Land Rover Range Rover Sport
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 last generation: mature and direct
The 224 kW SDV6 just before being replaced by the Ingenium diesel shows the V6 diesel at its best. Well-sorted, with enough power for every situation. For used car buyers, despite the maintenance effort, an interesting package.
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 8
Air suspension compressor and air springs fail regularly. Vehicle drops after parking, compressor runs continuously. Valve block, height sensors and reservoir tank also affected. Replacing one air spring costs over 1,500 euros.
Panoramic roof drain hoses corrode at the connector fitting and break off. Rainwater runs uncontrolled into the body, collects under the driver's seat and damages the audio amplifier and ECUs. Several vehicles written off.
Door lock module defective — doors can open unintentionally while driving. Land Rover recall for over 65,000 vehicles (2014–2016). Sealed unit must be completely replaced; no partial repair possible.
Brake discs warp prematurely due to the vehicle's high mass. Brembo calipers with steel guide pins in aluminium housings corrode and seize. Average disc life approximately 50,000 km. ECU-controlled pistons require specialist diagnostics.
Diesels from 2016 with AdBlue/SCR systems show excessive consumption and sensitive NOx sensors. Overfilling damages the sensor. Vehicle immobilises itself when AdBlue tank is empty. Fault diagnosis starts at 75 euros.
Front lower wishbones (straight and curved variants) wear early due to vehicle weight. Bushings are barely possible to press in correctly — full arm replacement recommended. Wheel alignment essential after repair.
The most common cause of the SRS warning light is a broken wire in the thin cables under the front seats. Land Rover solution: overlay cable repair. Cheaper than replacing the control unit. Simple OBD diagnosis is sufficient to narrow down the fault.
InControl Touch and InControl Touch Pro freeze while driving or boot spontaneously. Instrument cluster and infotainment go black simultaneously. Bluetooth connections drop. Software updates improve the situation but do not resolve the issue permanently.
Reports & Tests
The Range Rover Sport L494 shows surprisingly few problems following the platform change.
113 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2013–2022). Most reported: Electrical (32), Engine (25), Brakes (13).