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Land Rover LR4

71 messages,  Last post on Sep 26, 2011 at 1:41 PM

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What is this discussion about? Land Rover LR4, SUV

Messages Page 4 of 7

#31 of 71 LR4 Purchase by buckybadger1

Mar 31, 2010 (6:26 am)

I did a ton of research and finally pulled the plug on a 2010 LR4. It was between this and a X5 (have owned bmws for the past 5+ years). Really wasn't that hard of a decision if you are looking for a true truck/suv. The X5 is a great vehicle but as mentioned prior does not offer much in regards to hauling space.
Only issue i have had are the crappy tire pressure monitor sensors (trouble in all models not just LR). Whoever thought this was a good idea had way too much time on their hands! First most people check their tires periodically and second if you get a flat tire i am guessing you know it and don't need a bs monitor to tell you that. Anyways it has been in the shop a couple of times regarding this issue (couldnt pinpoint which monitor - finally think it is the monitor inside the tire - must be a common deal as the part is back ordered)...
The vehicle is fun to drive, very responsive and agile. It is a head turner in every aspect and I enjoy the fact that there are relatively few of these on the road (so far). I believe they will be a huge seller.
Suggestions to LR -- put in a bigger gas tank. 325+/- miles per tank is not enough
range. Make the roof rack standard and not a dealer add on.
Conclusion -- If you are in the market for a luxury/sport SUV "truck" this is the vehicle for you. It distinguishes the line between car/suv (x5/lexus) and true luxury truck/suv without sacrificing comfort and convenience. Good job Land Rover!!

#32 of 71 Re: LR4 Purchase [buckybadger1] by lrguy44

Mar 31, 2010 (6:34 am)

Replying to: buckybadger1 (Mar 31, 2010 6:26 am)
Congratulations. I can only warn you that once you own a LR you will always own one. Enjoy!

#33 of 71 Avoid the 2010 LR4! by jwscfa

Apr 04, 2010 (4:56 am)

On February 17th of this year I took delivery of a 2010 LR4 HSE with the Lux Plus Package. On February 23rd the vehicle would not start and was flat bedded back to the selling dealer for two days to diagnose and replace the brake switch. The warning on the dash said "place foot on brake" while my foot was on the brake. On March 3rd the same problem occurred resulting in the service manager of the selling dealer coming to my house and adjusting the brake switch. Apparently it was not reading adequate vacuum pressure in the brake system. In addition to this problem I experienced many of the same issues noted on this forum with satellite radio reception problems, incorrect satellite radio displays, uneven steering wheel heating and calculation problems with the guidance system unable to read the amount of fuel in the tank when it was full.
 
On March 29th while driving I got 4 fault codes-transmission fault,parking brake fault, emergency brake assist not available and stability control not available-drive carefully. I drove the car home and it once again was sent by flat bed back to the selling dealer. After keeping my vehicle for 3.5 days I received a call from the service manager. He stated that most of the minor issues would be fixed with a software upgrade due to come out in a month. He also stated that they had not been able to replicate the fault codes and Land Rover had instructed them to return the vehicle to me. The vehicle had 1601 miles when it went back to the dealer.
 
I documented each of these issues with digital camera photos which I provided to the dealer. Some of these issues may seem minor and I would not dispute that but for $60k I think you have the right to be a little picky. However having two major service issues within a month and a half with one of them being a major safety issue was too much for me. The fact that made up my mind about the quality of the car was when Land Rover would not acknowledge that the car even had a problem even though it was documented with pictures. I think my selling dealer did all they could to correct the issue but got little support from the factory. Basically here is a vehicle with a major safety problem that Land Rover is unwilling to acknowledge and is willing to put this car back on the road. They have a car that they cannot fix so their response was to send the car back to the owner. This is totally unacceptable from a safety standpoint and I traded the vehicle for another brand.
 
I feel everyone should be aware of how Land Rover is not facing up to service issues with this vehicle and I would strongly recommend against anyone purchasing any vehicle from a manufacturer such as Land Rover who has this attitude toward service and safety issues with their vehicles.

#34 of 71 Re: Avoid the 2010 LR4! [jwscfa] by dandrews1

Apr 04, 2010 (11:43 am)

Replying to: jwscfa (Apr 04, 2010 4:56 am)
That's an odd one to be sure. I think your problem is more with the dealer than with the truck. Try another dealer for service.
Remember the LR4 is just a refreshed LR3. It's a fairly mature platform that will deliver years of fun for you but I hope this one experience doesn't sour you on it.
Sounds like they're just blaming software for what is probably a faulty sensor. Did they check the parking brake sensor? I'd definitely want a good mechanic to sit down with me and have a go-over with what is bothering me mechanically about the truck.
 
Over the past four years I've had my share of good and bad dealers. I now drive an hour to get to a dealer that has one of the best LR mechanics in the country. Seiously, this guy teaches other mechanics.
 
You have got to find that good second opinion.
 
On the other hand you may have a really rare lemon. I've heard of one case where a short in the harness caused all sorts of issues and my dealer (the one with the awesome tech) replaced the womans truck with a new one. Head office directed the dealership to replace all the wiring in the truck, which required about 90% complete disassembly of the truck. They said when that was done, the truck never came back with any gremlins-and it was the awesome mechanic who took it apart and put it back together again.
 
