2002 Land Rover Discovery Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE SPEED WAS ABOVE 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT SHAFT WAS REPLACED TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TRAVELING SOUTH OF COLUMBUS, OH ON INTERSTATE, GOING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH. CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE, SUDDEN LOUD NOISE (AS IF TIRE BLEW OR WE HIT AN OBJECT) AND WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS BLACK SMOKE BILLOWED UP AND INTO THE CAR. TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND EXITED. UPON INSPECTION THE TIRES WERE FINE. CALLED AAA AND HAD CAR TOWED TO NEAREST LAND ROVER DEALER IN DUBLIN, OH. NEXT DAY WE WERE TOLD THE DRIVE SHAFT "CAME APART" AND THEN DAMAGED THE TRANSMISION AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PIPE, ALONG WITH DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLOOR BOARD. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT WE WERE "LUCKY" THE CAR CAME TO A SAFE STOP. OUR CAR WAS "TOTALED" AS THE DAMAGES QUOTED WERE AS MUCH AS THE CAR WAS WORTH, ACCORDING TO LAND ROVER DUBLIN. THEY SHOWED US THE KBB PRICE OF $10,000 AND THE DAMAGE QUOTE WAS $8,900. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A RELATIVE'S HOME IN PA. (IT IS CLOSER THAN OUR HOME IN TN). *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED A FEW MONTH AGO AND THE WARRANTY COMPANY REPLACED IT IN MAY 07 W/A GENERIC PUMP. 2 WEEKS LATER IT FAILED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME RUINED THE RESERVOIR AND RADIATOR, SO THOSE ITEMS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE DEALER REPLACED W/ A LR PSPUMP, BUT IT FAILED. SO THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER, BUT IT FAILED ONE WEEK LATER. THE WARRANTY COMPANY APPROVED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT, WHICH WAS COMPLETED. I HAD THE CAR ONE DAY AND IT WAS RETURNED TO LR B/C IT WAS MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE. LR REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. I DROVE THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE. LR TOWED THE CAR AND REPLACED THE PS PUMP AGAIN. I JUST PICKED IT UP YESTERDAY. *TR

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE FOR 2 YEARS. ABOUT 8-9 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT AT CERTAIN SPEEDS, MY STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH, OR SHIMMY, SOMETIMES SOMEWHAT VIOLENTLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO ARISTOCRAT MOTORS, THE ONLY SERVICE CENTER IN MY AREA FOR LAND ROVERS, AND HAVE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THEY CHECKED THE TIRES AND THEY WERE FINE. THAT WAS IT. THE SECOND TIME, I CALLED AND ASKED WHY IT WAS DOING IT, AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THAT'S JUST WHAT LAND ROVERS DO AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THE THIRD TIME, I WAS TOLD THE WHEELS AREN'T UNBALANCED AND THAT'S THE LAST THEY SAID ABOUT IT. I HAVE A FOURTH APPOINTMENT TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND EXPECT THEM TO FIX IT OR I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE IF IT BREAKS LATER AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *JB