Land Rover LR2

calrover

I wanted to love this car. I sold a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and bought this. I am getting ready to sell it. The engine often will not shift properly. I have no power climbing hills at highway speed or power to actually get up to highway speed saefely and quickly. The engine often will not start. It has died in the rain. I cannot fit many things in the trunk -- it is filled with a few bags of groceries or a briefcase and gym bag. The Bluetooth does not work with my Blackberry -- I bought the Tech Package for the Bluetooth hands-free setup...

The lack of cargo area is my own fault -- I should have measured more carefully. The engine problems? Well the one that I test drove at the dealer was zippy enough...

It's been back to the dealer a couple of times where they do "software updates". These updates make the car seem fine until I restart the engine a couple of times, then the old problems reappear.

The most telling part however is when I have brought it to the dealer both times there were several other LR2 owners there with same/similar problems. And my service rep. has indicated that there are "recalls" with the software....

Remember the disaaster that was the Freelander? This is the Freelander redux.

I did alot of research -- Edmunds, Autoweek, etc... I think it is a lemon. A very good-looking lemon.

Buyer beware. Read through this forum carefully. Beware the Rover dealers her e- they post messages as well.

:lemon: :lemon: :lemon:

ohwell159

Yes, my clubs fit fine and a second set would fit as well. You probably won't be able to close the tunnel cover though with 2 sets.

ldr2

I had the same problem. I took it to the dealer, they mentioned there is a technical bulleting published about this problem. They need to dismount the suspension, add a new rubber seal and rebuild.

They did that to mine and no problems ever since, very noticeable difference.

moogles

Thank you very much. My dealer just called me to say it's a strut mount and they'd replace it tomorrow. Sounds like it may be the same thing. I'm a bit wary as they say it only needs it on one side, though I heard the sound coming from both sides. They said it echoed through the frame, causing that impression. It did seem to be more on one side than the other, so perhaps that's right. Anyway, I'll report my experiences after I get the car back. Thanks again.

patmatoole

Okay -- I finally got my noises/rattles taken care of:
1) Noise from the passenger side was actually a rattle in the door which the dealer had a service bulletin from LR to fix.
2) Noise from the back -- Moogles. I finally diagnosed (and partially) fixed the noise I heard... the noise comes from the rear cargo bay roll cover where it snaps into the grooves on the plastic side wells. What worked for me was to place my load space slip cover (an LR accessory) between the roll cover and the back of the rear seats. I have not hear a peep since and know nothing about having to lube the interior of the hatch.
3) Noise from the front (creaks from behind dashboard around vents): Dealer sprayed silicone or grease in places behind the dash and that took care of the problem. NOTE: Make sure they don't overdo it because I had some of the stuff oozing/sparying out from the vents when I turned on the heat. That required another trip to the dealer who pretty much replaced the entire facia, thoroughly detailed the inside and basically gave me back a brand new car!!!

From reading this thread and about Land Rover in general I can conclude the following:

1) One must be much more in tune with their cars than other brands
2) Owners must be patient and be willing to do their research to help diagnose problems tohelp their dealer fix them.
3) Some Land Rover dealers are simply lousy -- denying problems exist when they do or incorrectly stating they've fixed something (I hear this everywhere). I thank God I lucked out with a dealer (Land Rover of Alexandria, VA) that really cares about their customers and, equally important, their cars.

patmatoole

I wanted to respond to calrover... I am sorry to hear that you had such a crappy experience with the LR2. Mine has been completely the opposite and my dealer seems to know what they are doing with any issues. However:

1) The LR2 is NOT the Freelander (even though it's called the Freelander2 in the rest of the world). It is a brand new car from the ground up and uses proven key systems (Volvo engine and transmission from Japan). Nothing is carried over from the Freelander except for Land Rover's "clam shell" hood design which exists on the entire model line up.
2) Bluetooth issues: Switch phones!!! The Blackberry is terrible for many types of Bluetooth connection--not just the LR2's! It barely worked in my new BMW and I've heard this is true with other cars. Incidentally, I have the same issues with my Blackberry and a Bluetooth ear piece! I switched phones!
3) Software updates: These days cars are becomming more and more sophisticated due to the demands of achieving the optimal balance of fuel efficiency and perfomance as well as providing all the creature comforts we Americans seem to demand (in total disproportion to the rest of the world I might add). That means more and more you are not just buying a car but also an increasingly sophisticated computer system! This is not just a Land Rover thing. It's happening accross the industry and it's starting with the high end brands like LR, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc... The good news is that like on your personal computer, performance glitches can be fixed through software upgrades that control engine settings. I just recently had one done with my 7500 mile service and the car drives better than the day I bought it.