Not saying what you have is that bad-it just sounds like a bad sensor and an inexperienced mechanic. Get that second opinion from another dealer -- preferrably one that comes recommended. Make sure you tell them the history and that you expect it to be fixed or replaced. You shouldn't have to put up with bad service.

#35 of 71 Avoid the 2010 LR4! by jwscfa

Apr 04, 2010 (12:55 pm)

There are a couple of clarifications that I think I should make. First, it was Land Rover tech support's determination that the car should be returned to me, not the dealer. Because of this I do not blame the dealer but rather the attitude of the manufacturer. As to finding another mechanic while the car is under warranty, if Land Rover was not going to believe my photo documentation of the fault codes why would they believe another mechanic? The nearest Land Rover dealer to me is over 2 hours away and I do not have the time to drive to each one to see if they can fix the problem. Finally the issue is moot as the dealer replaced the car with another brand from their family of dealerships. The dealership did what it took to make the situation right, not Land Rover. It is now not my problem but be aware if you are looking to purchase a used 2010 LR4 with under 2000 miles in Nara Bronze in the Southeast U.S.

#36 of 71 Re: Avoid the 2010 LR4! [jwscfa] by lrguy44

Apr 04, 2010 (3:56 pm)

Replying to: jwscfa (Apr 04, 2010 12:55 pm)
There is a software enhancement coming in the next few weeks that will solve your issues

#37 of 71 Re: LR4 Purchase [lrguy44] by buckybadger1

Apr 08, 2010 (8:11 am)

Replying to: lrguy44 (Mar 31, 2010 6:34 am)
Thanks. I think you are correct - i hope to be a "rover" for quite some time.

#38 of 71 Re: Avoid the 2010 LR4! [jwscfa] by dandrews1

Apr 08, 2010 (9:04 am)

Replying to: jwscfa (Apr 04, 2010 12:55 pm)
That's really a shame that you had to go that route. Personally, I would have escalated within LR NA.
 
Only having one dealer within reasonable range is certainly a limiting factor in your case. Do you mind me asking what other vehicle you got into?
 
I currently own 6 Land Rovers of various vintages, and have never had a service issue like you describe. (I purposely don't say 'dealer' or 'technical' as each of them are subjective).
 
The most modern of my Rovers are 2 1994's (A Range Rover and a Defender NAS) and a 2006 LR3 HSE, which is getting replaced this coming fall with a 2011 LR4. (My other vehicles are a 1959 Series 2 5dr station wagon, a 1968 Series 2A Dormobile and a 1983 Series 3 LWB Military pickup truck.)
 
I had a few good dialogs with LR over the years about the design of the sensor system in the LR3, but I didn't get to them by just asking.. I had to press my case for a redesign on the sensors for the suspension system. I have a background in electronics engineering, and currently work in the IT field. I had a look at the wiring system in the LR3 (which is available publicly, BTW) and recommended that they change it to a 2-factor sensor system.
 
I had previously had a few instances where the system would tell me I had a suspension fault and that I should pull over ASAP. Then it would drop me to the bump stops. For a normal person this would mean a call to the towing service and a trip to the dealer. Well, I hate that. So I found out how to reset the fault system on an LR3. It's a little involved, and I won't get into the specifics here, but suffice it to say, it's never failed to get my truck back on it's feet. According to the docs, if there is a legitimate fault, it won't recover.. If it's a flaky sensor or frost, or a computer hiccup, resetting the fault system will allow you to recover and be on your way.
 
This led me to think that there was a way to improve the sensor system. I proposed they set up two sensors on the suspension system. If both of the sensors found an error, then you had a legitimate fault. If only one had a fault, then you've got a faulty sensor or a computer glitch. Log it, and report that you may have a sensor or computer issue, but don't ground the truck.
 
I haven't heard back if they've incorporated my suggestion into the new design, but they were at least receptive to it when I submitted it to LR engineering in the UK.

#39 of 71 Re: Avoid the 2010 LR4! [dandrews1] by jwscfa

Apr 08, 2010 (8:06 pm)

Replying to: dandrews1 (Apr 08, 2010 9:04 am)
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. The dealer traded me into a 2010 Lexus GX 460 which has been flawless so far. I agree that sensors in modern cars are a problem depending upon design, etc but how is anyone to know if it is the sensor or a true mechanical fault? I would hate to be cruising into a corner and the stability system die on me. I probably could have escalated the issue within LR given my photographic evidence but I needed a vehicle that I could depend upon for day to day driving and given the distances involved it was just not worth the time and effort. I hope your new LR4 that you are purchasing is a good vehicle. I certainly wanted my vehicle to work out as I truly liked the LR4 when it was functioning correctly. However having driven the Lexus it seems to be a far superior vehicle in terms of functionality than the LR.

#40 of 71 Re: Avoid the 2010 LR4! [jwscfa] by buckybadger1

Apr 09, 2010 (6:20 am)

Replying to: jwscfa (Apr 08, 2010 8:06 pm)
Isn't Lexus a Toyota? Now there is an honest company as we find out, yikes...
Having car problems really is aggravating..I have had my share as well - from Jeep (had one replaced) to Mercedes (bad transmission with less than 2,000 miles on it).
I hope your replacement goes better.
So far my new LR4 is everything and more that I wanted - a luxury SUV.

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