NHTSA Complaint #10237494 — 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II

IN THE FALL OF 2007, AT APPROX. 75,000 MILES I BEGAN TO NOTICE A PERIODIC RHYTHMIC TAPPING FROM THE ENGINE OF MY 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 2. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED USING A THICKER GRADE OIL. THE NOISE QUIETED BRIEFLY THEN RETURNED MORE CONSISTENTLY, BEGINNING AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WOULD WARM UP. IN DECEMBER, AFTER CONSULTING WITH LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER SERVICE, MY MECHANIC REMOVED THE CYLINDER HEADS, "DE-COKED" THE VALVES, REPLACED GASKETS, BOLTS, LIFTERS, SPARK PLUGS, PLUG WIRES AND DRIVE BELT AT A COST OF $2340. THE NOISE CONTINUED. IN MAY OF 2008, AFTER MORE RESEARCH AND CONSULTING, MY MECHANIC DISASSEMBLED THE ENGINE , REPLACED LIFTERS, CHECKED THE CAMSHAFT, END FLOAT AND PUSH RODS, SUBSTITUTED THE ROCKER ARM ASSEMBLIES -- UNABLE TO FIND A CLEAR LINK, THE ENGINE WAS REASSEMBLED. THIS TIME THE BILL WAS $903.26. MY MECHANIC, WHO KNOWN FOR 10 YEARS AND TRUST COMPLETELY WAS BAFFLED. SENSING A UNDERLYING OIL PRESSURE ISSUE, HE ONCE AGAIN CONSULTED A LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT -- THEY THEN MENTIONED A PROBLEM LAND ROVER HAD BEEN HAVING WITH A BADLY MACHINED OIL PUMP HOUSING. WE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND IN FACT FOUND (POSTED ON THE INTERNET BY ANOTHER 2003 DISCOVERY OWNER) AN INTERNAL TECHNICAL ALERT DETAILING A MANUFACTURING ERROR IN THE OIL PUMP HOUSING THAT MAY LEAD TO FAILURE. REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE WAS THE ONLY RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION. THE COST OF WHICH IS APPROX. $10,000. WORRIED THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUT DOWN AT ANY MINUTE, I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT - THEY OFFERED ME $1,000 AS A TRADE IN FOR A NEW VEHICLE. AND THEN TOLD ME I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING IT IN THAT CONDITION. MY VEHICLE IS NOW WORTHLESS DUE TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY A CRITICAL PART THAT WAS DISCOVERED TO BE FAULTY BY THE MANUFACTURER WHILE I WAS JUST 7 MONTHS INTO MY 5 YR./50,000 MILE WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR REPAIRING THE DAMAGE. 8TR