I am not trying to undermine your frustration. But to insinuate that all LR2's are lemons just because of your bad experience and the gripes of a couple of other LR2 owners you met at the dealer (no one likes being at the dealer for service whether warranty work or not) is simply unfair. Of course I'll leave open the possibility that your dealer doesn't know what they are doing with this car. And for the record, I am NOT a Land Rover employee or affiliated in any way with one of it's dealerships.

jax10

Has anyone bought the sill treadplates?
Price on roverconnection.com is $250. says they are authentic...
Dealer price $300. installed, say that is there cost?
Looks like they are self-adhesive "stick on"...wondering if they stay on or fall off...?
Would look good, but that is a lot of money...
Opinions Anyone?

patmatoole

I've seen them up close and decided against them. They look flimsy like they would fall off at some point. I'd wait!

andybl29

I had my sunroof replaced last month due to inoperablility of the one-touch function. Since the replacement, there are a few minor yet annoying issues I am dealing with. The front sunshade will not stay closed, flies open at every small bump. The rear roof shade clasp area rattles and shakes at every slight bump as well. My service guy said that these issues of things "not matching up exactly" are due to the way in which the replacement roof(s) are shipped/nature of the install (maneuvering of the new roof into the vehicle through the rear hatch).

I have had the issues checked and since there is no "solution" to these issues, they are going to replace the sunroof again. What a pain!!!!! I feel worse off with this new roof and having my brand new vehicle ripped open for the 2nd time. It seems as if LR should have devised a way to FIX a faulty roof, as opposed to complete replacement regardless of the issue. Has anyone else had their sunroof replaced and subsequently had issues with the replacement job/roof? I Would appreciate any feedback.

hughmcmillan

I had my sunroof replaced immediately after taking delivery of my demo with ca 5,500 miles on it. The salesman noticed that it wouldn’t close properly without pressing the switch just so. There was the faintest whistle if it wasn’t closed tightly.

There was some problem with removing the old unit as one had to use a wire to cut through the silicone-like material similar to cutting cheese. I think the process took around a week once I had waited a month for the replacement unit to arrive. The dealer just had no experience and there was little guidance, that I could see, from Land Rover NA.

The dealer, Land Rover Farmington Valley, Canton CT, was superb which has been my experience with them with previous Land Rovers. I have not had any problems with the sunroof although to be honest I have not used it since it was replaced in late October as it is not the season for it in New England.

I adore the LR2. The Sat Nav is fantastic. I wish I had the newer driver’s seat and I really miss the HomeLink garage door opener of all my previous Land Rovers. All in all the car is a great vehicle. The dealer is fantastic. I am very fortunate to have such a combination. (Thank you Peter, Rob & Lori!)

-Hugh

kurtamaxxxguy

What sort of mileage have folks been getting on this LR2?

Also, how does the AWD system of the LR2 compare to those used in Subaru Outbacks?

I am considering it as well as Subaru '09 Forester XT and '08 Outback XT.
The LR2 seems to have a nice interior.
It's awfully heavy, though - where is all that weight hiding?
Also no crash testing ratings save in Europe (and those results were somewhat unsettling).

Sounds like the Sunroof is something to stay away from - when did they change it to a new version?

moogles

Europe crash test results appear excellent. My impression is that the LR2 (called Freelander in Europe) has one of the best ratings ever in its class. Five stars for adults, four for children in back. See here: http://www.euroncap.com/small_off_road_4_4.aspx

I think there are other reasons, however, to weigh your choices carefully. I'm averaging about 18 MPG in a mix of city and highway driving. City users should expect less than the EPA's rating of 16 mpg, from my experience. The LR2 is heavy for its size, as are all Land Rovers. This has benefits, but fuel economy is not one of them. I think much of that "extra" weight is in the LR's body, adding strength and rigidity. LR claims that this car is more rigid than any SUV besides the Cayenne and Range Rover.

