Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Land Rover Freelander problems
Owners filed 226 complaints about the 2002 Land Rover Freelander with NHTSA between Mar 2002 and Apr 2015. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (121).
Complaints
226
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling121
- Power train83
- Visibility27
- Electrical system26
- Service brakes, hydraulic23
- Equipment18
- Exterior lighting13
- Latches/locks/linkages11
- Engine9
- Steering9
- Fuel system, gasoline8
- Structure8
- Vehicle speed control7
- Air bags2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
11
9
16
18
32
69
25
17
4
5
6
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 16 |
| 2006 | 18 |
| 2007 | 32 |
| 2008 | 69 |
| 2009 | 25 |
| 2010 | 17 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
121 reports2 fires
“I PURCHASED THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. TIME FOR INSPECTION AND CAR HAS MANY PROBLEMS LOOKED ON LINE AT COMPLAINTS AND I AM SICK TO SEE WHAT I AM IN FOR WITH THIS CAR. ITS IS SUCKING UP COOLANT,(BAD SIGN), HEAD GASKET ,OIL IN COOLANT, ENGINE FAILURE. WHY WAS I ALLOWED TO BUY THIS CAR? DO WE HAVE CONSUMER PROTECTION? I PURCHASE CAR FROM DEALER THAT SOLD 85% LAND ROVERS. DO YOU THINK THEY NEW WHAT I WAS IN FOR? YES!. YOU SHOULDN'T ALLOW CARS TO BE SOLD IN AMERICA IF THERE IS NO ACTUAL FIX FOR THE CAR. I READ THAT ENGINE REPLACEMENT IS BAD AS ORIGINAL. WILL SOMEONE BUY THIS CAR? I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE SHADY AND TELL SOMEONE THIS IS A GOOD CAR. *TR”
Power train
83 reports
“I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A GENTLEMAN. HE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO AT 88,000 MILES, AND STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO THE GENTLEMAN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS SERVICE CENTER WHO THEN NOTIFIED HIM THAT HIS TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACING. I HAVE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND PLAN TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. IT DOES SEEM A BIT EARLY FOR A TWO OWNER VEHICLE AT 110,000 TO NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. IT WAS WELL CARED FOR NOT ABUSED. *TR”
Visibility
27 reports1 fire
“ENGINE ISSUES. REPLACED VACUUM HOSE TO 6TH CYLINDER. ALSO, THE TIMING BELT IS MAKING NOISE AND THE MECHANIC HAS ADVISED I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 68,850 MILES. ALSO, HAVE REPAIRED THE BRAKES ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THEY STILL SQUEAK. HAD TO REPAIR THE WINDOW REGULATOR. THE SRS LIGHT AND ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT IS ON. *TR”
Electrical system
26 reports1 crash2 fires
“WHAT IS TO SAY THAT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS NIGHTMARE! I HAVE REPLACED EVERYTHING ON THIS CAR: POWER STEERING SYSTEM, ENGINE MANIFOLD, COOLANT RESERVOIR, WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, BRAKES 2X, CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT PULLEY, TIMING BELT, AND NOW I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE HAPPENING THAT EVERYONE ELSE WHO OWNS THIS JUNK EXPERIENCES. THIS IS NOT TO MENTION THAT THE SUNROOF DOES NOT WORK, THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCK, AND 3 OF THE 5 POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK EITHER. IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE I HAVE PUT MORE THAN $3000+ INTO THIS THING, AND THAT IS BUT A FRACTION OF TOTAL I HAVE PUT INTO IT DURING OWNERSHIP..AND THE BLUE BOOK VALUE IS LESS THAN $5000 AT BEST! WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS HOW ANGRY IT MAKES ME, AND HOW PATHETIC IT IS OF LAND ROVER TO KNOWINGLY IGNORE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE SUFFERING THAT OWNERS OF IT HAVE TO ENDURE. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ALONE SHOULD HAVE A MANDATORY RECALL FORCED ON LAND ROVER TO FIX FOR ALL FREELANDERS, AND THAT SHOULD JUST BE THE BEGINNING! I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY LAND ROVER TECHNICIANS HAVE BLATANTLY TOLD ME THAT LR KNOWS THESE ARE A MONEY PIT NIGHTMARE FULL…”
Service brakes, hydraulic
23 reports1 fire
“1 NUMEROUS PROBLEMS OVER SEVERAL YEARS, INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT AND OIL. AND YESTERDAY, A STRONG SMELL OF HOT OIL, AND SUDDEN SQUEALING FROM RIGHT, FRONT WHEEL. 2 COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. 3 CONTACTED LANDROVER. *TR”
Equipment
18 reports1 fire
“I TOOK MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER INTO LAND ROVER TO BE SERVICE BECAUSE MY TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY SAID IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION BUT IT WAS THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, THE VACUUM HOSES, AND SENSOR THAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. SO WE HAD THEM REPLACE THE MANIFOLD, HOSES AND SENSORS. THE SERVICE MANAGER KEEP NARRATING THAT IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION. WE PICKED UP THE CAR THE NEXT DAY AGAIN THE SERVICE MANAGER ASSIST IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CAR IS RUNNING PERFECTLY. AS SOON AS I WENT ABOUT 2 MILES MY TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO LAND ROVER THE NEXT DAY IRRITATED. THE CAR SPENT 5 DAYS AT THE SHOP TRYING TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. WHICH WAS INDEED THE TRANSMISSION, THEY DIDN'T OFFER TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION BUT TO REFUND THE MONEY AND PUT THE OLD PARTS BACK IN. WHICH WE AGREE TO UNLESS THEY GUARANTEE IT WOULD BE IN THE SAME CONDITION. IT WAS MAKING MORE NOISE THEN BEFORE, 2 WEEKS LATER THE TIMING BELT BROKE. THIS CAR IS A LEMON. ITS DOESN'T MAKE SINCE HOW THE ENGINE, THE TIMING BELT, THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD ALL FELL AT ONCE. THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING AND STUCK IN MY DRIVE WAY. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.