2003 Land Rover Freelander Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Freelander years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Land Rover Freelander. That ranks 2nd out of 6 Freelander model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (88 complaints, 63%), typically at around 63,659 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 6 fires. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 140owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Land Rover Freelander problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 88 | 63% | 63,659 | “head gasket” (18%) | $10,050 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 28 | 20% | 63,659 | — | — |
| Power Train | 27 | 19% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 18% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 12 | 9% | 82,607 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 7% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 6% | 21,866 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 4% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 2% | 82,607 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 2% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 31,175 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 2% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% | 31,336 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 67,729 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 69,493 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 48,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 117,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Land Rover Freelander recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Structure:frame and members
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, an incorrect weld nut was installed. Lack of this bolt could eventually cause the subframe to crack or become deformed.
Risk: A cracked or deformed subframe could potentially lead to instability of the vehicle, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle to see if the subframe fixing is correctly fitted and clamped up. If necessary, the subframe will be replaced with a new one that has correct weld nuts. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule. Owners should contact land rover at 1-800-637-6837.
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the child door lock on the left hand rear door can become disengaged.
Risk: This could lead to a child being able to open a rear door while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left hand rear latch. The recall began december 4, 2004. Owners should contact land rover at 1-800-637-6837.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel pump failure - stall (EA07018) — opened Dec 7, 2007, closed Dec 22, 2008.
- Fuel pump failure (PE07036) — opened Jul 17, 2007, closed Dec 10, 2007.
- Brake light switch failure (EA05016) — opened Oct 14, 2005, closed Feb 22, 2007, led to recall 07V041000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Purchased the truck in 2003 from land rover, brand new. Dealt with a few recalls and other issues ( sun roof was off track, did not work. Leather seats had deformations on seats. Truck need an acid wash for spots that developed on bumper) soon my engine and coolant issues occurred. Why driving id…
Need to know if there are any outstanding warrants, tickets, complaints etc.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover freelander. The contact stated that the hill descent control, traction control, and brake indicators remained illuminated when the brake pedal was not depressed. In addition, the vehicle had a strong hesitation and stalled numerous times without warning. The…
1.coolant system:strong antifreeze odor in vehicle cabin - replaced coolant reservoir;replaced coolant reservoir cap; thermostat housing failure; replaced all coolant lines and hoses as preventative measure; heater core failure - leaked anti freeze into heater chamber 2.transmission system (1 of…
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
Other Land Rover Freelander years
← 2002 Freelander · 2004 Freelander →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Freelander | 16 | 3 |
| 2004 Freelander | 69 | 3 |
| 2003 | 140 | 5 |
| 2002 Freelander | 226 | 3 |
| 2001 Freelander | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 Freelander | 1 | 0 |
See all Land Rover Freelander problems by year, every Land Rover model, or the Land Rover VIN decoder.
Similar Land Rover models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Land Rover Freelander?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 88 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Land Rover Freelander?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Land Rover Freelander a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Freelander model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.