Land Rover Range Rover
3.0-litre successor to the 276DT with the same structural crankshaft bearing weaknesses. Timing chains and injectors add further problem areas. Engine replacement costs of £5,000–£10,000 are a real possibility. Very short oil change intervals (max. 8,000 km) are mandatory. Only buy with complete documentation.
SDV6 L405 275 hp: a worthy touring diesel
At 202 kW the Range Rover L405 moves noticeably more lively than with the base diesel. The automatic suits this V6 well. For long journeys in comfortable surroundings a pleasant companion — with the known maintenance risks.
Engine Weaknesses 5
The 306DT inherits the narrow crankshaft design of the 276DT. Bearing shells spin in operation and block oil galleries. Service bulletin SSM71816 covers 3.0L versions as well. Engine replacement costs £6,000–12,000.
Symptoms: Rhythmic knocking from the lower engine block (worse under load), oil pressure loss, metal particles in the oil filter
From around 80,000 km the 306DT chain tensioners and guides can wear. Rattling on cold start is the typical early warning. Left unattended, chain jump and engine damage follow.
Symptoms: Metallic rattling on cold start (disappears once warm), check engine light, P0008/P0016/P0017
Certain 306DT injectors can over-fuel, causing extreme heat buildup in the cylinder and piston melting. Metal particles from the resulting damage destroy other engine components.
Symptoms: Individual cylinder power loss, rough engine noise, fault codes on individual injectors, metallic sounds
The 306DT has the same problematic oil cooler as its predecessor the 276DT. Oil-coolant cross-contamination is possible. Regular inspection of the coolant for oil traces is recommended.
Symptoms: Oil traces in the coolant reservoir, coolant loss, rising engine oil level
The oil pump pressure regulator valve can fail and deliver insufficient oil pressure. Frequent oil changes (max 10,000 km interval) with quality oil are essential for prevention.
Symptoms: Oil pressure warning, engine noise, code P06DD (oil pressure regulation)
Vehicle Weaknesses 7
Air springs tear and the compressor overloads. Typical case: vehicle drops after parking, compressor and both air springs plus valve block replaced (approx. 2,200 euros). Occurs regularly despite the aluminium body.
Panoramic roof drain hoses corrode at the plastic connector fitting and break off. Water runs through the body to the audio amplifier under the driver's seat. Several vehicles written off. Annual cleaning of the drains strongly recommended.
Water ingress through failed sunroof drains or leaking windows damages control units under the front seats. Multiple ECUs affected simultaneously. Audio amplifier under the driver's seat particularly vulnerable. Total losses documented by insurance in confirmed cases.
Tailgate seal and gaskets around the rear lights leak — water collects in the spare wheel well. Water runs out when opening the tailgate after rain. Seals and light strip sealing must be replaced.
Rear brake calipers seize due to corrosion of the guide pins in the aluminium housing. Vehicle pulls to one side under braking. Regular replacement necessary. Disc life reduced to approximately 50,000 km by the binding effect.
ZF 8HP gearbox suffers harsh shifts, delayed engagement and torque converter issues when oil changes are skipped. Gearbox oil change recommended every 60,000 km. Sensor fails to detect park position. Diesel variants particularly affected.
InControl Touch Pro navigation uses TMC-based traffic data and suggests partly nonsensical routes. System freezes and restarts. Bluetooth issues and display pixel failures known. Updates improve things but do not resolve them permanently.
Reports & Tests
110 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2012–2021). Most reported: Engine (18), Electrical (16), Fuel System (14).