2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: common problems

Owners of the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8

Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2009: 3D model with the “Electrical system” area highlighted — the most complained-about component — Yellow marks the “Electrical system” area, the component owners complain about most for this year. Illustrative only. 3D model: Mona x Supercars, CC Attribution.

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 38% of all complaints
2 Air bags 25% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
4 Suspension 25% of all complaints
5 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
6 Structure 13% of all complaints
7 Tires 13% of all complaints
8 Wheels 13% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 3 complaints (38% of all).
Air bags: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Suspension: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

rust, corrosion2 · 25%
warning lights, check engine2 · 25%
airbag warning light1 · 13%
brake failure1 · 13%
hesitation when accelerating1 · 13%
oil leak or consumption1 · 13%
stalls while driving1 · 13%
windows, sunroof1 · 13%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	3	0	0
Air bags	2	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Suspension	2	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0
Wheels	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

These tires were specifically for a 2009 Range Rover Sport HSE. The odometer reading was 105632 at the time of purchase, and the tires were installed on [XXX]. The present mileage as of today is 118233.
Tires · 2024-06-21 · NHTSA complaint #11595652
There are KNOWN areas around the A pillar, windshield, and sunroof that leak and allow water to enter the vehicle and pool up in the wiring channels next to the doors, the water causes shorts and corrosion in the wiring which causes faults (Check engine, etc) that the owner is forced to attempt to correct on their…
Electrical system · 2024-01-29 · NHTSA complaint #11568393
The section of the wheel that holds the "bead" has corroded. I checked another owner's wheel and it had similar corrosion. I believe it is systemic. I tried to buy another spare tire wheel from Land Rover and it was backordered.
Wheels · 2022-05-15 · NHTSA complaint #11464687
The air bag light does not go out, and the dealer claims there is nothing wrong with the air bag, however it failed the state inspection due to the air bag isdue.
Air bags · 2018-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #11078268
I know to keep pressing brake to the bottom but another driver may not and have no brakes. Car is at the dealer right now getting it replaced. Having worked on cars for years there is no excuse for a catastrophic brake hose failure on a 105,000 car that is 9 years old.
Service brakes · 2017-11-16 · NHTSA complaint #11046649
Noticed my range rover cut in the dash board, then realized the air bag is the cause. It is protruding out of the dash board!! Called dealer and corporate office.. They state my vin number is not in the recall list, although my car meets all the requirement in the recall.
Air bags · 2017-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #10984358
I was told I had oil leaking into my valves. It is starting better but still some hesitation at times.
Electrical system · 2016-08-10 · NHTSA complaint #10894762
While driving 65 mph, the suspension low warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. In addition, the contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The brake warning light continuously illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Electrical system · 2015-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #10763076

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20151
20161
20172
20181
20221
20242

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Range Rover Sport has 31 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (25%), warning lights, check engine (25%), airbag warning light (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2009 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.