2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: common problems

Owners of the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport filed 32 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and fuel/propulsion system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 32

Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2012: 3D model with the “Engine” area highlighted — the most complained-about component — Yellow marks the “Engine” area, the component owners complain about most for this year. Illustrative only. 3D model: Mona x Supercars, CC Attribution.

What fails most often

1 Engine 41% of all complaints
2 Fuel/propulsion system 38% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
6 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
7 Steering 6% of all complaints
8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints

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

Engine: 13 complaints (41% of all).
Fuel/propulsion system: 12 complaints (38% of all).
Fuel system: 8 complaints (25% of all).
Powertrain: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Electrical system: 3 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 32 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine6 · 19%
stalls while driving4 · 13%
fuel system, fuel smell3 · 9%
overheating, coolant loss3 · 9%
smoke, burning smell, fire3 · 9%
headlights and tail lights2 · 6%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 6%
loss of power / limp mode2 · 6%
infotainment or screen glitches2 · 6%
engine failure or replacement1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine	13	0	0
Fuel/propulsion system	12	0	0
Fuel system	8	0	0
Powertrain	4	0	0
Electrical system	3	0	0
Exterior lighting	2	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Vehicle speed control	2	0	0
Visibility	2	0	0
Engine and cooling	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Other	4	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.

At approximately 25 mph, the engine shut off, all exterior and interior lights went out, and the steering wheel locked in the straightâahead position. I temporarily lost control of the vehicle and was only able to stop safely because I was traveling at low speed. This incident created an immediate crash risk.
Engine · 2026-08-08 · NHTSA complaint #11755587
The fuel tank holder is rusted out and is a known issue on this model. Land Rover used materials that are prone to severe corrosion and I feel like my fuel tank will fall off at any moment and is unsafe to drive.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2026-03-19 · NHTSA complaint #11725501
Immediately after service, while driving in a live lane of traffic, the vehicleÂ unexpectedly stalled, resulting in a complete loss of motive power.Â The dashboard fuel gauge falsely indicatedÂ 55 miles of remaining range, but the vehicle had actually run out of fuel.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2026-02-17 · NHTSA complaint #11718661
When I looked under the vehicle cause I was trying to figure out why it was majorly overheating, I then realized the gas was just pouring out near the transmission pan, which is where the fuel line runs from the top of the gas tank. My recall was for the fuel tank leaking originally.
Engine · 2025-08-14 · NHTSA complaint #11680703
The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the "Transmission Fault" warning light illuminated, and the engine temperature gauge indicated that the engine was HOT. The contact pulled into a filling station and checked the coolant reservoir.
Fuel system · 2025-08-14 · NHTSA complaint #11680706
The vehicle failed the smog test due to fuel odor and the check engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, however the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Fuel system · 2024-03-29 · NHTSA complaint #11580155
Fuel leaking an different problems happen do to fuel default.
Fuel/propulsion system · 2023-03-01 · NHTSA complaint #11509747
The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled at a stop light. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was not able to veer to the side of the road.
Fuel system · 2021-11-17 · NHTSA complaint #11440795

When owners complained

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

20132
20161
20171
20182
20193
20213
20225
20231
20243
20254
20267

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,635 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Range Rover Sport has 31 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 32, about average.

What to check before buying

Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, fuel/propulsion system, fuel system. Total complaints: 32. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), stalls while driving (13%), fuel system, fuel smell (9%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 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 2012 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 2012 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.