NHTSA Complaint #10448491 — 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II

WHILE DRIVING LOW MILEAGE 2003 DISCOVERY II SE7, ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK IN UPPER ENGINE AREA ON DRIVER SIDE. PULLED INTO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP IMMEDIATELY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A ROD AS THE NOISE DISSIPATES WHEN IDLED ABOVE 1000 RPM. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL LAND ROVER SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS EITHER A BAD OIL PUMP OR THE SLEEVE IN THE CYLINDER AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE HAS COME LOOSE AND IS KNOCKING UP AGAINST THE HEAD GASKET. TECHNICIAN PRIVATELY INDICATED BOTH ARE KNOWN ISSUES AND THAT A NEW ENGINE IS REQUIRED IN EITHER CASE AND THAT LR NORTH AMERICA KNOWS OF THE ISSUES AND HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST OWNERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. COST OF NEW ENGINE IS BETWEEN $8,000 AND 12,000 DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK WITH. SINCE THE ONLY REAL ISSUE SO FAR IS THE NOISE FACTOR (SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL WHILE IDLING), TECHNICIAN FURTHER ADVISED IT WOULD BE BEST TO KEEP DRIVING THE LR UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FAILED AS THE PRICE OF NEW ENGINE WOULD NOT BE MORE AND I SHOULD GET AS MUCH FROM THE ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. REQUEST NHTSA LOBBY ON BEHALF OF OWNERS TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED BETWEEN OWNERS AND LRNA. ISSUES ARE OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AND LR SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PROBLEM AND OFFER SOME TYPE SOLUTION TO THE CONSUMER. THE NHTSA SHOULD ISSUE SOME SORT OF FINE IF POSSIBLE TO FORCE LR TO MAKE GOOD ON THEIR PRODUCT. *TR