NHTSA Complaint #759492 — 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER (WHICH WE JUST PURCHASED) ARE EXTREMELY MISLEADING TO ANYONE TRAVELING BEHIND THE VEHICLE ARE BOUND TO BE THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS, IF THEY HAVENT BEEN ALREADY. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE LIGHT CLUSTERS ON EACH SIDE OF THE TAILGATE (AS THERE ARE ON EVERY VEHICLE IN THE US), THEY DO NOT LIGHT UP WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. INSTEAD, THE THIN, RECTANGULAR LIGHTS IN THE BUMPER LIGHT UP. WE WERENT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL MY WIFE WAS PULLED OVER BY A CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE OFFICER FOR FAULTY BRAKE LIGHTS. THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR THEN SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AGREED IT WAS CONFUSING, BUT WERE "POWERLESS" TO FIX IT BECAUSE LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA SAYS IT MEETS ALL NHTSA REGULATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS MAYBE WITHIN THE 15-72 INCH FROM THE ROAD RANGE, THE PLACEMENT OF THEM IS DECEIVING. IVE YET TO SEE ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN THE US WITH BRAKE LIGHTS ONLY IN THE REAR BUMPER. MY FEAR IS THAT THIS WILL NOT BE ADDRESSED UNTIL SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS BECAUSE OF IT. EVERYDAY THIS ISN'T FIXED IS A DAY WE HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH DECEIVING BRAKE LIGHTS, PUTTING OUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE BEHIND US AT RISK. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH WED RATHER NOT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS.*AK