2013 Land Rover Range Rover: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

On May 24, 2019, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (JLR) submitted two Part 573 letters to NHTSA describing door latch defects that could result in doors opening while driving in certain model year (MY) 2013-2016 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles equipped with JLR?s Unilatch Keyless Vehicle (KV) entry system.Recall 19V-392 (JLR Recall N335) describes a KV lever binding defect in approximately 65,385 MY 2013-2016 Range Rover and MY 2014-2016 Range Rover Sport vehicles built between May 9, 2012 and March 5, 2015. Moisture intrusion may result in KV motor bearing corrosion, which may prevent the KV lever from returning to the home position and prevent the latch pawl from properly engaging the latch claw. Vehicles recalled under 19V-392 will be checked for a pre-existing error state and mechanically disabled if an error is detected. If no error is detected, the vehicles will receive a software update that will disable the KV entry function on the vehicle.Recall 19V-390 (JLR Recall N336) describes a defect in the KV latching system of left-side doors in approximately 28,671 MY 2016 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles built between October 1, 2015 and May 27, 2016. A spring in the KV latching system may jam between the outside transmission lever and chamfer bush, preventing the latch assembly from returning to its correct position and fully latching the door. Vehicles recalled under 19V-390 will have the left-side latch assemblies replaced with assemblies that meet the engineering specification.ODI?s analysis of consumer complaints and field reports identified a total of 161 latch failures in the subject vehicles, including 57 involving doors opening with the vehicle in motion. The analysis found that 157 of the latch complaints and 56 of the door opening in motion incidents involve vehicles and latch assemblies covered under Recalls 19V-390 and 19V-392. Engineering Analysis EA18-004 is closed based upon JLR?s recall actions. For more information about the recall defect conditions and related field data, see the attached report.

On June 11, 2015, Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a defect condition in the electronically controlled door latch systems of approximately 65,372 model year (MY) 2013-2016 Range Rover and MY 2014-2016 Range Rover Sport that may result in incidents of door opening while driving (NHTSA Recall No. 15V-385, JLR Recall P068).On August 4, 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ17-005 to investigate claims of doors failing to latch and/or inadvertently opening while driving (latch malfunctions) on MY 2013-2016 Range Rover and MY 2014-2016 Range Rover Sport vehicles that had received the remedy for 15V-385 or were built after the recall remedy had been implemented in production (the subject vehicles). ODI has received 5 unique reports (VOQs) related to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. All five VOQs allege experiencing at least one incident of a door opening inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion and were repaired by replacing the malfunctioning latch assembly. One minor injury was reported where the consumer did not seek medical care.ODI's analysis of information provided by JLR in response to the Information Request (IR) letter for RQ17-005 identified 43 additional complaints and field reports related to door latch malfunctions in the subject vehicles, including 14 additional allegations that a door opened while the vehicle was in motion. In addition, ODI's analysis of JLR warranty claim data provided in the IR response identified an additional 564 vehicles that received latch replacements to address customer concerns with latch malfunctions, including 72 additional incidents of doors opening while in motion based on ODI's analysis of customer concern narratives.ODI has upgraded this investigation to an Engineering Analysis (EA18-004) to further assess the recall remedy, scope, and frequency. See attached pages for additional information.