According to foreign media reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into potential defects in a Jaguar Land Rover model. According to NHTSA, the scope of the investigation covers the Range Rover Sport SUV sold between 2014 and 2017, involving 91,856 vehicles produced and sold by the company over a four-year cycle.
NHTSA’s investigation focuses on the potential risk of breaking the aluminum alloy front knuckle of the Range Rover Sport model. This component serves as a key structure connecting the front wheels to the vehicle body, integrating the brake system with the tire assembly. Once it fails, it may cause serious driving safety hazards.
NHTSA states in a document published on its official website that the agency has received 12 complaints from owners about the failure. According to the complaint, “the vehicle’s aluminum alloy front steering knuckle broke at the top joint, which was connected to the upper control arm ball head by clamping bolts and nuts.” This situation will lead to “suspension upper arm disengagement”, which NHTSA notes is bound to “affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of collision”. NHTSA also noted that the purpose of this investigation is to confirm the scope, severity and underlying cause of the failure.
Image credit: Jaguar Land Rover
The public investigation is only the first step in the regulator’s review of potential quality defects, and at present, NHTSA and Jaguar Land Rover have not initiated a recall process, but the possibility of initiating a recall process in the future is not ruled out, so owners of affected models should pay close attention to possible troubleshooting guidelines issued by Land Rover officials.
Jaguar Land Rover, which is owned by Tata Motors in India and headquartered in the United Kingdom, has not issued an official statement on the investigation so far. The investigation may have some impact on the brand image of Jaguar Land Rover. As the brand’s core product, the Range Rover Sport occupies an important position in the US luxury SUV market. In 2024, Jaguar Land Rover sold 99,277 units in the United States, accounting for about 20% of its total global sales.
