common problems with land rover range rover sport

The Range Rover Sport is brilliant when it’s working and magnificently theatrical when it isn’t. If you’re shopping one, budget for the glamour and the gremlins in equal measure.

• Air suspension woes: tired airbags, leaky lines, lazy compressors, and height sensors throwing tantrums.
• Diesel niggles (2.7/3.0 TDV6): clogged EGR valves, turbo actuator issues, DPF blockages, and in some cases crankshaft/bearing failures.
• V8 quirks (5.0): timing chain tensioner wear and water pump leaks aren’t unheard of.
• Driveline: ZF auto shudder if fluid was “lifetime” (it isn’t), plus transfer case/diff whine.
• Electrics: infotainment freezes, parking sensors, keyless locks, EPB modules—today’s luxury is tomorrow’s wiring diagram.
• Water ingress: sunroof drain and tailgate seal leaks leading to damp carpets and lively fault codes.

Get a specialist pre-purchase inspection, chase a full service history, and keep a repair fund for when it decides to feel British again. Find a good one and it’s sublime; find a neglected one and you’ll know your mechanic’s birthday.