Most common 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover problems
Share of the 31 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Land Rover New Range Rover complaints by model year
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover:
Front differential/driveshaft failure
In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), Ford stated that the primary cause for the majority of the reported front differential/drive shaft failures is a misalignment of the joint between the two components.certain levels of misalignment May over time cause an uneven wear of the splines.continued wear of the splines May result in a shearing of the splines…
Front diff. / propeller shaft failure
Summary:in a letter dated December 2, 2008, Ford motor company (Ford) notified NHTSA that Land Rover is conducting a safety recall of model year (my) 2003 through 2005 range Rover vehicles built at the solihull (uk) assembly plant from January 3, 2002 through February 22, 2005, to replace the front driveshaft joint (NHTSA recall no. 08v-635, Land Rover recall no. P041).
What 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 27 →
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
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.
Suspension
Excessive inner tire wear, causing the vehicle to lose control when it rains. Unsafe slippery feeling, and vehicle sliding off the road on the highway. Vehicle has been to repair shop 4 times, and could not correct the problem. 3 sets of tires for every 7 -10,000 miles, and dealer rotated them. Vehicle lost control on wet pavement. Not normal. I have owned several Range rovers and never experienced this problem since I bought the 2003. I contacted the manufacturer and they have not come back to me with a meeting or otherwise. Front ball joints sway bars,many front end parts have been replaced ,and still not resolved. Inner tire wear is to excessive, and abnormal, too fast, and if not noted in the public, I believe this will cause many accidents like the Ford explorer.
In October 2013 while I took my car to a private garage for oil change. The mechanic noticed that the frame on my vehicle was rotted out . He called me into the garage and showed me the problem. I immediately called the Land Rover dealership were the car was purchased New and they have been doing the service on the vehicle since it was New . I informed the service manager of the issue and I questioned the fact that no one at the dealership ever mentioned the rust issue on my vehicle. The service manager asked me to drive up to the dealership so they can take a look at it. Once at the dealership the service manager put up the car on the lift and was shocked to see how bad things were. He took pictures of the frame and contacted Land Rover main office and sent them the pictures. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the New Range Rover to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover?
The transmission & drivetrain — 27 complaints, 87% of all complaints for this model year, most often about driveline › differential unit. Next are the suspension (3) and brakes (1).
How many recalls does the 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
At what mileage do 2003 Land Rover New Range Rover problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 63,000 miles; 32% 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.