The 4X4 ability is said to be best in class, though I don't know enough about such things to verify that. Certainly, the professional reviewers have said it is better than the likes of BMW X3 and Acura RDX.

As for quality issues, I've had several, though all pretty minor. There will always be Land Rovers with no problems and Subarus that are nightmares, but odds are you will have fewer problems with the Subraru.

I also looked at the Forester. It was more fun to drive and presumably would getter higher mpg. It also costs less. I went with the LR for a few reasons:

1. it has much more room in the back for my kids. This car feels spacious inside, both for front and rear passengers. The Forester feels cramped.
2. It has many more features and overall more pampering.
3. The Subaru's AT is a 4-speed. I expected that to be noisy on the highway. The LR is probably the quietest (and most comfortable) highway cruiser among serious 4x4s.
4. The LR looks great.

For most people, the more fitting comparison is between the LR and the X3 and RDX. The LR wins for me because of passenger room and price. The X3 is more of a driver's car, but also costs a lot more, especially for the same features, looks a bit funny to me, and is too tight inside for me. The RDX looks downright silly to me, and is also cramped inside.

So.... If your priorities are economy, reliability and fun driving experience, I'd go for the Forester. If you have passengers or care more about luxury and looks, I'd pick the LR.

Cheers,

tidester

Be sure to check out Land Rover LR2 Real World MPG.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

rover2b

LR2 Owners,
I'm interested in the opinions of all regarding the sunroof and dash.
Specifically, does the lack of a true "sunshade" end up making the inside of the vehicle "unbearable" or overly warm on sunny days?
And, as with the "sunshade," does the large, black dash also contribute to a perceptable rise in tempature in the vehicle on those hot, sunny days?
I had a bimmer 330i that had a similarly sized dash and it got really warm sitting in the front seats on sunny days, especially the hot muggy days we get in the summertime in DC.
The mesh sunshade on the sunroof would appear to still allow some of those deadly sunrays to shine into the occupants but having only had the chance to test drive an LR2 for less than 30 minutes, it's difficult to know how extended occupancy of the vehicle will alter the equation.
I appreciate any feedback.

kurtamaxxxguy

yes, the LR2 seems to do ok there, but the pole test revealed a lot of LR2 body displacement compared to the Audi Q7 and some other vehicles tested.

I don't seem to match the demographic for this vehicle. If Tata will get its weight down and mileage up, it would be a much better fit. Who knows? :confuse:

lrguy44

The weight is on the car so it can still be a Land Rover - off road and safety concerns. The next generation of vehicles will be lighter but still have our traditional capability. That is what makes a LR unique.

rover2b

I'm curious as to why you had your sunroofs tinted. Don't they already come tinted? Were you experiencing too much sunlight due to the lack of a true sunshade on the sunroofs?

kurtamaxxxguy

Ok, thanks for the update.
Definitely confirms this is the wrong car for me, especially for city use.

lrguy44

The vast majority of our customers never take the car off road - but they love the safety and feel of car. Also, if you live in a high wind area like we do, you appreciate the weight. If that is an issue, get a lighter car. We are what we are and our customers love it.

moogles

Update on creaking noise from rear: Dealer repaired per Technical Service Bulletin # LTB00048. This involves replacing rear strut assembly. Service manager told me issue was with the mounts. Don't have other details but it completely eliminated this noise. I can't be sure the problem won't recur but it is definitely, completely gone for now.

kurtamaxxxguy

what you said lrguy44 is exactly what our local land rover dealer said to me. They have been around awhile and, being the only Land Rover dealer for the Portland area, are apparently doing ok.
Odd that most customers don't take the L2 off road, as (per C&D and other articles I read) that's where it apparently shines. Our Portland roads aren't _that_ bad, though

jax10

Did not see any LR2 selection on Edmunds Maintenance Guide, only LR3, etc.?

stever

Well, it must have been there back in May when I posted that. :shades:

Curious - maybe there's a server update tonight or maybe it fell off the list somehow. We'll check it out.

