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2002 Land Rover Defender recalls and problems

There are no safety recalls for the 2002 Land Rover Defender, but owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA.

Recalls
0
Complaints
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2002 Land Rover Defender vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2002 Land Rover Defender problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Engine and Engine Cooling3
Power Train1

Most reported parts

  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 54,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2002 Land Rover Defender complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Engine and Engine Cooling · at 38,000 miles · reported Nov 2, 2007
I own a 2002 freelander which leaked coolant and overheated because of a defective manifold gasket. Now I have engine problems.
Engine and Engine Cooling · at 65,000 miles · reported Sep 25, 2007
The engine in my 2002 land rover freelander overheated at about 65k miles and made it the 10 miles or so to the dealership service center only because I kept stopping, removing the coolant tank cap, and replacing the fluid every few miles. The dealership service center told me that the engine had to be replaced - at my expense, to the tune of nearly $8k. Mind you, I paid over $30k for this car only 5 years ago and have kept it well-serviced. Turns out, there is a widespread problem with this particular engine (Check out the edmunds blog, townhall-talk) in that the engine is ruined if it…
Engine and Engine Cooling · at 54,000 miles · reported Jun 17, 2006
In nov. 2005 my 2002 freelander ran hot. While checking under hood I noticed the water reservoir bottle was empty. I notified hilton head land rover and carried the vehicle to the them. They changed the reservoir bottle to correct the problem. The next month the vehicle ran hot again and the dealer replaced the thermostat and two weeks later it ran hot again. On this visit in which every visit to the dealership in an hour from my home they were unable to diagnose the problem. One week later the engine froze up and would not start and the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer. Thankfully we…

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Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Land Rover Defender have any recalls?

No. NHTSA has no safety recalls for the 2002 Land Rover Defender as of this update. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the latest status.

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Land Rover Defender?

Owners report engine and engine cooling problems most often (3 reports), followed by power train (1). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 54,000 miles.

Are Land Rover recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Land Rover dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.