Thread: Has your defender ever let you down

G'day Bloke,
I have a 2003 TD5 130 and owned since new, the only warranty clams I made were RE the clutch master cylinder at 1500km and 20,000 after that nothing else went wrong that wasn't (self inflicted!!) At about 60-70,000kms I started to melt headlight switches and replaced 3 before fitting the traxride-tronics headlight upgrade (180 bucks from memory). At about 80,000kms the crank angle sensor went.

Self inflected stuff includes,
-front right axle/CV joint - dam those air lockers.
-Battery arc out and fried hand break cable - my failure to correctly check and secure batt clamp, ended up being a long walk with my dog.
-Starter motor and alternator - gee that high speed mud was expensively fun!!!
-Fried indicator can - dodgy trailer hook up.

The list goes on...

One thing is for sure, n o matter what you do or don't do to it, some one here has done it before and can help.

Cheers Easo

Love my fender/ wife not so much.

Never,
Had two defenders, 2002 TD5. Notchy gearbox that worked ok - just could not get second gear without a crunch - LRA fixed that.

Clutch master cylinder very minor leak (sit with the foot on the clutch for 4 or 5 mins in gear, and the car started to move forward - may have been like that from new - who sits with his foot on the clutch for 5 mins!!). Took 2 weeks for a new one to arrive and as i was up in darwin (on a 3 week holiday at the time) LR customer care picked up my acomodation tab as i was more than 200K from home. So it worked out well.

New 2010 pumu - engine ECU dies and world not start. Its a ford enginem 7.2 bazillion of them have been sold so its a "**** happens moment" After 30 mins rest I turned the key and it started without hesitation so again drivable.

Things go wrong with all cars, people mostly find a voice when there are problems.

My wife drived a twin turbo diesel 2009 BMW X5 (sorry, i know its not a real 4WD AND its made in america) and thats been back to BMW with warranty issue - wrong battery installed from the factory and failed in 10 months - no start. Nav system failed and needed replacement, and we go through $3,000 worth of tyres every year (20" ultra wide) and they chew out in 20K. $800 a corner!!!!

The Defender is great - there are some build issues but nothing that I feel is serious. If you dont take it off road there is no issue. If you do take it offroad no doubt you'll take it someplace to get the bits put on, pick a LR specialist and they will tell you what things need to be fixed and they will sort out issues - or find problems to ask LRA to fix under warranty.

I know that this is a Stupid comment - but IF my Ford ECU did not die, I would have no warranty issue with my car so far.

Originally Posted by loneranger

Has your defender ever let you down and left you stranded in the middle of nowhere?

Nope

Originally Posted by loneranger

I've been wanting to get a landrover defender since childhood and now that time is near. I've been reading these forums for a while trying to work out if it's something I should actually do.

There seems to be a lot of people voicing concerns about reliability issues. As with all things most people only say things when there is something to say so I'm not sure that the impression I'm getting about the defenders reliability is accurate.

If you could answer the following questions it would be a great help:

Has your defender ever let you down and left you stranded in the middle of nowhere?

Are the warranty issues people have mainly mechanical or cosmetic?

Is a defender going to spend more time at the mechanic than in the bush?

Has anyone ever bought a new defender and not had to make a warranty claim?

I'm just trying to work out the real issues as opposed to unrealistic expectations of the vehicle (I'm not overly concerned about cosmetic issues).

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Nope never let me down, had three still got two. Only real issue with the Puma has been clutch rattle but thats been cured. The wifes TD5 90, nothing since we bought it and on the vehicle's history nothing since new. I would not think any vehicle, Land Rover or Aston would not have had awarrenty issue in three years, I also know that I would buy another Defender if I was in the market a new 4x4 again, the resale alone speeks for its self.

Allan

Never let me down. Has came to the rescue a few times when the Discovery has though.

My 98 TDi has done 270,000 kms and only had the water pump replaced, even that didn't leave me stranded. The only warranty problems I had when it was new, related to water leaks in the roof. It still leaks, it was never fixed we just got tired of going back.

Jeff

my old man owned my defender b4 i gota hold of it, since new its had a new maf and master cly, front diff after a bit to much skinny pedle from the old boy out at cruser park,

since iv owned it iv done another front diff and a ecu got wet,

the wet ecu has been the only show stopper,

other then that iv had twisted rear axels, (arb locker dose that)

oh and i got a puncher on the way home from cruser today

Originally Posted by loneranger

I've been wanting to get a landrover defender since childhood and now that time is near. I've been reading these forums for a while trying to work out if it's something I should actually do. I was exactly the same.

There seems to be a lot of people voicing concerns about reliability issues. As with all things most people only say things when there is something to say so I'm not sure that the impression I'm getting about the defenders reliability is accurate.

If you could answer the following questions it would be a great help:

Has your defender ever let you down and left you stranded in the middle of nowhere? Yes but not really in the middle of no where. Once in my drive way on the first week, once 100klm from home in the third week.

Are the warranty issues people have mainly mechanical or cosmetic? In my case it was electrical. It had an intermittent fault that would leave the ignition powerless, thus no power to start. It is has had a wheel alignment and balance, an oil leak rectified between the g box and trans, is going back for some water leaks, and door stay has failed.

Is a defender going to spend more time at the mechanic than in the bush? All depends on a vehicles life, age, and maintenance. Mine, 2010, definitely had me pondering if I had purchased the right vehicle. I like my 130, it suits my needs, I fully expect it to spend it's days as a normal, reliable, 4x4 with occasional small repairs.

Has anyone ever bought a new defender and not had to make a warranty claim? I am not one of these people. However, out of the 6 people I know who have purchased new vehicles in other brands, all 4x4's, they to have all had warranty claims. Some major, some minor.

I'm just trying to work out the real issues as opposed to unrealistic expectations of the vehicle (I'm not overly concerned about cosmetic issues). I think if you have never owned one but had an interest in one you will be OK. They are definitely nothing like a Japanese vehicle, and this can take some adjusting in your thinking. They are a bit like a macarno toy, held together with bolts and nuts not hidden by fancy styling. Build quality is not really comparable to Jap, which can leave you wondering why when LR make Discoveries and RR's. But then you remember you bought a no frills, totalitarian vehicle with personality. Some one on here said a Defender doesn't make sense in the modern world, and I agree, my wife give me crap about it all the time, but I just love driving it.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

hope this helps

Some issues are specific to a particular model, but as you are concerned about warranty I guess you want to know about the 2.4 lt Puma engine models. Can't help there.

300Tdi and TD5 I have experience with.