Bad Noises

[thejuice]

I have an '05 SE7 with 27k. I was hoping to drive the vehicle for several years, so I take very good care of it and drive it conservatively. Despite my efforts, I’ve had several problems and service visits.

Here are the problems I’m currently experiencing.

1. Driver's Seatbelt Noise – I hear a squeaking / rattling noise where the driver’s seatbelt meets the pillar. At 4k miles I went to have it fixed. The car was returned with the same symptoms. I decided I’d have to live with the squeaking noise (which is very noticeable by all passengers even at highway speeds with the radio on). Most of the loaners I’ve driven (at least 8 different LR3s so far) haven’t had the problem. The last loaner however had the exact same problem (even louder than mine) at only 1k miles. Because the new loaner had the same problem, I suspect it’s a defective seat belt assembly. Any thoughts? Anybody else have this problem?

2. Helicopter Noise – After about 15k miles, my LR3 developed a very loud oscillating noise, the sound of a very unbalanced wheel. When I drive, it sounds like I’m flying in a helicopter. I had an alignment and balancing job done. The vehicle was returned to me with the same noise. I inquired about the road force test – and the service manager said service would have recommended replacing the wheels and tires if the results didn’t meet specifications. After the second visit to the dealership, I started hearing the excuses – the excuse I settled with was that the vehicle has truck tires, and will therefore always make noise. The technician assured me his ford pickup truck makes the same noise, and that all trucks in fact make that noise. The dealership insists the tires are at fault, and won’t spend more time to fix the problem.

I’ve driven several trucks aside from the 8 or more LR3 loaners, and none of them have made the same noise. Frankly, it’s somewhat embarrassing driving a $50k helicopter. Could this be the CV joints or bearings?

3. Sheet metal vibration – There’s a very, very loud metallic vibration noise at about 20 mph (think coins left on dryer). This will be my 4th service visit to have it fixed (7 shop days so far).

First visit – I was accused of driving on gravel roads, and getting gravel stuck in one of the heat shields. I hadn’t, in fact, driven off road. It became very clear that despite all the videos and posters showing Land Rovers tackling extreme and remote lands, driving a Land Rover on unpaved roads is extremely discouraged and much frowned upon. A heat shield was found to be loose, supposedly, and after two test drives by technicians, the problem was resolved, supposedly.

Second visit, days later – Again the technician immediately recognized the same problem, so I was confused why the vehicle was returned in the first place. This time the excuse was “we can’t even fix that!” The technician insisted that the noise was too quiet to be noticed, and implied that I was needlessly complaining. I got a new muffler. I picked the car up, drove it 30’, and returned it.

Third visit, minutes later – I heard the gravel excuse again. Even though I was flat out ****** off, the excuse made me smile a little bit. Arguing with the service reps and the technicians is useless – they just don’t care about quality or take pride in their work. I picked the vehicle up a few days later and the noise had finally disappeared. They had tightened some bolts on a shield behind the left front rotor. 400 miles later…. the problem has returned.


I’m interested if anybody else has had these problems.

On a side note, I have very little confidence in Land Rover after owning this LR3, both in the vehicle and in the corporation. I absolutely love the car – but it spends too much time in service to be useful to me. After each service visit I am reassured that Land Rover Service is, for lack of a better word, incompetent – they don’t have the skills to fix the vehicle, and certainly lack respect for their customers and their work.

 

[thejuice]

Also I forgot to mention... it started leaking this weekend. Wet dashboard, carpet, seats.

 

[grommet]

Sounds like you have a bad dealer/service department. You don't happen to have an alternative one in driving distance, do you? Anyway, if you are not happy... escalate! Now, of course, do always expect some pain with "hard to find" issues...

I have an early LR3 and haven't had any of these issues. There was an A-piller related water leak tech article if I remember correctly.... I think a drainage hose can come loose or wasn't fitted correctly. It never happened to me, though.

 

[Houm_WA]

juice, where are you located?

I haven't had these issues, either. I have had SOME issues, but I've been taken care of pretty well and the issues resolved relatively quickly.

I'm sorry for your experience, and can't discern whether or not your noises are real problems or maybe you are in fact looking for some issues in the sense that you don't really know if they are normal or expected or not. It seems to me that some posters on this board and hence some LR owners think they know more than they really do or are otherwise declaring certain things to be "issues" when really they are not.

I'm not saying this is the case with you, but simply that I don't know since I haven't heard your noises or had your experiences. Good luck with them....

I'll say this though, if you ever do take your LR3 offroad, you'll learn of its true nature. I've had that pleasure and the Rover simply kicks butt. In fact, I think that people that are having trouble with their LR3's are doing so because they have NOT taken the beast offroad. ....going offroad is like physical therapy for the LR3.

 

[JackMac]

Bad service delivery, bottom line.

The water is a known issue, and there is a documented TSB or fix from LR. They usually just need to clean out the roof drains.

Tires, again this is a known issue, numerous related posts here. There is a TSB and a new alignment spec. Your rear tires are probably worn or "chopped" on the inside edge which will cause that type of "helicopter" noise. It could be something else too, can't really diagnose it from here.

Any other dealerships in your area? You may want to try an alternate for better service. Or as mentioned above, escalate to LRNA if necessary.

