2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Reliability Report

The transmission shifts from Drive into Neutral on its own when the engine restarts after an auto start-stop. On a hill, one car rolled backward several feet. Drivers must reselect Drive by hand. Owners say the dealer has a bulletin on it but no fix, only advice to switch off start-stop on every drive. Some cars refuse to accelerate after a restart and show "Gearbox fault detected." Several complaints here describe DC-DC converter failures that shut the car down at speed, killing steering and brakes. Another reports abnormal jerking that the dealer could not diagnose.

Gear engagement lags, and in one crash-related report the car stayed in Drive after the driver selected Reverse. Other owners see "Gearbox Fault" messages after remote start. A false door-open warning keeps one car from moving at stops, once blocking an intersection. Another car was disabled after the anti-theft system deactivated both keys left inside, with a $3,000 dealer quote. Also reported: a falling sensor cover above the mirror, windshield cracks, three oxygen sensors replaced under 6K miles, and a backup camera that is hard to see at night.

Brake pads wear out far too early, usually between about 9,500 and 17,000 miles. Owners see a pad warning light, hear squealing, or feel shaking under braking. Dealers have found flaking or cracked pads. One dealer said the long wheelbase design wears the original pads quickly and is switching to a different pad, but warranty does not cover the swap. One front and rear pad job cost $2,459.97. Another car could not be repaired because pads were back-ordered, and the owner was told not to drive it.

Coolant leaks from the turbo coolant lines and cause overheating. The temperature gauge climbs toward red with an overheating warning. Dealers confirm the problem and replace o-rings and a bypass hose assembly. Owners worry about engine damage and fire risk. Several reports describe the transmission slipping into Neutral at stoplights. Others cover stalling: an electrical fault warning followed by a DC converter failure, or warning lights and a stall that a new battery did not fix, with the needed part on backorder. One car with under 10k miles shows an emissions fault and dies in traffic.

Most of these filings are about a delayed recall repair, not an air bag failure. Owners say they received a recall notice but the dealer has no part, sometimes for months, and one dealer refused to do anything in the meantime. Several of these filings describe a different Land Rover model. The only reported fault is an air bag warning light that stays on at 10,000 miles, with no cause found yet.

In one alarming case, the front passenger-side wheel and suspension came off at 15-20 mph after a chugging sound. The suspension warning light was on, and the dealer was still diagnosing it. Another report is the familiar electrical shutdown on a freeway: a battery charging fault, then disabled suspension and cameras and a total loss of power. The dealer had 30 cars waiting for DC-DC converters. A third owner reports sudden automatic emergency braking in traffic, worn pads and rotors, and constant coolant loss.

A rear tail lamp goes dark because its wiring harness rubs against a plastic bracket, and water then corrodes the wire until it breaks. The other report is about the digital driver display, not exterior lights. After a software update, it dims so far in sun or partial cloud that the speed, gauges and warning lights cannot be read. The owner says other forum members report the same thing.