Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1989 Land Rover Range Rover, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Steering1
- Electrical system1
- Vehicle speed control1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1989 Land Rover Range Rover failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1989 passenger car (0.81%). Median odometer at inspection: 86,424 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
28 first registered in 1989 are on Dutch roads; 54% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde4
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld2
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen2
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse2
- Roestschade bevestiging bovenbouw1
- Ruitensproeierinstallatie werkt niet1
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af1
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting ondeugdelijk bevestigd1
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
26 cars built in 1989 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 249 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 152 of these cars first registered in 1989 took their annual MOT test. 75% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1989 the figure was 72%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1989 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.8% | 15.4% |
| Brakes | 8.6% | 9.2% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Steering | 3.9% | 3.6% |
| Suspension | 3.9% | 8.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
13 1989 cars are on the New Zealand register; 62% arrived as used imports, 31% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK CAN CORRODE OVER TIME ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Land Rover told its dealers about the 1989 Land Rover Range Rover: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 608151 | SUBJECT PERTAINS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF LUCAS HAND HELD TESTER AND DIAGNOSTIC CARDS. *TT |
| 50659 | PRIDE - 14CUX COIL CONNECTIONS. *TW |
| 50629 | BECM UPDATES AND REVERSE MIRROR DIP FUNCTION. *TW |
| 10136669 | The 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a vehicle has reached its service point. |
| 10125267 | Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call |
| 10102683 | "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, ""VACU-FLUSH"" TYPE EQUIPMENT. CAUSE: THE USE OF NON-APPROVED EQUIPMENT CAN CAUSE THE ENGINES TO HYDRO-LOCK, OR CAUSE OTHER ENGINE DAMAGE, AND SOMETIMES THE ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR IS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE." |
| 10016661 | AIR SUSPENSION DIAGNOSTIC GUIDELINES-INCORRECTLY DIAGNOSED EAS SYSTEM FAULTS. *SC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)