Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 08:20
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - EAMJ

Hi, I have a 2021 3.0 diesel Range Rover Sport HSE that broke down (in the dry) and the main dealer garage are saying it's been submerged, needs a new engine and is not covered under the warranty. Extraordinary for a top 4x4 marque that uses images of the RR Sports driven through reservoirs, lakes and rivers in it's advertising and PR materials.

It has not been through anything more than a big puddle in the road and never been off road.

Has anyone had any issues with the 2021 Range Rover engine especially with an inherent fault that allows ingress of water?

What is confusing is, if the 'flood' was so deep why is there no water damage in the interior? Why did the car not stop in the flood as I gather they will 99% of the time (it broke down after a 280 mile journey in dry weather.)

I am at a loss what to do and any help or advise would be welcomed.

Thanks

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 08:39
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - paul 1963

First thing I would is get a statement from whoever recovered it stating where it was recovered from ( presumably nowhere near deep water?), do you have dashcam footage of your journey?

Sounds like as normal RR are trying to wiggle out of anything that could cost them money.

What where the symptoms when it stopped? Any strange noises? Please keep us informed of any progress.

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 11:42
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - edlithgow
Hydro lock (which seems to be what they are diagnosing) will have a fairly characteristic damage pattern, involving bent con rods and possibly cracked cylinder head. I suppose an engine seize would be similar, but I would have thought sufficiently different that an expert could tell the difference. It might still be seized, (which I wouldn’t expect a hydrlocked engine to be,) and there might be characteristic cylinder wall damage. There also wouldn’t be any (muddy) water inside the engine.

If it’s just flooded electrics they are alleging, there should still be some water around.

Sounds like you might need an independent assessment, maybe AA?
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 11:49
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - EAMJ

Yes, they are saying hydraulicking. It was from the independent engineer I used though, we got very little information from the dealer/JLR sadly.

Many thanks

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 11:47
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - EAMJ

Thanks, it was AA via JLR so will try and get that report but will have to go via the dealer I expect so...

I don't have a dashcam sadly.

When it stopped it juddered and the engine warning light came on.

Many thanks

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 11:54
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - elekie&a/c doctor
I’m not getting this . Hydra lock is when water is sucked into the engine via the air intake system. But you say it was dry at the time. So how did that happen ?
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 12:04
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - EAMJ

We have no idea how or when it happened, that is what is very confusing.

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 12:16
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - Adampr

I don't think it's confusing; they're lying to you. Did you buy it new or used. If the latter, when?

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 12:26
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - edlithgow
Raises the question: could an engine hydrolock itself, say via a massive sudden hg failure?
I would have thought not, because it wouldn’t be quick enough.
It is a LR though. Goes where other vehicles don’t.
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 12:50
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - Adampr

I think there would be more white smoke than 80s Top of Pops

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 13:09
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - edlithgow

Thanks, it was AA via JLR so will try and get that report but will have to go via the dealer I expect so...

I don't have a dashcam sadly.

When it stopped it juddered and the engine warning light came on.

Many thanks

While the recovery report will be valuable, you MIGHT need to have someone present when the engine internal damage is assessed, who doesn't have a vested interest in making evidence go away.

I dunno if AA can arrange for this, but that would be my first try. I imagine it won't be cheap

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 13:56
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - Ian D
If it was hydro locked there would be water in the air intake system and the air filter may have been wet or partly wet, this would be obvious, the report should include details and evidence (or not) of this
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 16:02
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - daveyjp
It’s a Range Rover the internet is full of similar horror stories, but people still buy them. You need an expert and may need to go legal. The dealers are used to fobbing owners off, it’s a pro sport to them as they are doing it every day.
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 17:32
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - Steveieb

From recent experience from a colleague, suggest you are in for a long hard battle withJLR over several weeks.

But personal visits to the dealer rather than phone calls and emails seems to give better results otherwise you will be at the end of “He is in a meeting “ responses from the service receptionist.

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 17:50
Land Rover Range Rover Sport - Engine 'submerged' and written off - Adampr

Is it worth raising it with the insurance company? If it was hydro locked, that would be your fault and covered by insurance. Ask them what to do and let them fight JLR.

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