ronxlr2

i have had many frustrations with my LR2 as well, but for those of you BlackBerry users, there IS a solution for the bluetooth connectivity. Follow this link:

http://www.berryreview.com/2007/08/29/trouble-pairing-your-blackberry-with-your-- land-rover-volvo-or-jaguar/

Works like a charm. However, I have tried using 3 or 4 different phones with my LR2 and have not been happy with the clarity (or lack thereof) of the bluetooth connection. I frequently had people complaining that they couldn't understand a word I was saying even when all windows (and sunroof) were closed and my phone was sitting out in plain bluetooth sight. I ended up buying a Jabra JX10 Series II headset and use it even in the car since the LR2 bluetooth was so unreliable (as far as clarity goes). But if you want to try it yourself, follow the instructions on that link for your blackberry and you'll have no trouble pairing with your LR2.

Rob

mrj0001tj

I just drove home from purchasing my new LR2 and I noticed condensation under the lenses on both headlight assembly's. It's concentrated near the turn signal area but extends toward the center of the light. It was raining lightly the whole way home but I didn't even go through any major puddles or standing water. Should I be concerned about this? Anyone else have this happen? I have the lighting package so I don't know if it's unique to that or all LR2's. I'm not too happy having a problem on day one of ownership! Any input would be greatly appreciated.

moogles

I had condensation in a taillight after a few months with my LR2. Dealer replaced it right away with no hassle and it hasn't happened since. This shouldn't happen in any kind of light, of course. Don't know how much of a problem it is in reality but it seems to me to be asking for trouble with the life span of that light. I assume the dealer will replace them for you no problem.

british_rover

The LR2 was the first Small SUV to score five starts on the European crash test so to say the results are unsettling seems very inaccurate. Are you sure you weren't looking at the old Freelander crash test data?

As of right now no in production Land Rover has US crash test data published. Why this is I do not know as some where at sometime the vehicles must have been crash tested but no one has bothered to publish the data. The euro crash test data is fine for me since it is a more stringent test.

kurtamaxxxguy

No, I watched the LR2 movies and yes, it did get 5 stars, but deformed a lot more in those side impacts than other vehicles scoring as or nearly as well. The deformation's disturbing because it suggests that if the pole impact occurred next to the driver (instead of behind him) the injuries would have been much worse.

Land Rover told me there are not enough LR2's sold in the USA for testing agencies to justify the expense of crash testing it. They rely on the Euro data to support their safety record. However, the Euro side crash is much different than the USAs'. If one looks at the LR3 results from IIHS testing, they are abysmal .vs. several lighter cars such as Saab, VW and Subaru.

I don't know how many other USA vehicles lack crash testing info. Models without it are that much harder to compare to others that do. :confuse:

kurtamaxxxguy

....For the pole test on the LR2 did not go behind the driver, but hit the driver square in the shoulder.
What was amazing was the Toyota Yaris scored about the same in the tests, and showed less side deformation. My ___guess___ is all that extra weight in the LR2 caused its ends to try to "wrap around" the pole.

Still, it would be very instructional if there were a way to virtually crash cars together to see how they would fare against each other..

kurtamaxxxguy

I read that the LR2 can apparently handle up to 22 inches of water before its engine floods out.
that certainly sounds unique compared to most other vehicles!

However..
Will Land Rover __warranty cover__ an LR2 that drives through 22 inches of water and then develops problems later on? Or will that dunk and drive be considered abusing the vehicle?

british_rover

You do realize that the Q7 is a much larger vehicle then the LR2 don't you? The Q7 out weighs the LR2 by about 800 lbs.

link title

The LR2 scored five stars and the Q7 scored four stars. They both scored the exact same 16 points on side impact tests but the Q7 scored badly on the frontal impact.

Front impact
Poor welding resulted in rupture of the footwell area. There was separation of the seam connecting the firewall to the footwell and failure of spot-welds in the footwell and its connection to the A-pillar. Audi have informed us that they have now improved control over this part of production but the car lost points for its performance in this area. Structures in the dashboard presented a potential risk to the knees and femurs of the driver.

That is right from the NCAP testing page.

I guess I just don't understand what you are trying to argue. Of course the LR2 had more interior deflection then the Q7 because the Q7 is heavier and wider then the LR2 but the test data shows that in the end that didn't matter. The LR2 and Q7 both scored maximum points for the pole test and the LR2 lost a fraction of a point in the regular side impact.

