Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Land Rover Range Rover problems
Owners filed 21 complaints about the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Mar 2017. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (5).
Complaints
21
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Engine2
- Tires2
- Seat belts2
- Electrical system2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Exterior lighting1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Structure1
- Visibility1
- Power train1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Seats1
- Fuel system, other1
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 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
1
3
3
2
1
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 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
5 reports2 fires3 related recalls
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, OPENED THE DOOR, AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NEEDED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND HAS NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000.”
Engine
2 reports1 fire
“I HAVE THE LIGHT FOR THE CHECK ENGINE ON. THE MECHANIC CHANGE THE ENGINE AND STILL THE LIGHT ON. AND WHILE I DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY. IT'S STOP SUDDENLY AND CUT POWER. I CALL AAA TO PICK IT UP AND IT WAS THE DYNAMITIC AND I FIXED, BUT IT TURN IT AND STOP WHILE I DRIVE IT AGAIN. ALSO MANY TIME WHEN I START THE POWER IT'S NOT START FROM FIRST TIME. I HAVE TO TRY MANY TIME UNTIL IT CATCH POWER TO START THE ENGINE..”
Tires
2 reports
“MICHELIN LATITUDETOUR HP 255/65R16 SIDEWALL FAILURE. INSIDE SIDEWALL PERFORATION CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF PRESSURE. SAME MODEL TIRE AS COVERED BY PREVIOUS RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13T006000 COMPONENT(S): TIRES NO DAMAGE TO TIRE OTHER THAN SIDEWALL FAILURE. FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE PARKED. *TR”
Seat belts
2 reports
“ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 18, I BEGAN PLACING MY BABY'S INFANT CARRIER SEAT INTO THE BASE ALREADY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE'S REAR PASSENGER OUTBOARD SEAT. I NOTICED THAT IT SEEMED LOOSE AND REMOVED THE BASE FOR CLOSER INSPECTION. THE BASE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY WITH THE RETRACTOR SWITCHED TO ALR MODE (I AM A CPS TECHNICIAN). I FOUND THAT THE RETRACTOR WAS NO LONGER RATCHETING AND SIMPLY MADE A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN PULLED. I CANNOT VERIFY IF IT IS WORKING IN ELR MODE, AS IT STICKS MAKES STRANGE SOUNDS. I MOVED THE CAR SEAT TO THE OTHER REAR OUTBOARD POSITION IMMEDIATELY.*AK”
Electrical system
2 reports1 fire
“TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL, UPON PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER STATED" THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO JUMP UP AND DOWN, AS A RESULT THE DRIVER SUFFERED HEAD INJURIES. *AK THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ONBOARD COMPUTER WHICH STARTED SIGNALING TO CHECK THE ENGINE ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERE SIREN TYPE NOISES. WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ALERTED THE PASSENGERS WITH A BEEPING NOISE AND THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DISPLAYED AN EAS (ELECTRONIC ACUATION SYSTEM) FAULT. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY JOLTED. THE CONSUMERS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME, SHE LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER REACHED FOR THE STEERING WHEEL TO AVOID HITTING THE MEDIAN, THEN THE COMPUTER SIGNALED TO REDUCE THE SPEED TO 35 MPH. *SCC *JB”
Service brakes, hydraulic
2 reports1 crash1 fire
“DRIVING VEHICLE, WENT TO APPLY ABS BRAKES AND BRAKES WOULD NOT CATCH, VEHICLE WAS BY HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND FINALLY STOPPED. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.