NHTSA Complaint #10224407 — 2003 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER

DRIVING 2003 LAND ROVER, RANGE ROVER. DRIVING 60 MPH ON A HIGHWAY AND FELT A STRANGE THUMP. I STARTED TO SMELL BURYING AND THE CAR FELT DIFFERENT. I DROVE ON FOR ANOTHER 30 MILES AND STARTED TO HEAR A LOW GRINDING WHEN ACCELERATING. I PARKED MY CAR AT HOME THAT EVENING, PLANNING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. IN THE MORNING I STARTED THE 5 MILE DRIVE TO THE DEALER AND THE GRINDING WAS WORSE. COMING DOWN FROM SPEED AT A STOP LIGHT, AT AROUND 5 MPH, MY FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND I SCREECHED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR COULD NOT BE MOVED FROM WHERE IT WAS. THE FLATBED HAD TO DEAG IT UP ONTO THE TRUCK. WHEN I REACHED THE DEALER BY TOW THEY TOLD IT WAS THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL THAT LOCKED UP AND THAT IT WAS FAIRLY COMMON. I WAS LUCKY I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH THE WAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOCKED UP. *TR