In regards to the LR3 performing poorly on the test vs other cars that doesn't make any sense. In frontal impact tests the vehicle is supposed to be crashing into another vehicle of similar size so a LR3 has to hit another 5,800 lbs vehicle. Guess what there aren't many 5,800 lbs vehicles out there for a LR3 to hit.

Front impact
Structures in the dashboard presented a potential risk to the knees of both driver and passenger.

That is from the LR3 crash test page and it is obvious the LR3 needs knee airbags which it will get during the upcoming interior refresh. The Range Rover picked up knee airbags in the 2007 Range Rover refresh and the LR2 has always had knee airbags.

Just look down the Large Off-roader list and you can see that the LR3 is about the same as the other big SUVs. It scored four stars while only three SUVs scored five stars and the X5 got a retest to pick up that fifth star after there was a a problem with the original test vehicle.

kurtamaxxxguy

I was mainly studying side impacts, and watching the deformations. The fact that the Q7, in side impact, bent less than the LR2 despite weighing 800 pounds more, proved interesting.

A lot of vehicles there got similar side impact ratings. Interesting, as some of the driver dummies were being thrown around a lot more in some vehicles than others.

But.... good points wrt the frontal impacts.

Hopefully IIHS will someday test an LR2.

kurtamaxxxguy

would it be likely that Land Rover would void the warranty of any customer actually trying the 22" deep water drive?

Some other "outbacking" manufacturers I queried on this said that once the water goes above the vehicle floorboards, the warranty's toast.

u2fan1967

Hey all,
Just thought I'd share that today I got the official safety recall notice from Land Rover North America for my LR2 in the mail. The recall was for the sunroof panel failures. The recall is for a failure on the sunroof guide which could "cause the sunroof to become detached from its operating mechanism" !! Yikes! :surprise:

I remember reading about folks to which this happened. It must have been scary.

I personally haven't had any problems with my sunroof, I love mine, but will still get it replaced.

If you own an LR2 and didn't get this notice it says to contact
Land Rover Customer Relationship Center at

Land Rover North America
ATTN: Customer Relationship Center
555 MacArthur Boulevard
Mahwah, NJ 07430-2327
1-800-637-6837 Option 9.

Happy motoring.

3dg

Just got my LR2 today. The iPhone saw it right away, but the LR2 couldn't see the phone. The car is supposed to generate a pair code, and it doesn't.
But, try it again, and when the iPhone shows Land Rover, click it, and enter 2121 as the pair code. In a moment, the name of your iPhone will appear on the dash. It reads missed / recent calls, and even pulls in your address book. You can cycle through recent calls from the steering wheel.

newowner8

Hi. I generally like my LR2 but we really dislike the lack of an intermittent wiper setting. There is an automatic setting that goes too fast and then too slow and is constantly changing (distracting). I hear others have complained about this function. Dealer says maybe Land Rover will issue a "fix" but I have my doubts. Also, be careful automatic setting is off going through carwash as I lost a wiper and almost a windshield when they went off during carwash! I would love a plain old fashioned intermittent setting, myself.

andybl29

Had a lot of rain here in FL today. I had the same thought as my wipers were driving me insane! The setting should definitely be different--the switch in speeds in extremely distracting.

ohwell159

I totally agree regarding the wipers. I originally posted about the wipers shortly after getting my LR2 in October 07. I would love intermittent wiper on the front but what really bothers me is the lack of choice on the rear wiper. It is either on or off and the delay is 6 seconds. I complained to LR directly because to me that is a safety issue and I was told that there is no defective and that is they way they are designed so that is it. It seems like it is the smallest things that drive us the most crazy. I do think that a vehicle that is made for off roading should have more advanced front/rear wipers. On a positive note I am going on 6 months with my fully loaded LR2 and I love the car and have only very minor issues that were fixed immediately. The customer service at my dealership is excellent and I love having my car come back clean and shiny.

kyfdx

I checked the rear wiper interval time on my Honda CR-V.. also.. six seconds..

