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.
The worst 2002 Land Rover Freelander problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine130
- Transmission83
- Visibility27
- Electrical26
- Brakes25
- Lights13
- Locks11
- Fuel system10
- Steering9
- Body8
- Acceleration7
- Airbags2
- Driver assistance2
- Suspension2
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Tires1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2002 Land Rover Freelander
Overheating 54Transmission failure 47Engine failure 46Power windows 18Check engine light 16Stalling 13Loss of power 11Slipping 9Won't start 9Fuel pump 8Jerking 8Grinding brakes 7Headlights 5
Recalls 3
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated.
- Risk
- Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the brake lamp operation and where required, adjust and/or replace the brake light switches with new switches of the same design until a newly designed brake lamp switch is available in may 2007. Owners will then be re-notified to bring their vehicles in for the new brake light switch. An interim letter for the initial inspection was mailed on march 26, 2007. The second letter for replacement of the switches was mailed beginning july 30, 2007. Owners may contact land rover at 1-80-637-6837.
Recall number 07V041000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
- Risk
- The occupant may open the door inadvertently while the vehicle is in motion and fall out into the traffic, personal injuries could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the latch assembly. The recall began on september 8, 2005. Owners should contact land rover at 1‑800‑637‑6837.
Recall number 05V300000 · Recall details
Structure: body: roof and pillars
- What is wrong
- Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during testing, the free motion head form registered a measurement marginally above the permitted 1000 head impact criteria. At the left and right hand a-pillar trim area.
- Risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the a-pillar trim with a revised component that enables the vehicle to fully meet the requirements of fmvss 201. The recall began on december 6, 2005. Owners should contact land rover at 1‑800‑637‑6837.
Recall number 04V347000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2002 Land Rover Freelander
Defect investigations
Brake light switch failure
On june 16, 2005, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-034) to investigate alleged stop lamp (brake) switch failures in certain model year (my) 2004 land rover discovery series ii vehicles.on october 14, 2005, the investigation was upgraded to an engineering analysis and the scope expanded to include certain my 2002 through 2005 freelander vehicles that use a substantially similar self-adjusting stop lamp switch furnished by the same supplier, methode electronics malta, ltd. (methode).in september 2003, methode moved the production of an internal switch component, known as the slider mechanism, from a validated plastic injection-molding tool (?cavity 1?) to another tool (?cavity 2?) that had not been used before to produce parts for land rover.sliders from cavity 2 may be characterized by poor fill, lack of definition in the slider teeth and dimensional instability.consequently, the slider may be unable to restrain improper movement of the plunger during normal brake pedal operation.this may cause the switch to fall out of adjustment, thus significantly reducing the effort required to energize the switch and illuminate the stop lamps.?cavity 2? Switches were installed in approximately 8,763 discovery subject vehicles built from december 2003 through may 2004 and approximately 3,915 freelander subject vehicles built from october 2003 through may 2004.additionally, stop lamp switches in certain my 2002 through 2005 freelander subject vehicles may slip out of adjustment as a result of switch damage due to an incorrect setting procedure during vehicle manufacture or as a result of switch mounting bracket flex.analysis of all available data indicates the predominant failure mode is constant stop lamp illumination.other reported consequences of stop lamp switch maladjustment include inoperative automatic transmission gear selector/brake pedal shift interlock, inoperative speed (cruise) control, and telltale illumination as described in technical service bulletin (tsb) no. Lt206-001 dated october 28, 2004 issued by the manufacturer to land rover dealers in the united kingdom (uk).to date, odi is aware of 77 non-duplicative complaints that allege stop lamp switch failure on the subject vehicles (10 complaints on my 2004 discovery, 45 on my 2002 freelander, 19 on my 2003 freelander, and 3 on my 2004 freelander vehicles).additionally, 4,595 discovery and 13,370 freelander subject vehicles have experienced one or more warranty claims to replace the stop lamp switch.of the 5,170 warranty claims paid to replace stop lamp switches on discovery subject vehicles, approximately 31% occurred before the vehicle was sold new and approximately 88% occurred within the first 12 months of vehicle service.the warranty trend on discovery subject vehicles is in decline with 3,545 claims paid in calendar year (cy) 2004, 1,303 claims paid in cy 2005, and 322 claims paid in cy 2006 through september 28, 2006 (which is when odi last received updated warranty claims data from land rover), and it appears that the alleged defect on discover subject vehicles has been remedied through warranty repairs.however, odi analysis of the manufacturer?s warranty and complaint records indicates the failure trend on certain freelander subject vehicles is ongoing.by letter dated february 2, 2007, land rover has notified odi that it will conduct a safety recall (the federal safety agency recall no. 07v‑041) to replace defective stop lamp switches in approximately 33,247 my 2002 through 2005 freelander vehicles built at the solihull, uk assembly plant from september 5, 2001 through may 19, 2005. Although odi has concern
EA05016
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 Land Rover Freelander 32
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Rescinded
- The steering wheel may exhibit a vibration / shimmy while driving.
- Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
- Situation: the windshield wipers may make a squeak noise, judder, or streak the windshield
- Issue: reports have been received of engine damage occurring, which is caused by the use of non-approved...
- Situation: the steering wheel may exhibit a vibration / shimmy while driving
- Technical Bulletin: Wheel/Tire Balancing and Optimization
- Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability
- Issue: this ssm has been released to address the high number of speaker assemblies returned, many of which...
- Technical Bulletin: Windshiefld Wiper Noise/Judder/Streak
2002 Land Rover Freelander fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 15 | 19 | 17 |
What 2002 Land Rover Freelander owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 of defects, and that they hate to work on them and feel bad for us. When will this sort of treatment by big corporations end? What ever happened to standing behind your product? Whatever happened to government agencies assigned to enforce rules governing this sort of thing actually doing something for the consumer? I could go on and on about this nightmare, trust me, but I am too worked up at this point as it is. Please the federal safety agency, do something, anything for us unfortunate freelander owners!
The brake lights sometimes work and sometimes do not work (cited in 2 incidents by the police). All parts are fine (by check-up of a repair workshop), and no repair can be possibly done. Probably, the height of the brake lights above the ground is too low, so that it is sometimes too damp or wet (after snow or rain) for the brake lights to work properly. When they dry up, they work again. Next, the 2 brake lights are on the 2 corners of the bumper, and the central brake light is high on the tailgate. Theoretically, the 3 brake lights give warning enough when the car stops. However, there are 2 tail lights are high on the fenders (the 2 sides of the car's tailgate), relatively far away from the 2 brake lights on the bumper. The 2 tail lights give a wrong impression to any drivers behind this car, and let those drivers misunderstand the tail lights to be the brake lights (even the 2 police officers misunderstood in the 2 incidents). This will cause collision in reality.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 land rover freelander. The contact stated that the engine overheated when the vehicle was turned on. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic for inspection who confirmed that the engine coolant was consuming prematurely and there was no evidence of a leak. The mechanic replaced the thermostat, the water pump, and the motor fan regulator; however the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was not made of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 96,000.
We were traveling about 35 MPH when we had to make a sudden and hard stop as a car almost pulled out in front of us. The right front tire moved back about three inches and was rubbing against the tire well. The brakes were making a horrendous noise. We had to be towed to a repair shop. The right front control arm that supports the tire was corroded and rusted out to the point it collapsed and bent. We were lucky we weren't in a serious accident. If we had been traveling at highway speed I don't know what would have happened. It cost $426.00 to be repaired. The repair shop gave me the defective part so I could contact land rover as they said this never should have happened. I contacted land rover and emailed them pictures of the part. They said they couldn't investigate further without having the car shipped to the united kingdom. Can you believe that! I have the part and would be happy to send it to the federal safety agency. I am sure there are other freelanders out there being driven with this same problem and they are serious accidents just waiting to happen.
