Are you saying the flaps/linkage have been ingested into the engine and caused damage?This engine is a Ford/peugeot combined design and used in many other cars.Can't say it's a common problem ,but it is not a serviceable part.

Much like wheel bearings, these parts do occasionally wear out and break. They aren't generally serviced / replaced, as it's impossible to tell when (or even if) they will ever wear out on a particular car.

If it was commonplace, then you'd expect to see a number of incidents recorded here :

www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/land-rover/freelande...d

As there are none others of what you've recorded, then it can only be assumed to be relatively rare. Thus most likely down to 'wear and tear', and most likely not covered by a warranty.

If all depends on exactly what your warranty does - or does not - cover. However, on a 9 year old car such as this, it is only to be expected that parts will wear out and break. Sometimes with catastrophic results.

If the warranty company don't cover it, then, apart from the ridiculous cost of a new engine, the alternatives would be to get your engine rebuilt, a reconditioned engine fitted, or an engine from a scrapped car fitted.

After-market warranty companies all try to avoid claims by classing everything a "wear-and-tear" and at the risk of upsetting HJ, not worth the paper they're printed on.

Some are pretty decent, to be fair. (HJ recommends WD, which are certainly one of the better ones). But the simple fact is that this vehicle is 9 years old, with all the attendant wear and tear of that. Even if a component was covered, there would be a significant customer contribution at that age of the vehicle.

For WD, the warranty would pay 50 or 60% of the parts cost in the case of this age of vehicle dependent on mileage), and 100% of the labour costs. All assuming that the failure was covered, of course.

But what really matters in this case is the warranty that the person has in place, and what it says it does (or does not) cover.