BOXY TRUCKS
Common problems · 2012–21

Range Rover L405 problems: 8 things to check

The problems owners and specialists flag most on the Land Rover Range Rover L405, the repairs they end up doing and what those cost, plus the years and recalls to watch. Sourced, not scraped.

Read the full Range Rover L405 guideYears to avoidBiggest tireSpecs & fluids

Range Rover L405 problems to check before you buy

  1. Check every recall is closedNHTSA lists keyless door-latch recalls for 2013–2016 trucks (doors may unlatch) and front-suspension knuckle recalls for 2014–2017 trucks (the upper knuckle joint can crack). AutoTrader.ca counted at least 19 safety recalls on this generation in Canada. Trucks that left the dealer network early are the most likely to have open campaigns. Run the VIN.
  2. Be extra careful with pre-2015 trucksPistonHeads' L405 guide says early cars had the most electrical and body problems. It advises a warranty, saying Land Rover's own cover for early cars costs around £1,400 a year after a free inspection. Panel fit on the rear doors, tailgate and bonnet is a known weak spot, and so are door seals.
  3. Listen to the front end on a rough roadCoast and brake moderately over broken tarmac. Clunks or pops point to worn front track control arms or rear lower arms (around £700 fitted as a pair, per PistonHeads) — or, on 2014–2017 trucks, to the knuckle recall. AutoTrader.ca says not to take delivery of one with unusual front-end noise.
  4. Watch the ride height overnightCompressors fail and air springs split, and PistonHeads calls both 'known things.' Look for a corner that sags after standing, a compressor that runs constantly, or suspension faults on the dash. Check that every height mode works: access, normal and off-road.
  5. Cold-start a 5.0 V8 yourselfA rattle lasting a second or two on a cold start is the classic sign of tired timing-chain guides and tensioners, particularly on 2010–2014 engines. Fault codes P0016–P0019 come later. A metallic rattle at idle can instead be the supercharger coupler or isolator. Look for coolant loss too: the plastic crossover pipes crack.
  6. Ask how the diesel was servicedTDV6/SDV6 crank-bearing failures are documented in Land Rover bulletin SSM71816 and in owner threads. Owners suspect oil sludging under long intervals and the wrong oil grade play a part. Ask for regular servicing with the correct oil. On the 4.4 SDV8, check for EGR faults and oily turbo breather pipes (up to £850 to replace).
  7. Test the screens and switchesInfotainment freezes, dead cameras and Bluetooth faults are common and often fixed by software. If the head unit goes black or won't boot, assume an expensive repair until proved otherwise. Check the start/stop and steering-wheel buttons, the interior door releases, and the rotary gear selector, which can fail to rise.
  8. Look at the wheels, and the transfer-case historyPistonHeads says the 22-inch wheels are soft and buckle on potholes, so check them for bends. AutoTrader.ca advises that any non-factory wheels come from a reputable brand and be rated for the truck's weight. Transfer-box and differential oil should be changed at around 30,000 miles, so ask for proof.

The repairs Range Rover L405 owners end up doing

REPAIRSYMPTOMSDIFFICULTYTIMECOST
Front air strut replacementOne front corner sitting low after standing, a hiss when the truck lowers to access height, the compressor working overtime, or air-suspension faults that come back after recalibration.3 / 5≈ 1–2 hours per side (forum labour estimate for full-size Range Rover struts)Front strut about $730–$830 (Lucky8 BWI/OE listings), plus labor
Air-suspension lift rods (height-sensor links)Not a fault — it's the cheapest lift on the planet. The truck sits too low for bigger tyres or rough tracks, or scrapes its sills in ruts.1 / 5≈ 20–30 minutesAbout $99 per set (Lucky8)
Front lower control arms (clunk fix)Knocks or clunks from the front over broken surfaces and under moderate braking; vague steering; uneven tyre wear.3 / 5VariesAround £700 fitted for the common arm pair (PistonHeads); arms from about $290 a pair aftermarket, $785 genuine, $489 polybushed
5.0 supercharged cooling-pipe and water-pump refreshUnexplained coolant loss, sweet smell, weeping at the back of the engine or around the thermostat housing. Plastic pipes typically go around 100,000 km and water pumps around 80,000–140,000 km.4 / 5Varies — the rear crossover pipe sits under the superchargerShop price about CA$1,800–3,200 for the pipes (supercharger removal), plus CA$900–1,500 for a water pump; ARC050 aluminium pipe kit $199
5.0 V8 timing chains, guides and tensionersA rattle for a second or two on a cold start, later joined by cam-timing codes P0016, P0017, P0018 or P0019.5 / 5Varies — a shop jobAbout CA$4,500–7,500 at a specialist; genuine 34-piece kit $1,599
Supercharger coupler / isolatorA metallic rattle or knock from the front of the engine at idle, often mistaken for timing chain; a louder-than-normal whine means dry snout bearings.4 / 5Varies — the snout must come apartAbout CA$900–1,500 for the isolator; CA$2,000–2,800 for a full snout rebuild
Auxiliary stop/start batteryStop/start that works only sometimes or not at all, rough or slow restarts, low-voltage warnings and odd infotainment behaviour.2 / 5VariesAbout $288 for the AGM auxiliary battery (Lucky8)

Each repair links to a step-by-step guide with tools, part numbers and where to buy the parts.

Years with known problems

YEARSFLAGWHAT TO KNOW
2013–14BewareEarly trucks. Specialist guides single out pre-2015 cars for the most electrical and body faults, and recalls cover door latches, airbags and the brake vacuum hose.

Every Range Rover L405 model year, with the best ones to buy →

Range Rover L405 recalls and service bulletins

Check any VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls ↗, or see the recall tracker.

Owner questions about Range Rover L405 reliability

Is the TDV6 crankshaft failure real?

Yes, but it isn't universal. Land Rover service bulletin SSM71816 (May 2014) blamed a 'low incidence' of crank failures mainly on wrongly located or rotating main-bearing shells. In a FullFatRR poll of L405 3.0 owners, 88% reported no issues. The usual advice is the correct oil, shorter oil-change intervals than the maximum, and a warranty that covers the engine.

SOURCE · AULRO · FULLFATRR
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Sourced from owners, specialists and factory documents; full sources are on the Range Rover L405 guide. Verify torque figures and procedures against the factory service manual (disclaimer).

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