The 2021 Range Rover Sport with the 3.0L supercharged V6 is a luxury SUV plagued by catastrophic engine failures stemming from defective piston rings and cooling system issues, often requiring complete rebuilds well before 100,000 miles. While newer than problem years, shares DNA with known failure-prone AJ-V6 architecture.
Catastrophic Engine Failure - Piston Ring / Bearing Destruction
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 40,000-80,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (quart every 500-1,000 miles), White or blue smoke from exhaust on startup, Metallic knocking or ticking from engine block, Sudden loss of power followed by seizure, Check engine light with misfire codes or low oil pressure warning
Fix: Complete engine rebuild or short block replacement required. Involves removing entire engine, machining or replacing block, new pistons, rings, bearings, gaskets, timing components. 35-50 labor hours depending on shop efficiency and damage extent. Some engines seize suddenly requiring core replacement.
Estimated cost: $15,000-28,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Failure with Contamination
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission slipping or harsh shifting, Milky or strawberry-colored transmission fluid, Overheating warnings on dashboard, Loss of drive or limp mode engagement, Coolant in transmission pan or transmission fluid in coolant reservoir
Fix: Replace transmission oil cooler, flush both cooling system and transmission multiple times, replace transmission fluid and filter. If contamination severe, transmission rebuild required. Cooler replacement alone is 8-12 hours; with transmission damage add 20-30 hours.
Symptoms: High-pitched whining or grinding noise from engine bay on acceleration, Loss of boost pressure and reduced power output, Check engine light with boost control codes, Rubber debris in intake tract or engine bay, Rattling noise at idle that worsens under load
Fix: Remove supercharger, replace coupler and front bearing assembly, inspect rotor pack for damage, reseal unit. Requires special pulley tools and calibration. 12-16 labor hours including removal and reinstallation.
Estimated cost: $3,200-5,500
Timing Chain Guide and Tensioner Wear
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling from front of engine on cold starts (first 5-10 seconds), Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes, Rough idle or misfires, Metal shavings in oil during changes, Engine runs rough or won't start if chain jumps timing
Fix: Replace timing chains, guides, tensioners, and variable valve timing components on both banks. Engine front disassembly required. Critical preventive item if noise present. 18-24 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,200
Electronic Parking Brake Module Failure
Occasional · medium severity
Symptoms: Parking brake malfunction warning on dash, Parking brake won't engage or release, Grinding or clicking from rear calipers, Vehicle rolls when parked on incline, EPB fault message requiring manual release procedure
Fix: Replace electronic parking brake module and/or rear brake calipers with integrated actuators. Requires dealer-level scan tool for calibration and bleeding procedure. 3-5 hours per side including programming.
Estimated cost: $1,800-3,200
Transfer Case Oil Leak and Bearing Wear
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 50,000-90,000 mi
Symptoms: Oil puddle under center of vehicle, Whining or grinding noise from center driveline, Clunking when shifting between drive ranges, HDC or terrain response faults on dashboard, Binding feeling during tight turns
Fix: Replace transfer case seals, check fluid level and condition. If bearings damaged, requires transfer case rebuild or replacement unit. Seal replacement is 4-6 hours; full rebuild/replace is 10-14 hours with driveshaft removal.
Symptoms: Coolant leak from valley between cylinder banks, Sweet smell in cabin or under hood, Overheating warning or temperature gauge climbing, Low coolant warning light frequent top-ups needed, White residue on engine valley cover or supercharger
Fix: Remove supercharger and intake manifold to access crossover pipes in valley, replace pipes, hoses, water pump, and thermostat as assembly. Critical to prevent engine overheat damage. 10-14 labor hours.
Estimated cost: $2,800-4,200
Owner tips
Change engine oil every 5,000 miles maximum with quality synthetic — these engines are extremely sensitive to oil quality and consumption issues
Monitor oil level weekly; consumption above 1 quart per 3,000 miles is early warning sign of piston ring failure
Insist on transmission fluid changes every 40,000 miles despite 'lifetime fill' claims — prevents cooler contamination damage
Have cooling system pressure tested annually; leaks in valley area cause rapid overheat and engine damage
Budget $3,000-5,000 annually for unexpected repairs after warranty expires — these are not cheap to maintain
Extended warranty is essentially mandatory for used purchase; engine replacement alone exceeds vehicle value after 5 years
Hard pass unless under factory warranty or you have $20K+ in reserve for inevitable engine rebuild — the catastrophic failure rate and repair costs make this a financial gamble even at low mileage.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Repair Procedures — 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
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Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload that can occur during high power demand. Additionally, a software error can cause the DC-DC converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up under certain circumstances. Failure of the DC-DC converter will result in the loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is E008. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V248.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs). Insufficient electrical load balancing during times of high demand can lead to a current overload condition and malfunction of the DCDC converter. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the central software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D126 and H575.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · 24V364000
2024-05-23
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Range Rover Sport vehicles equipped with a Surround Camera System. Water may enter into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display or display a distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera for damage. If no damage is found, the camera will be fitted with a new seal. If damage is found, the camera will be replaced and calibrated. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N901. These vehicles were previously recalled under 24V-023 for this same issue and will need to have the new remedy completed.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · 24V023000
2024-01-18
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles equipped with a Surround Camera System. Water may enter into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display or display a distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: A rearview camera image that does not display while in reverse decreases the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and add a new seal or replace the camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Range Rover owners March 4, 2024. Interim notification letters were mailed to Range Rover Sport owners March 7, 2024. Range Rover Sport owners will receive a second notice once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N778.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION · 23V044000
2023-02-02
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.
Consequence: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine cam carrier and related components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N763.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR · 21V668000
2021-08-26
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · 20V585000
2020-09-24
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Range Rover Sport vehicles equipped with 20-inch, 21-inch, or 22-inch wheels. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) recommended pressure has been set incorrectly in the instrument cluster. As a result, the TPMS warning light will not illuminate when tire pressure reaches 25% below the cold inflation pressure stated on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Consequence: Drivers may unknowingly operate the vehicle with low tire pressure, possibly causing tire tread separation, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2020. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-369-1000. Land Rover's number for this recall is N494.
TIRES · 20V586000
2020-09-24
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Range Rover Sport vehicles equipped with 19-inch wheels. The tire inflation pressure label and the tire placard label state the incorrect tire pressures for the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: Failure to inflate tires to the correct pressure could lead to loss of vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will apply the correct labels, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-369-1000. Land Rover's number for this recall is N491.
Vehicle Info — 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Performance
Horsepower
355hp
Torque
365lb-ft
Wiper blades
Final years of L494 generation, same specifications.
Size-standard part numbers — verify your connector type before buying. Rear blades are model-specific; check the package's vehicle list.
Fuel economy figures are EPA data via fueleconomy.gov (median across matching trims). Performance figures are compiled estimates for the 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 3.0L V6 Supercharged and can vary by trim.
🔧 Built by master technician Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years.