US vehicle recalls and complaint patterns, explained
Land Rover Freelander recall history and complaint patterns
Comprehensive recall and complaint data for the Land Rover Freelander,
sourced from official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records.
Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards.
Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.
Ask About This Model
Get plain-language explanations of recalls and complaints for the
Land Rover Freelander. Powered by AI, backed by NHTSA data.
AI Assistant
Important: This assistant provides context from aggregated NHTSA data.
Always check your specific VIN on
NHTSA.gov
for vehicle-specific recall information.
Key Takeaways
A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Land Rover Freelander,
based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.
Coverage spans model years 2000–2005 with 14 recall campaigns and 798 complaints in NHTSA data.
Years with the most recall activity: 2003 (5), 2005 (3), and 2004 (3).
Years with the most complaint volume: 2002 (404), 2003 (250), and 2004 (112).
Top recall themes: Seats and restraints, Structure, and Airbags.
Most reported complaint areas (across all years): Engine and engine cooling, Power train:automatic transmission, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
Complaints are not proof of a defect, but repeated themes can be useful signals when researching a used vehicle.
Always check your specific VIN for open recalls (open recalls are VIN-specific and can change over time).
Recall Themes
Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas.
Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.
Seats and restraints
2 campaigns · Years: 2002–2005
These campaigns relate to seats, belts, airbags restraint integration, or child restraint anchoring components.
Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the
Land Rover Freelander in NHTSA complaint data are
Engine and engine cooling, Power train:automatic transmission, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
Jump to Model Year
Year-by-Year Overview
Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer
complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and
complaints, not risk predictions.
Model Year
Recalls
Complaints
Details
2005
3
26
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
2004
3
112
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling, Engine and engine cooling:engine, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
2003
5
250
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling, Engine and engine cooling:engine, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
2002
3
404
Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Power train:automatic transmission, Engine and engine cooling, Engine and engine cooling:engine.
2001
0
5
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor, Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads, Engine and engine cooling:cooling system.
2000
0
1
Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Power train:automatic transmission.
What to Do Next
Check open recalls by VIN on the official NHTSA site (open recalls are VIN-specific).
If buying used, ask for proof of recall remedy completion (dealer paperwork helps).
If symptoms match common complaint themes, consider a mechanic inspection before purchase or long trips.
A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model.
The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.
Most common areas involved:
Latches/locks/linkages
, Exterior lighting
and Structure
Show recall evidence by year
2005
Air bags:
Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, 'Occupant crash protection.' The deflector panel contained in the passenger side air bag module may not have been built to specification.
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated.
2004
Structure: Roof and pillars:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact." During testing, the free motion head form registered a measurement marginally above the permitted 1000 head impact criteria. At the left
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated.
2003
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact." During testing, the free motion head form registered a measurement marginally above the permitted 1000 head impact criteria. At the left
Structure: Frame and members:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain sport utility vehicles, an incorrect weld nut was installed. Lack of this bolt could eventually cause the subframe to crack or become deformed.
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated.
2002
Structure: Roof and pillars:
Safety recall involving the structure area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact." During testing, the free motion head form registered a measurement marginally above the permitted 1000 head impact criteria. At the left
Latches/locks/linkages:
Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain five door sport utility vehicles, it is possible to operate the interior door handle to open the door when the child safety lever is in the "on" position.
Exterior lighting: Switch:
Safety recall involving the exterior lighting area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
Summary: On certain sport utility vehicles, the brake lights may remain illuminated even when the brake pedal is not depressed. Hill descent control (hdc), traction control (tc) and cruise control warning lights may also be illuminated.
Other Land Rover Models
Explore recall and complaint data for other Land Rover models.
Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data.
This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be
treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.
For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official
NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.
