2008 Land Rover Range Rover: common problems

Owners of the 2008 Land Rover Range Rover filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 30
involving a crash: 1

What fails most often

1 Air bags 43% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
4 Suspension 10% of all complaints
5 Structure 7% of all complaints
6 Electronic stability control 3% of all complaints
7 Engine 3% of all complaints
8 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints

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

Air bags: 13 complaints (43% of all).
Service brakes: 6 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 4 complaints (13% of all).
Suspension: 3 complaints (10% of all).
Structure: 2 complaints (7% of all).

Engines and transmissions

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

4.2 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
4.4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 6-speed

Drive: AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 30 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

jerking, harsh shifts2 · 7%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 7%
warning lights, check engine2 · 7%
brake failure1 · 3%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 3%
rollaway, parking brake1 · 3%
rust, corrosion1 · 3%
seat belts1 · 3%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 3%
stalls while driving1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	13	0
Service brakes	6	1
Powertrain	4	0
Suspension	3	0
Structure	2	0
Electronic stability control	1	0
Engine	1	0
Fuel/propulsion system	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Steering	1	0
Tires	1	0
Vehicle speed control	1	1
Other	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.

I was leaning out the window getting money out of the atm and the car accelerated. A loud noise of it ramping up and then it jolted forward. I immediately sat back straight in the car keeping my foot on the brake. Within about 3 feet the car stopped. Second time was at a fast food restaurant.
Service brakes · crash · 2019-07-21 · NHTSA complaint #11233689
Bought a SUV from a car lot was told the only problem it had was the o2 sensor needed to be changed test drive was good so had it a few days driving it got to be extremely bouncy ended up taking to my mechanic he said the struts are worn down nothing left on them the suspension was bad and the axles can snap anytime…
Air bags · 2026-04-02 · NHTSA complaint #11728691
Due to the failure, the contact fell backwards out of the vehicle and landed on her head and back. With the assistance of another pedestrian and her husband, the contact was taken to the hospital where a cat scan revealed internal bleeding around her head; the contact was able to be released the same day.
Structure · 2022-03-10 · NHTSA complaint #11456067
The contact downshifted and pumped the brakes with the brake failure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was slowed and stopped using the parking brakes. The contact stated that the brake fluid reservoir was empty. The vehicle was towed back to the same dealer to be diagnosed.
Service brakes · 2020-12-01 · NHTSA complaint #11377323
Inspection a few days later revealed rusted and stripped splines on the transmission output shaft and transfer case mating part. During my research, I found that this is a fairly common problem caused by electrolytic migration due to a lack of grease on the mating parts during assembly.
Powertrain · 2020-03-10 · NHTSA complaint #11317433
When I tried to place the vehicle in park it made a grinding sound and began to roll backwards. I then applied the emergency brake on to keep it in place. I had it towed to my house, and at a later date during inspection of the drive train I had noticed that the left drivers side trans axle had separated from the…
Powertrain · 2019-03-04 · NHTSA complaint #11184160
Brought my car for an urgent airbag safety recall matter solicited by land rover and the nhtsa described as a matter that "can cause serious injury or death". Scheduled appointment two weeks in advance and was assured orally and in writing that "if required (the business will) provide a loaner vehicle for free".
Air bags · 2018-12-05 · NHTSA complaint #11156090
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 land rover range rover. The contact stated that the vehicle began to leak brake fluid. The fluid continued to leak over time and would not stop. There were no warning indicators illuminated.
Service brakes · 2018-11-19 · NHTSA complaint #11152577

When owners complained

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

20081
20111
20121
20131
20142
20154
20165
20175
20184
20192
20202
20221
20261

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Range Rover has 25 complaints (41 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.

What to check before buying

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.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Land Rover Range Rover?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, powertrain. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (7%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%), warning lights, check engine (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.