Alignment Defect / Uneven Premature Tire Wear

[LR3Defect]

Hello All, longer post than most, but please bear with me....

My 2006 LR3 tires recenlty fell victim to a known alignment "defect" with the LR3 (I think it spans certain VIN numbers in the '05, '06 vintage). This is a widespread probelm and I'm beginning to feel that there is also a coverup of sorts on the part of LandRover. While a techinal bulletin/advisory was issued about this problem, neither dealers nor Land Rover (corporate) has been very forthright with information (at least with me) and owners have not been alerted.

In my research thus far, i've found many posts from LR3'ers whove had to replace tires and fix alignment at thier expense when it is a known defect. It should be covered by warranty or the deal/manufacturer.

Instead, they give all sorts of excuses (my first was that - "roads are narrower in Europe, so the suspension on LR3's is designed with significant tire slant"). Most commonly though, the dealers will tell you that they will cover cost, but only if your car has less than Xmiles on it - "X" seems to be amoving target and always 2,000 miles below what you have on the car.

My tires wore through on the inward part - not obvious from normal use. One of my tires had worn down to the steel belt - i never would have noticed had another tire not gotten a flat. I was dangerously close to a blow-out.

I find this outrageous, that Land Rover would jepoardize the safety of drivers by not warning them of this defect, and that they, in mnay cases, will not cover the cost of repair and tire replacement. This is a defect. It warranted it's own dedicated advisory. It's not normal wear and tear. It should be covered by warranty, irrespective of mileage. There likley should have been a recall on this issue.

I would like to hear from others who've had to replace thier tires at thier own expense as a result of an alignment defect with 2005-2007 LR3s. Please post hear or send an email to [email protected]

 

[mustbeaudi]

oh, and what's your bar admission number and licensing state?

Anyone here interested in this person's class action - there have to be several to choose from if one Googles the topic, given that I see related ad banners here sometimes.

 

[roverman]

I have to admit that this ****** me off too but am not really a class action kind of guy...unless of course you can get me a new rover
This was the first of several BS run arounds they gave me. Lots of excuses, make you think it's normal and when the tire wear shows then it's too late. The latest is my peeling, sticky steering wheel that my dealer (the only one in the country apparently) says is normal wear and tear. Sorry, they make great trucks, but dealer and corporate responses to any problems throughout the years have been abysmal. LRNA just says "sorry, SOL...it's soley up to the dealers discretion" That's great unless you have a crappy dealer ship like LR Farmington Hills MI

 

[LR3Defect]

Hi, thanks for the rapid response. Let me start by saying I am not a lawyer, I am just an LR3 owner who is livid with the treatment he has been receiving with respect to this issue. And, in researching this issue further, I'm noticing many others being treated the same way.

I've tired to work with the dealer and with Land Rover corporate. I've gotten nowhere and have wasted a lot of time with their bureaucracy. I then contacted local consumer advocates - no response. I'm currently working with the BBB (Better Business Bureau). My next stop is the National Highway & Transportation Safety Act (http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq). Then finally, if no satisfaction is granted, yes, I may go to small claims court.

If you are aware of class action against Land Rover on this issue, I'd be happy to join it. Land Rovers handling of this issue has been absolutely disgusting.

I don’t understand how a vehicle company that prides itself on designing cars to handle the roughest of terrains, cant provide (what seems to be) 1,000's of owners with adequate alignments. I've been tooling around in the burbs for less than two and 20,000 miles and have to replace all 4 tires and pay to repair the alignment? That ain't right.

And then the service rep tells me that the roads in Europe are narrower - so the alignment is designed with a tire slant. Then the head service manager tells me that these tires should last more than 20,000 miles anyway and my tread wear is normal for a heavy vehicle? Way to treat a customer. Talk to him like he's a *****.

Then, when I push on the issue, explaining to the service rep that this is clearly a problem with the alignment - the response is, well yeah, your make/model/year is known to have an alignment defect. Really? no one told me.

I explained to the rep (at the dealer) that I had I known it may have impacted my decision to purchase the vehicle. He said, well we didn’t know about it at that time. So I asked, when they did become aware - and he refused to answer. That's right, he just flat out told me he wasn’t answering that.

Then I asked why I was never alerted to be on the lookout for the issue as I could have caught it early (thus saving my tires) and more importantly, I could have avoided a very dangerous driving condition (one tire was worn through to belt and at severe risk of blowout). He had no response. This is the head service rep at the dealer!

He tells me that if the problem was caught before 20,000 miles, they'd handle it. My car has 27,000 miles (and was in their shop at 21,000 miles for a tire issue no less). They wouldn’t even meet me half way (I supply new tires, and they take care of alignment fix).

I can go on and on about experiences dealing with the people at corporate, but I'll save that for the next glib response.

