1997 Land Rover Range Rover problems & reliability
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 24% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 10% |
| Engine | 2 | 10% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 10% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 10% |
| Tires | 2 | 10% |
| Visibility | 2 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have the light for the check engine on. The mechanic change the engine and still the light on. And while I drive on the freeway. It's stop suddenly and cut power. I call aaa to pick it up and it was the dynamitic and I fixed, but it turn it and stop while I drive it again. Also many time when I start the power it's…”
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · filed Mar 11, 2017
“Michelin latitudetour hp 255/65r16 sidewall failure. Inside sidewall perforation cause sudden loss of pressure. Same model tire as covered by previous recall nhtsa campaign number: 13t006000 component(s): tires no damage to tire other than sidewall failure. Failure occurred when vehicle parked. *tr”
Tires · filed Feb 11, 2015
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 land rover range rover. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, smoke began to emit through the vents and the hood. The contact discovered that there was fire coming from under the hood. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was…”
Engine · filed Dec 29, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
15 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Land Rover Range Rover. The 10 most recent:
The 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a vehicle has reached its service point.
SFCC_08MAR18_16 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 8, 2018
Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
SFCC-14SEP17 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 14, 2017
"issue: reports have been received of engine damage occurring, which is caused by the use of non-approved engine induction / fuel injection cleaning equipment or materials. This includes, but is not limited to…
SSM56457 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 28, 2014
Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability
LTB00389NAS3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 19, 2013
Air suspension diagnostic guidelines-incorrectly diagnosed eas system faults. *sc
600105 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2005
Steering system groan. *tt
035701 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 7, 2003
Subject regarding recall d236 - catalyst inspection and replacement. *tt
SA0RE01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 9, 2002
Information regarding catalyst degradation can lead to noise and mil illumination. *yh
D236 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 4, 2002
Vehicle emissions recall action d236 for customers complaining of loose catalyst bricks rattle noise from the underside of the vehicle. *tt
SRE0201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 4, 2002
Land rover has determined that certain under-hood hoses and tubing components used in the manufacture and repair of certain vehicles prior to vin xa410481 could fail in service. The resulting loss of fluid from these…
SRE0007 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 8, 2000
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Land Rover Range Rover has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Land Rover Range Rover?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.