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2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
67% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 88% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 4 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 62%).
Does the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 48 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (67%), and the largest group is filed under engine (17). For comparison, the 2011 scores 36% and the 2013 scores 30%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Land Rover Range Rover Sport years
Of the 11 Land Rover Range Rover Sport years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the worst on engine and transmission share (67%). The best is the 2015 (24%). By volume, the 2012 drew 52 complaints (32 drivetrain), against 82 for the 2011 and 59 for the 2013.
Land Rover Range Rover Sport years to avoid and best years →
2010 Range Rover Sport problems · 2011 Range Rover Sport problems · 2012 · 2013 Range Rover Sport problems · 2014 Range Rover Sport problems · 2015 Range Rover Sport problems · 2016 Range Rover Sport problems · 2017 Range Rover Sport problems · 2018 Range Rover Sport problems · 2019 Range Rover Sport problems · 2020 Range Rover Sport problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 32 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport fuel system recalls
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Range Rover Sport and 2010-2016 LR4 vehicles equipped with 3.0L V6 or 5.0L V8 engines. The fuel outlet flange mounted on the fuel tank may crack, possibly resulting in a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel outlet flange, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed October 7, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer…
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 32 of 48 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (67%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is engine: 17 of 52 complaints (33%) name it, followed by fuel/propulsion system (13) and power train (9). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 67% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 88% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Land Rover Range Rover Sport years we score, it ranks worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Sport involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 1 in total: 21V635000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump: mounting plate/flange). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Land Rover Range Rover Sport years are better?
Among the Land Rover Range Rover Sport years we track, the 2015 (24%), the 2017 (27%) and the 2013 (30%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (67%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/land-rover-range-rover-sport
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.