 

[zdas04]

Don't you love it when some office puke "accuses" you of TAKING A LAND ROVER OFF ROAD? My god, I rarely see gravel but I see a BUNCH of mud, boulders, snow, and pipeline right of way's. The truck is so good off road that I sometimes hate to get back to the highway. I've had some problems with the competence of the dealership where I bought the truck, but they've never baulked when the color of my white LR3 could best be described as "Adobe". The dealer where I purchased the truck is 3 hours away and last week I found that the next closest is 5 hours away. The next service is going to be done at the farther dealership. If you are willing to broaden your view you can probably find another dealership and be able to stop dealing with the *****'s who gave you grief about driving on gravel (that still blows me away).

David

 

[pbrover]

"Frack" that dealership

After reading your e-mail I just began to burnnnnn! Please escalate to Land Rover North America A.S.A.P! Don't let that dealership sour your experience anymore. "Fracking" punk techs and service writers! I equated your e-mail to a woman friend of mine.

I asked my friend how the body shop did repairing her Mercedes and she said that they messed up the paint...bubbles in the paint. I then asked her how she address the issue with them and she stated just like most auto repair places treat women.....talk down to her and tried to minimize the isssue and tried to make her feel she doesnt know what she is talking about. After she politely listened to their "this dumb ***** does not know what she is talking about comments and excuses", she had to pull the well gentlemen my Dad owns 5 car dealerships and I grew up around cars, therefore I know what I am looking at and I don't appreciate your explanations and I consider them very sexiest. Then she went on to explain to them it is best that I speak to owner about this and handed out her business card so he could call her. Once they read the business card and could see that she was an attorney and she also handed out her husbands business card who is also an attorney.....well there looks were priceless! Bottomline...car it back in the shop getting repainted.

Partner, if you have tried the white gloves and patient approach and that didn't work, then it's time to bring out the BIG STICK.

So what is the parallel, it seems that some Land Rover dealership staff treat their tea drinking customers the same way as my women friend.

Does anybody agree? If Land Rover can fix these bad dealer issues and with their great product line, man they could really make some huge in-roads in the car industry.

I love my Land Rover Dealership and my LR3

Good Luck

 

[nwoods]

Have you talked to the manager of the dealership? Seriously. There is a morale problem there in that service garage and it needs to be righted immeadiately. After your meetng with the general manager, THEN you get LRNA involved, and make you tell him that you are doing so.

I had a similar expereicne with tire alignment, and was told by the dweeb meeting clients at the door that they were all like that. I don't care if they are all like that, it is still wrong and a problem and LR has a TSB for it. I demand that my service technicians be subject matter experts on these cars, but sadly, I find that very often they are not.

The dealer is not your only alternative. Many Land Rover focused privately owned service garages can and will perform warrenty work. My guess is, with the incompetence you've described, there is a healthy and busy repair shop nearby catering to customers fed up with the crap from your dealer. Search them out.

If you share your region with us, we can probably make reccommendations for you.

 

[nwoods]

Also, there is a wealth of technical info available on your LR3 (and some of the problems you've expereinced) here: www.disco3.co.uk

It is evident that you do not know much about the mechanical nature of cars. You shouldn't have to! But it sounds like your dealer is trying to use your innocence of the mechnical items against you.

It would be funny if you brought a very visable camcorder with you and went through the process again. When they ask what's with the camera, tell them it's for a video LRNA asked you to make

 

[thejuice]

Thanks for the feedback!

My posts were mostly blowing off steam. To follow up some of the comments...

- I have taken my LR3 off roading a number of times, but I've never beaten up on it. I'd also never tell the service department that I've used it offroad, because they would undoubtedly use that thereinafter as an excuse for the vehicle’s EVERY problem.

- Clearly, the dealership service department lacks good management. However, after three separate dealerships, I have yet to find a LR dealership that I trust. My current dealership happens to offer loaner vehicles (I’ve had to argue for loaners in the past).

- Although my posts don’t reflect it, I am very technically inclined. I happen to be an engineer, and spend a good amount of my free time modifying my BMW.

- There is no doubt that the dealership doesn’t take me seriously. I am very likely their youngest client – I just happen to be a badass at my job and am well compensated, allowing me to buy such toys. Every time I step into the service department, I get the feeling of eyes rolling… “here comes that kid again.”

- The tire noise is not an alignment issue. The alignment was made to recent specs, and my tire wear is very even and normal. Rotating the tires does not result in a change in the noise, and the tires are equally quiet on the balancer. I’ve had an independent mechanic evaluate the problem – his first thought was “you’re about to blow a bearing.” Land Rover won’t address the issue until I put new tires on the vehicle. I am confident that if Land Rover would swap the rims and tires with new ones, the noise would persist.

- I frequently read the posts… and am aware of many of the LR3’s problems. I told myself that chances were low I’d find myself with those problems… after all it’s human nature to complain. Surely not every LR3 will experience problems! I hoped statistically I’d slip through the crack. Well to all those considering the purchase… there’s no crack to slip through. To those that haven’t yet experienced problems… sleep well now, because you will soon.

- Finally, I have contacted Land Rover corporate, and am waiting on an appointment with a field engineer. The dealership has yet to accept my request for an appointment (ie, they won’t return my calls).

- I plan to seek legal counsel on the issue. Unfortunately the vehicle’s age and mileage exceeds my state’s lemon law, but under federal contract law, Land Rover is failing to meet its warranty obligations. Do I have a lemon? No. Does Land Rover need extra motivation? Very much so.