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Land Rover Freelander VIN Number Check

Enter a Land Rover Freelander VIN for a free NHTSA vPIC decode: build details and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. Owner reports follow below.

VIN prefixSAL

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

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Land Rover Freelander

About the Land Rover Freelander

Land Rover sold the Freelander in the US for model years 2002–2005. Across those years NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recall campaigns and 451 owner complaints. The 2002 has the most complaints of any model year (226). EPA rates it at 17 mpg combined. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years2002–2005
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle
NHTSA recall campaigns6
Owner complaints451 at NHTSA
Land Rover Freelander photographed at a US vehicle auction
Auction lot photo, for illustration
Generations

Land Rover Freelander at a glance

One generation in the data, 2002–2005: 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 451 owner complaints.

1 / 1
L314
2002–2005Sport Utility Vehicle
20022005
2002–2005

Land Rover Freelander

EPA classSport Utility Vehicle
EPA combined mpg17
NHTSA recalls6

Engines (EPA)

  • 2.5 L 6-cyl · 2002–2005

Drive & transmission (EPA)

  • AWD/4WD
  • automatic (2002–2005)

Known issues to check

Engine and cooling (310)Powertrain (transmission, driveline) (127)Electrical system (65)

Mentions in 451 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · L314SALNY222?2A······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2002 Land Rover Freelander SE, built in Solihull, United Kingdom
Check a Freelander VIN

Sources: Wikipedia · EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which Freelander model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 6 campaigns on file for Freelander model years 2002–2005, and the 2003 shows up in more of them than any other year (5), ahead of the 2002 (3). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

2003
Air bag inflator, fire risk or do-not-drive/park-outside advisorySafety recallCanada only
Pick a row
What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Land Rover Freelander owners report

NHTSA data

Between them, the 2002 and 2003 hold 366 of the 451 complaints, or 81%. Tap any bar or generation.

451NHTSA complaints, 2002–2005
7mention a crash
11mention a fire
5injuries reported
Owner complaints by model yearL314: 451 complaints · most for the 2002 (226)

Top complaint areas · L314

Mentions in 451 complaints, 2002–2005.

Engine and cooling310
Powertrain (transmission, driveline)127
Electrical system65
Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)56
Brakes43
Fuel system43
Crashes 7Fires 11Injuries 5

2002–2005

NHTSA data summary

Engine and cooling owns this generation. Its 310 mentions are more than twice the next area, powertrain (127). Its first model year, the 2002, drew more complaints than any other (226 of 451).

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner complaints · by model year

Freelander complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Every Freelander version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.

451complaints, 2002–2005
7mention a crash
11mention a fire
5injuries reported
Most complaints: 2002 (226), 2003 (140), 2004 (69)
226’02140’0369’04’05

2002 · 226 complaints

Crashes 4 · fires 4 · injuries 5

Engine and engine cooling121
Power train83
Visibility27
Electrical system26
Service brakes25

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

Freelander CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 5 Freelander versions for model years 2002–2005. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 523 g/mi (2005). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

L3142002–2005

17 mpg · CO₂ 523 g/mi

2005
17combined MPG
523CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)
$3,950EPA yearly fuel cost
5/10Smog rating
1 = worst · 10 = cleanest
not ratedGreenhouse gas rating
BIN 5 · LEV IIEmission standard
Cleanest gas version of 2005: Freelander · Auto (S5), 6 cyl, 2.5 L — 17 MPG · 523 g/mi
Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year
45050055060065020052002 · Gas: 5232003 · Gas: 5232004 · Gas: 5232005 · Gas: 523
Gas

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

Freelander vs Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 2002–2005. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the Freelander, against 5 for the Toyota RAV4 and 19 for the Honda CR-V. Pick a range to compare.

Land Rover Freelander

Model years 2002–2005

NHTSA recall campaigns
6
NHTSA owner complaints
451
EPA combined mpg
17–17
Engines (EPA)
6-cyl 2.5 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Engine and cooling 310
  2. Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 127
  3. Electrical system 65

Toyota RAV4

Model years 2002–2005

NHTSA recall campaigns
5
NHTSA owner complaints
1,137
EPA combined mpg
21–24
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0, 2.4 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, FWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 619
  2. Engine and cooling 155
  3. Electrical system 151

Honda CR-V

Model years 2002–2005

NHTSA recall campaigns
19
NHTSA owner complaints
1,963
EPA combined mpg
21–23
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.4 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, FWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Air bags 504
  2. Engine and cooling 324
  3. Electrical system 308

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Land Rover Freelander VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on a Freelander

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Light blue Land Rover Freelander (first generation) SUV, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: IFCAR, Public domain; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The Freelander was discontinued for the US market after 2005, making all remaining examples well past the 20-year mark. The VIN sits on the dashboard plate at the lower driver's windshield, with the door jamb sticker and B-pillar label as secondary locations.

  1. Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
    Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
  2. Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
    Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge
The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.
FAQ

Common Land Rover Freelander VIN questions

Which Land Rover Freelander model years have the most owner complaints?

The 2002 leads with 226, ahead of the 2003 (140) and 2004 (69). Those first two alone make up 81% of the 451 Freelander complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Land Rover Freelander had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 6 vehicle campaigns for model years 2002–2005, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns.

What fuel economy does the Land Rover Freelander get?

It varies. EPA rates the 2002–2005 Freelander at 17 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Land Rover Freelander compare with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V on recalls?

For 2002–2005 models the Freelander has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns. The Toyota RAV4 has 5, the Honda CR-V 19. Complaints run 451, 1,137 and 1,963 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

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