 

[mustbeaudi]

Break a tie rod end and the repair and accompanying necessary alignment are free under warranty. Tires are still on you, though you have many options better than OEM and at less cost. Just consider them a consumable of poor initial quality to begin with, as you'll like the car much better after it gets new shoes.

As for the glib response, maybe you could re-read your initial posting - 1st one, no less - and see how it strikes you from a different perspective.

Here's one, by the way: http://www.lawcash.com/attorney/4972/landrover-lawsuit.asp

 

[roverman]

All I can say is I feel your pain and hope you have the fortitude and patience to get somewhere with this. Although I do believe you now, you have to understand that for your first post, it did kind of look like a solicitation. We've had those here in the past...
As for me, I tried my damndest to get something done. I've had some very ridiculous problems with my past 6 rovers. It's superbly frustrating that a marque with an average vehicle cost over $50,000 treats us like a used car shop on a street corner. The unfortunate part is that I LOVE the vehicles and the ludicrous service is a price I've grudgingly learned to live with. I will probably end up driving to Cleveland to get a new steering wheel as the same ******** LR service rep that refuses to help me also oversees the other two local dealerships - and I would imagine by now has told them not to help me. It's a steering wheel worth a couple hundred.....christ, now you've got me all worked up again....
My only revenge on the last truck (a lease) was that I bought new tires after 15k and put the crappy ones back on to turn the truck in.

 

[roverman]

mustbeaudi,
You may have not had this happen, but I did. It really ****** ya off when the dealership flat out lies to you and then refuses to do anything later. Before I even took delivery of my truck I pointed out that the tires were leaning in and it looked like it wasn't aligned right. "oh, they are all like that...it's supposed to be that way...helps with the cornering" Came back after the tires were starting to wear badly and then it was "Oh, you really needed to come back before the truck had 2k miles on it, we can't do anything about it" Even though by that time they new the tires were misaligned from the factory! I can certainly deal with the lousy tires, just make a mental note about the HPs for the future, but it's really more the dealership's unwillingness to make even the smallest goodwill gesture to right a wrong that gets you (me). AAAAARGH...not to mention the LR service rep saying that my steering wheel issue was the first he's ever heard of this problem in 3 years...even though it happened to both mine at 25k miles and my service guy saying that they know it's a well known problem. Maybe I am an idiot after all...
mustbeaudi, do you go to Lavery? I gotta switch dealerships, how've they been?

 

[LR3Defect]

You Guys Are Great

To all who responded, thank you. Didnt mean to come off like a lawyer in first post - but I see what you mean. Wish I would have thought of that tie-rod idea - absolutley brilliant!...but unfortunalety too late for me.

Jeez, I'm just at wits end with these Land Rover people. I love the vehicle, but hate these situations.

FYI - I've been dealing with a dealership in Parispanny NJ. They pride themsleves on customer care, so I'm even more shocked by the treatment.

I'm going to take this as far as I can. The $800+ that I'm out of pocket thus far is meaningful - but this is 90% principle for me at this point.

 

[CoMclovin]

I have an 06, and have not yet had any issues with alignment and tire wear. I don't have the factory OEM tires on the vehicle, but I do have a pair of GoodYears. I rotate the tires every 5k just to keep them fresh ( the vehicle is pretty damn heavy.) Luckily here in CO the dealers seems to be pretty damn good, so I don't usually have any complaints about them or service. I have heard some bs explanations from some dealers, and I usually will call them on it. I know LR is pretty concered with J.D. Powers surveys currently, and the response people give them with regards to service. Realistically there is no reason for a dealer not to replace something under warranty including warped steering wheels etc. I've had my steering wheel replaced due to sun damage ( it's a known design defect with the warping of the Airbag cover.) I would say if you really feel you have a dangerous issue, you need to escalate it at LRNA and if your local Dealer/LRNA rep isn't being responsive, you can go over their head. Hopefully you can work something out. It's sad to hear about such crappy dealers out there.

 

[LR3Defect]

Lrna

Hi - thanks for your comment. I tried LRNA. I spoke several times with a service who "investigated" my issue. In the end, all they do is contact the dealer and speak with the same dealer-based service manager that I did. LRNA responded to me that they would not be able to help with my alignment defect. Further, they were not forthcoming with information - they would not confirm even that a bulletin/advisory was issued on the problem, so they of course would not tell me when the issue became known, and they refused to let me elvate the problem. The LRNA rep said basically that the buck stopped with him. I aksed him to document his response and meorialize our conversation in writing - he refused (I thought I might need it if I were to claim the cost on my insurance). HBy the way, the rep I dealt with is "Matt". He did say that he would send me a form letter saying they reviewed my claim and wont take action on it - but it's been 2-3 weeks and I still havent received. More recenlty I reiniated the process with LRNA, but this time through the website (kind of like email) instead of telefonically. Thus far, they have completely disregarded my request for a letter, copy of the buleting/advisory, and additonal information.