NHTSA Complaint #10065960 — 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

I FINALLY GOT MY FREELANDER BACK FROM OVER 4 MONTHS OF WAITING. MY 2002 FREELANDER REQUIRED A NEW ENGINE AFTER IT WAS FOUND THAT MUD AND/OR DEBRIS HAD ENTERED MY TIMING BELT ENCLOSURE AND CAUSED MY ENGINE TO JUMP TIME AND CATOSTROPHICALLY DESTROY MY ENGINE VALVES AND CYLINDER WALLS. A SPECIFIC LAND ROVER DEALER NOTED THAT "MUD" WAS THE TOTAL CAUSE OF MY ENGINE FAILURE, WHEN IN FACT IT WAS A 1" X 1" HOLE IN THE TIMING BELT ENCLSOURE; THIS HOLE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR OVERSIGHT AND THUS ALLOWS ANY DIRT/GRIME/DEBRIS/MUD TO ENTER AND CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE. FREELANDER NEVER SHOWED VISIBLE SIGNS (METER OR STEAM) THAT IT WAS OVERHEATING. INSURANCE HAS COVERED THIS ISSUE UNDER A FLOOD COVERAGE AND HAS FRONTED OVER $12,800 FOR A NEW ENGINE. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY LOSS-USE COVERAGE FOR THE 4 MONTHS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY NEW 2003 ENGINE, I FOUND A NEW PLASTIC PIECE THAT NOW COVERS THE ONCE 1" X 1" HOLE IN THE TIMING BELT ENCLOSURE. THIS PIECE ALSO HAS A PIECE NUMBER AND COSTS APPOXIMATELY $6.00. NOW YOU CAN SEE, A MERE $6 ITEM WOULD HAVE SAVED ME AND INSURANCE OVER $13,000. LAND ROVER HAS NOT INITIATED A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN TO MY KNOWLEDGE; I SUSPECT THAT THIS WILL ONLY BE INSTALLED ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS FOR THOSE DRIVERS WHO DO USE THEIR FREELANDER AS ADVERTISED BY LAND ROVER. IN A RECENT ARTICLE IN LAND ROVER CHRONICLE, IT WAS STATED THAT THE 2006 FREELANDER WILL HAVE A BETTER SEALED ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST DRIVERS ARE USING THEIR VEHICLES FOR OFF-ROAD USE (AS ADVERTISED); THEY ALSO STATE THAT THIS VEHICLE WASN'T DESIGNED TO MATCH THE DISCOVERY OR DEFENDER. ON TOP OF IT ALL, MY FRONT AXLE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT DUE TO A NEW ENGINE INSTALL (VIBRATION PROBLEMS), A NEW 02 SENSOR, PLUS I'VE NOTICED A SMALL HAND-SIZED DENT ON MY HOOD (FROM CLOSING). I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS OF SOME SORT SINCE MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IT ON NOW.*AK