To begin, purchased the vehicle new in 2002 and consistent maintenance at land rover dealership since purchased. First issue is the engine, seems to make noise like a diesel loud and vibrates. Told that the engine was ok for over 2 years then now all of a sudden the engine has a leak, leaks water into the engine oil area and that the engine needs to be replaced. Only after the warranty expired. Still an issue. Secondly, the transmission began to have issues after the 2nd year of ownership and and was told that this the way the car handles. Third and most important, this car has been maintenanced at dealership, no accidents. The steering began to wobble and wheel began to move around quite suddenly. When I took the car into the service department, they acknowledged that the bolts within the steering pack had sheared off and were broken and needed to be replaced. I stated that this was a serious safety issue and should be covered, even though the warranty has since expired. We were told that the unit needed to be replaced and that land rover knew about the problems however it is not their issue to assist customers. I want these problems fixed. I carry my grandchildren in this car, have kept it maintenenced consistently and always at the dealership . There are no accidents with this car and I want it fixed. I am getting the run around from land rover that it is my issue and not theirs, when it is clearly a design defect all around for both the steering pack and the engine issues.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 land rover freelander. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was found that the ignition coils would have to be replaced and antifreeze had leaked into the oil and a flush would have to be performed. The technician also stated that the camshaft was fractured and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Updated 05/08/13*lj the consumer insist the camshaft was damaged byt the service repair technician. Updated 06/17/2013
The year is accurate,month and date are approximations started having problems with overheating and coolant leaks. Coolant wouldn't puddle under vehicle,though.but I could smell it sometimes with windows open. Then,one day it would not start. Towed it to land rover dealer and over the course of 3 days,they couldn't start it,either. Was told it needed a new engine.paid out $5800+.now,with 104,000 miles,it's losing coolant,again. They claimed the over flow container was leaking. Had it replaced. And it is still losing coolant.it is not puddling under the truck.I saw,online,where the freelander has a possible engine defect,with cylinder sleeves and gasket problems.do I have any recourse with land rover? Or, could the lemon law come into effect? I,also,have experienced rear window and sunroof motor failures. I am retired. I cannot afford to replace another engine ! Thank you.
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.
On november 1st my wife and I left la proper headed towards phoenix, az. With the mileage now at 49,807 and approximately 2 hours of driving on I 10 the car was losing power, so I did my best to safely pull over to the break down lane which was next to the on ramp (very scary). I had been driving at 65 miles per hour when the car would no longer accelerate. I had to call a tow truck because after I let it rest a minute or two it wouldn't turn over. When I looked under the hood I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, no smoke, the coolant tank was full, I checked the oil dipstick and it seemed fine. There were no lights that came on inside the auto to signal that something was wrong, no overheating etc. I had it towed to the nearest dealer and was told to come back next morning. I was told that the engine blew a gasket and was advised due to damage to the engine was to replace it. I was quoted a price of $10,000.00! I ended up selling it for salvage for $500 since we were traveling so far away from home and the cost to tow it to rhode island didn't seem worth it. Since then I have contacted land rover and have been given the run around like many other owners. I also have had the chance since this occurrence to check via internet that this is not unusual for the 2002 freelander. I feel this engine should of been recalled.
Compare the 2002 Land Rover Freelander
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Questions about the 2002 Land Rover Freelander
Is the 2002 Land Rover Freelander reliable?
Owners have filed 226 complaints about the 2002 Land Rover Freelander, 3.3 times a typical Freelander model year. It is one of the years we flag to avoid.
What is the 2002 Land Rover Freelander year score?
The 2002 Land Rover Freelander scores 31 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Land Rover Freelander: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Land Rover Freelander?
Engine and cooling, with 130 complaints, typically around 61,000 miles. Next is transmission (83).
How many recalls does the 2002 Land Rover Freelander have?
3 recalls, covering exterior lighting, latches/locks/linkages and structure.
What year does the Land Rover Freelander have bad engine?
The Land Rover Freelander model years with the most engine complaints are 2002 (130 complaints), 2003 (91 complaints) and 2004 (55 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2002 Land Rover Freelander get?
Official estimates for the 2002 Land Rover Freelander range from 17 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 6-cyl, 4WD) gets 15 city and 19 highway.
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