NHTSA Complaint #10220811 — 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II

UPON SEEING THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATE, I RESEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE WHAT MAY BE THE CAUSE. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT LAND ROVER HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL ALERT (TA03-1201) ON MARCH 14, 2003 STATING THE FOLLOWING ISSUE AND RESOLUTION: 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II OIL PUMP FAILURES VEHICLES AFFECTED DISCOVERY SERIES II (LT) 3A771801 ? 3A808362 SITUATION OIL PUMP FAILURES ON 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES MAY BE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR. LOCATING DOWEL PINS MAY BE SLIGHTLY MISALIGNED PERMITTING ASSEMBLY OF THE OIL PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT PLACING STRESS ON THE PUMP HOUSING WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO LEAKAGE OR FAILURE. RESOLUTION WHENEVER AN OIL PUMP FAILURE IS ENCOUNTERED ON VEHICLES WITHIN THE ABOVE VIN RANGE THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REPAIR CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE FRONT COVER/OIL PUMP MANUFACTURED TO THE LATEST TOLERANCES. USE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS TO AFFECT A REPAIR: ? LBB112301 4.6 ENGINE ASSEMBLY LEV ? LBB111461 4.6 ENGINE ASSEMBLY NON-LEV I CHECKED MY VIN NUMBER AND FOUND IT TO BE WITHIN THE EFFECTED VEHICLES. I DELIVERED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP LAND ROVER OF THE GULFCOAST, MOBILE, AL)WHERE I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT MY VEHICLE OIL PUMP FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE EXACT REASON AS STATED IN THE TECHNICAL ALERT AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF LAND ROVER TO SEEK A RESOLUTION TO THIS MATTER. THE TECHNICAL ALERT STATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW AND ALSO GIVES THE REDESIGNED REQUIRED REPLACEMENT PARTS (WHICH IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY). LAND ROVER REFUSED TO MAKE GOOD IN THIS MATTER. I THEN CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN CONTACTED THE HEADQUARTERS ON MY BEHALF TO GET THE SAME REFUSAL. AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, THIS WAS DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AS PER THEIR ADMISSION IN THE TECHNICAL ALERT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *TR