NHTSA Complaint #10177667 — 2004 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 FREELANDER IN FEBRUARY 2004. I HAVE SERVICED MY VEHICLE AT THE REQUIRED INTERVALS WITH LAND ROVER. AT 48,500 MILES, MY TRUCK STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO LOOKED IT OVER AND WAS PUZZLED. HE COULDN'T SEE WHERE THE COOLANT HAD GONE AND SUGGESTED I BRING THE CAR TO MY LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER IN NEW ROCHELLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LAND ROVER AND THE TECHNICIANS THERE FIXED THE SO-CALLED PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIANS INFORMED ME THAT A CRACKED RESERVOIR AND A MALFUNCTIONING FAN WERE FOUND. 5,000 MILES LATER (NOW THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED) THE CAR BEGINS TO OVERHEAT. I WENT AHEAD AND HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC WITH A LAND ROVER THERMOSTAT (WHERE WAS I TO TOW MY CAR AT 9 PM?) , 2 WEEKS LATER IT OVERHEATED AGAIN. I TOOK IT THE DEALERSHIP ONCE AGAIN. THEY TOLD ME THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. 6,800 DOLLARS. A 3 YEAR OLD CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE? I'VE BEEN NOTIFIED BY LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA THAT THEY WILL NOT COMPENSATE ANY OF THE MONEY BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FREELANDER. A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE OF MINE LEASED A 2003 FREELANDER FROM LAND ROVER PARAMUS AND AT 48,000 MILES THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. THERE'S AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKET WITH THE FREELANDER. IT'S ALL OVER THE WEB ! EVERY FREELANDER SUFFERS FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECTIVE ENGINE AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE CONCERNING THIS MATTER. IT'S COSTING ME TIME AT WORK, AND PLENTY IN RENTAL CAR FEES. *NM