NHTSA Complaint #10204116 — 2002 LAND ROVER DEFENDER

THE ENGINE IN MY 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER OVERHEATED AT ABOUT 65K MILES AND MADE IT THE 10 MILES OR SO TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER ONLY BECAUSE I KEPT STOPPING, REMOVING THE COOLANT TANK CAP, AND REPLACING THE FLUID EVERY FEW MILES. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED - AT MY EXPENSE, TO THE TUNE OF NEARLY $8K. MIND YOU, I PAID OVER $30K FOR THIS CAR ONLY 5 YEARS AGO AND HAVE KEPT IT WELL-SERVICED. TURNS OUT, THERE IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE (CHECK OUT THE EDMUNDS BLOG, TOWNHALL-TALK) IN THAT THE ENGINE IS RUINED IF IT OVERHEATS. I RECALLED HAVING HAD A MYSTERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OVERHEATING - IN THE DEAD OF A CHICAGO WINTER, NO LESS - WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER PURCHASING IT. THE REPAIRS, WHICH I DID NOT UNDERSTAND, WERE MADE UNDER WARRANTY. APPARENTLY, THE REPAIRS WERE NOT ADEQUATE. IN ANY CASE, AFTER PESTERING LAND ROVER FOR A FEW WEEKS UNTIL I REACHED THE "CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER" IN NEW JERSEY, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IDENTIFIED HERSELF AS THE "EXECUTIVE LIAISON" CALLED WITH A "ONE-TIME, GOODWILL OFFER BETWEEN US" THAT SHE WOULD NOT REDUCE TO WRITING - TO REDUCE THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT COST TO $2,500 FOR ME SINCE LAND ROVER CORPORATION WOULD PAY THE OTHER HALF OF THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER'S COST OF $5K, TREATING THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AS IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THAT'S REAL NICE EXCEPT THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR LAND ROVER'S USE OF AN ENGINE WITH A FAULTY DESIGN. FROM WHAT THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER HAS TOLD ME, THEY REPLACE THE RUINED ENGINE WITH A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE PRODUCED BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER THAT SOLD THEM THE ORIGINAL FAULTY ONE. SWELL. *JB