NHTSA Complaint #10212079 — 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

WE HAD JUST HAD OUR CAR IN FOR SERVICING PRIOR TO A LONGER DRIVE. WHILE WE WERE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, OUR CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE "REVVED" WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN SPEED. ONCE HOME, CONTACTED OUR DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL US THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE A NEW TRANSMISSION WHEN WE WERE ONLY JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY COULD NOT TELL US WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS - ONLY THAT IT WOULD COST UPWARDS OF $6000 TO FIX IT BY REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. PRIOR TO THIS, OUR DEALERSHIP HAD OUR LAND ROVER FREELANDER FOR 4 WEEKS FIXING OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE COOLANT SYSTEM, AGAIN, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY FOR A FIX OF OVER $3000; ONCE IT WAS RETURNED, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON IMMEDIATELY (I.E. ON OUR WAY HOME FROM PICKING THE CAR UP) - I RETURNED IMMEDIATELY WITH THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD BEEN CRACKED WHICH WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL $2000 PLUS IN REPAIRS (ALTHOUGH THEY DID DISCOUNT US ON THIS REPAIR - MORE THAN LIKELY BECAUSE THEY HAD CAUSED IT). WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT DIFFICULTY WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE ISSUES BEGAN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THE LAND ROVER SERVICE PEOPLE ARE LESS THAN HELPFUL. I BELIEVE THEY ARE DECEPTIVE, ARROGANT, AND LACK THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIRED TO FULLY SERVICE A VEHICLE. I HAVE GONE THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TO LOCATE SOMEONE WHOM I TRUST TO SERVICE THIS VEHICLE; FINALLY, NOW THAT THE CARE IS OUT OF WARRANTY WE WILL BE GOING TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO WALK ME THROUGH WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR