2003 Land Rover Range Rover: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Land Rover Range Rover filed 97 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and steering. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 97
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Powertrain 76% of all complaints
2 Steering 8% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
4 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
6 Suspension 4% of all complaints
7 Air bags 1% of all complaints
8 Engine 1% of all complaints

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

Powertrain: 74 complaints (76% of all).
Steering: 8 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 6 complaints (6% of all).
Service brakes: 5 complaints (5% of all).
Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (4% of all).

Engines and transmissions

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

4.4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 5-speed

Drive: AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 97 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

knocking, grinding or other noise28 · 29%
loss of power / limp mode8 · 8%
warning lights, check engine8 · 8%
jerking, harsh shifts3 · 3%
vibration3 · 3%
A/C or heater2 · 2%
won't start2 · 2%
stalls while driving2 · 2%
transmission slipping2 · 2%
airbag warning light1 · 1%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Powertrain	74	0
Steering	8	1
Electrical system	6	0
Service brakes	5	0
Engine and cooling	4	0
Suspension	4	0
Air bags	1	0
Engine	1	0
Equipment	1	0
Exterior lighting	1	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0
Tires	1	0
Other	4	0

What owners report

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

The steering wheel on the vehicle turns but just makes a clicking noise and does not actually turn the wheels.
Steering · crash · 2015-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10705248
The contact stated while driving 40 MPH on the highway, he felt a vibration and pulled over to inspect the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle then failed to exceed 35 MPH. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired.
Powertrain · 2022-06-06 · NHTSA complaint #11467872
Takata recall my airbag light is on. The airbag light just stay on.
Air bags · 2018-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #11084686
The first thing that happened was the ac stopped working and replaced the resistor in it twice, the same day it went out a second time the back driver side window fell.
Powertrain · 2017-08-16 · NHTSA complaint #11015683
Car shipped from florida to pittsburgh. Upon arriving I drove the vehilce on the street and it stopped and had to wait to start again. Vehicle was only able to be driven a mile at a time beofre incident recurred. Abs break late stayed on from the beginning.
Electrical system · 2017-02-21 · NHTSA complaint #10956135
The contact stated that the transmission and brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Powertrain · 2017-02-21 · NHTSA complaint #10955761
While vehicle is operating, the air suspension, abs, brake, hdc warnings lights come on and vehicle locks front right break by itself without any brake being applied, when is wet or ice on the road, the vehicle slides towards the right.
Service brakes · 2014-05-20 · NHTSA complaint #10592724
The contact stated that while driving 28 mph, suddenly the vehicle stop moving as if all the wheels locked and the check engine warning lamp illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the timing belt and heater hose broke and needed to be replaced.
Engine · 2014-01-13 · NHTSA complaint #10559615

When owners complained

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

20032
20041
20059
200610
200724
200828
20098
20103
20131
20143
20151
20161
20174
20181
20221

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,638 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Range Rover has 25 complaints (41 years in the data). This year has 97, above average.

What to check before buying

Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Land Rover Range Rover?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, steering, electrical system. Total complaints: 97. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (29%), loss of power / limp mode (8%), warning lights, check engine (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.