1997 Land Rover Range Rover: common problems

Owners of the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 21
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 24% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
3 Engine 10% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
5 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
7 Tires 10% of all complaints
8 Visibility 10% 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 and cooling: 5 complaints (24% of all).
Electrical system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Engine: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Fuel system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Seat belts: 2 complaints (10% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire5 · 24%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 10%
airbags did not deploy1 · 5%
A/C or heater1 · 5%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 5%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 5%
seat belts1 · 5%
tires: bulges, blowouts1 · 5%
warning lights, check engine1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	5	0
Electrical system	2	0
Engine	2	0
Fuel system	2	0
Seat belts	2	0
Service brakes	2	1
Tires	2	0
Visibility	2	0
Air bags	1	1
Electronic stability control	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Powertrain	1	0
Seats	1	0
Structure	1	0

What owners report

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

Went into garage, pushed the wall away then the car was put in reverse still accelerating; the ignition was turned off, put in park, then it rolled backwards 12 feet by itself. The airbags did not deploy.
Air bags · crash · 1997-06-09 · NHTSA complaint #812922
Driving vehicle, went to apply abs brakes and brakes would not catch, vehicle was by hit by another vehicle and finally stopped.
Service brakes · crash · 1996-12-11 · NHTSA complaint #806180
I have the light for the check engine on. The mechanic change the engine and still the light on. And while I drive on the freeway. It's stop suddenly and cut power. I call aaa to pick it up and it was the dynamitic and I fixed, but it turn it and stop while I drive it again.
Engine · 2017-03-11 · NHTSA complaint #10960148
Michelin latitudetour hp 255/65r16 sidewall failure. Inside sidewall perforation cause sudden loss of pressure. Same model tire as covered by previous recall nhtsa campaign number: 13t006000 component(s): tires no damage to tire other than sidewall failure. Failure occurred when vehicle parked.
Tires · 2015-02-11 · NHTSA complaint #10682779
The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, smoke began to emit through the vents and the hood. The contact discovered that there was fire coming from under the hood. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Engine · 2014-12-29 · NHTSA complaint #10668872
While driving 55 mph, the contact was informed by another motorist that his vehicle was on fire. The contact pulled over, opened the door, and noticed flames underneath the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to his residence.
Engine and cooling · 2009-04-09 · NHTSA complaint #10264828
I found that the retractor was no longer ratcheting and simply made a clunking sound when pulled. I cannot verify if it is working in elr mode, as it sticks makes strange sounds. I moved the car seat to the other rear outboard position immediately.
Seat belts · 2004-10-22 · NHTSA complaint #10096244
Took vehicle in for a recall, upon picking up the vehicle, the consumer stated" the vehicle suddenly began to jump up and down, as a result the driver suffered head injuries. The vehicle experienced problems with the onboard computer which started signaling to check the engine accompanied by severe siren type noises.
Electrical system · 2003-07-02 · NHTSA complaint #10026515

When owners complained

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

19961
19971
19984
19993
20002
20011
20022
20031
20041
20092
20141
20151
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Range Rover has 25 complaints (41 years in the data). This year has 21, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (24%), knocking, grinding or other noise (10%), airbags did not deploy (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover?

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 1997 Land Rover Range Rover 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 1997 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.