Is the 2004 Land Rover Freelander reliable?

Does the diesel Land Rover Freelander, circa 2004, have any serious issues?

Killian Neill (Portlaoise)

Jan 2013 Filed under: reliability

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Expert answer

Hi Killian,

Bad news I'm afraid: this first generation Freelander was plagued with reliability problems. Saying that, Land Rover sorted most of the major issues by 2002. The 1.8-litre petrol engine is best avoided as it's susceptible to blown head gaskets, though the diesel alternatives are more durable. Otherwise, the issues come from the electrics (the windows in particular), the rear differential and the manual gearbox.

If you're still determined, take a close look at all those items and listen out for any unexpected grumbles through the transmission.

Hope that helps

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D