Might be a universal standard? I can't remember having a rear-wiper on any vehicle that you could have on all the time..

jeyhoe

The rear wiper on my '04 Navigator has intermittent setting. Very useful.

Some of the 'little' things LR (Ford) left off the LR2 are aggravating - like intermittent rear wiper and homelink for starters. Cant have everything I guess.

kurtamaxxxguy

Consumers Union has a generally favorable short take on the LR2 this month. Other than interior quirks and fuel economy (18 mph is all they are getting in mixed mode driving) they seem to find ithe LR2 drives well (provided you are not in hurry) and its AWD works seamlessly.
Their Full info appears online sometime in April.

jeyhoe

18 mpg. Groan.

manup

http://www.autoincar.com/tata-assures-jaguar-rover-workers-of-retaining-brands-t- ouch/

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/218916/land_rover.html

kurtamaxxxguy

2nd item is impressive. If LR gets their reliability up as well and manage to make the vehicle more efficient while retaining the "Land Rover" feel and idenity, I suspect it could do well.

manup

Has anyone and/or LRGuy44, British Rover, etc., heard or seen anything pertaining to changes or improvements large or small to the 2009 model year ?

jeyhoe

This month's Consumer Reports has a few paragraphs they call "First Look" at the LR2. And their news aint good. Remember the Suzuki Samurai? Well, it's like that. CR says that, despite the LR2 having advancetrak with RSC, that the car "momentarily lifted both right-side wheels several inches off the ground" during a 53 mph run thru their avoidance-manuever course. Their full report wont be out til Sept, but as of now they rate the emergency handling as poor. Apparently they felt this important enough to report on now and in the Up Front section of the mag.

They did add that they experienced similar behaviour in 2003 with the BMW X5 3.0i and that a software change fixed the beemer's problem. Perhaps if LR jumps on this issue they could have it fixed in time for the Sept issue? As of now though it seems RSC doesn't help at least in this test. Sorry folks, just the facts cause I'm considering this vehicle and I watch closely for any info. I expect to hear that Land Rover has fixed this issue and will issue a TSB or a recall or something. Course, gota explain it to the folks at TATA first.

Oh, they also said they're getting a disappointing 18 mpg overall. Ugh. If that's the case, I'll stick with my Navigator.

british_rover

Sorry I don't believe it. The Samurai thing was complete BS too. CR settled with Suzuki out of court for that incident.

I am trying to find a video of the moose test they do in Europe as I am sure it is a better conducted test then anything CR does. The roll stability control is a more advanced Volvo unit so I just don't see this happening unless there was a malfunction or unless CR deliberately tried to get the car to flip like they did with the Samurai.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/volvo-xc90-suv-moose/3034785664

Closest thing I have found so far.

The problem is the defender failed the moose test, not surprising considering how old the defender is, and so every link is to videos on the defender test.

jeyhoe

Boy, is THAT the wrong attitude.

CR aint perfect, but they test EVERY car the same way. If the LR2's wheels came off the ground, and no other CUV/SUV did, THAT's a scary thing. Probably most people would've flipped. You can put blinders on if u want. BMW apparently responded correctly. If LR doesn't address this, they are OFF my short list.

Oh, and you're wrong about the outcome of the Suzuki lawsuit:

"In 1996 Consumer Reports was the subject of a lawsuit by Suzuki Motors regarding a road test of the Suzuki Samurai that the magazine had published in 1988. Suzuki alleged that the magazine's test of the company's popular off-roader had been skewed so as to show that the vehicle was prone to tipping over during an avoidance test (an equivalent of other magazines' "elk test"). The lawsuit was dismissed by mutual consent in 2004."

-source suv_rollovers.com

serranot

I use CR for buying toasters, but not a fan of them for car tests. They said the same thing for Troopers. I note that my insurance has not gone up at all for my Trooper. Why? Because people simply do not do the avoidance maneuver that CR uses. People are not stupid enough to jerk the wheel like CR does in their tests. Their test is only valid if one drives the car like CR tests it.

Regards,
Tom

jeyhoe

"People are not stupid enough to jerk the wheel like CR does in their tests. Their test is only valid if one drives the car like CR tests it"

It's called "emergency manuevering test". Get it? Emergency.

So your method when a deer jumps out in front of you is to just hit the deer then?