiper blades broke and 19 days after that the plastic molding from the driver's door fell off and not 13 days later the car was towed. The consumer was informed that there was a problem with the rear suspension/differential, the consumer also heard noise while the car was in reverse and was informed that there was damage to the rear suspension compressor. The consumer stated that the tires were worn not 11 months after he purchased the vehicle, the power windows were in operable, steering wheel is prematurely worn and a recall was issued for the vehicle pertaining to the fuel tank. …
Electrical system
After a heavy rainstorm in [redacted] , 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. …
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.
Fuel & propulsion system
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Land Rover LR3. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled intermittently after 10 to 15 miles of driving. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the alternator was defective and needed to replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 05V376000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
2005 Land Rover LR3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
| 4.4L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Land Rover LR3 a good car?
Based on 96 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 LR3 rates avoid: 5.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the LR3 at the same age. It is one of the LR3 years we suggest avoiding. 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 LR3?
The suspension — 20 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear › springs › air suspension system. Next are the electrical system (19) and fuel & propulsion system (19).
How many recalls does the 2005 Land Rover LR3 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2005 Land Rover LR3, the most recent from June 4, 2008 (column). 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 LR3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008 and 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005 and 2006. See the full Land Rover LR3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Land Rover LR3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 39,000 miles; 56% 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.