2017 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe sudden loss of power or stalling while driving, sometimes with a 'gear box fault' or engine warning shown just before. Water leaking past the windshield seal in rain is also common, and some owners describe drips that gradually get worse. Mileage in the sample varies widely, and most complaints do not list it.

1. 1
   Engine

   Sudden loss of power or stalling while driving

   • 16 complaints (31%)
   • median 15,973 mi at 2.2 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2017–2025

   Owners describe the engine or drive power cutting out while driving, at speeds from city traffic to highway speed, and some vehicles would not restart afterward. Some complaints mention a 'gear box fault' or gearbox failure message shown just before or during the shutdown, while others say there was no warning at all. Some vehicles were towed to a dealer, where the dealer sometimes could not recreate the fault. In other cases the dealer found a broken timing chain or internal engine damage. Where mileage is listed, reports range from about 1,400 to 74,000 miles, and most of the listed mileages are under 25,000.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records covering any engine, gearbox or timing work, and have a technician scan for stored fault codes. Service bulletins in this data cover lack of power, so ask whether that work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving in the left lane of a major highway at 65 MPH and was braking slightly for traffic and the car suddenly lost power and gearbox fault and parking break fault started flashing. I had to cut off three lanes of moving traffic to get to a shoulder. The car was stuck in drive but would not accelerate. We shut the ignition and the car became stuck in park. I had been complaining of noises and a poor performance for months with no resolution. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11189719, filed 2019-03, 45,896 miles

   “The vehicle completely shut down while I was driving on a major highway causing a life-threatening situation. This is the second time the issue has occurred. The first time I was exiting a highway and managed to get to the access road before the engine shut down again. It will restart and immediately shut down. It seems to occur when slowing down following highway driving at 55+MPH. Both incidents required police assistance to redirect heavy traffic.”

   NHTSA complaint #11152296, filed 2018-11, 22,000 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Water leaks past the windshield and roof seal

   • 11 complaints (21%)
   • median 13,700 mi at 3.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe water entering the cabin in rain, first noticed as drips on the windshield interior or the headliner near the top of the glass. Some say the top edge of the windshield or its rubber seal lifts or separates from the roof, and wet glass can fog and reduce visibility. Some complaints also describe water reaching the steering area and electrical panel. According to complaints, the dealer recommended replacing the windshield or applied tape, and some owners say the leak came back after a repair. Most complaints leave mileage blank and describe leaks during rain, and some say the leak worsens over time.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Look for water stains along the top corners of the windshield and the headliner, and ask whether the windshield was replaced or resealed and whether the work is documented. A service bulletin in this data describes water entering an electrical component through a leaking windshield, so ask whether that work was done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “See Bulletin N221: Windshield Water Leaks. This is a known Land Rover issue. Water will leak from the windshield as the seal is faulty. I have already had my windshield replaced once and I am experienced the same issue after a couple of years. Land Rover is not covering the full replacement of the windshield or addressing the problem at hand with the way the windshield is sealed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11516898, filed 2023-04

   “The windshield is leaking onto the steering and electrical panel. When we took the vehicle to Land Rover, they told us that the car was out of warranty (4 months ago) and that it would cost us $1,900. We've only had this car for 3 years and have also had to replace the motor and transmission.”

   NHTSA complaint #11406005, filed 2021-04
3. 3
   Engine

   Timing chain failure and engine damage

   • 10 complaints (19%)
   • median 57,000 mi at 4.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe a timing chain that broke, came loose or pulled out of place, followed by a sudden loss of power and an engine that would not run. Some complaints describe no warning lights before the failure, and a complaint reports low compression in the cylinders on diagnosis. According to complaints, the dealer found the engine needed replacement in some cases. A complaint says no recall has been issued for timing chains on this model. Complaints that mention mileage put the failure at roughly 55,000 to 61,000 miles, and a complaint notes the timing belt had been replaced in 2022.

   What to check: Ask for records of any timing chain, timing belt or engine work, and have a technician check for stored engine codes and cylinder compression before buying. A pre-purchase inspection that covers the timing components can help confirm their condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The timing chain went out, and it is a common problem with this same make and model of vehicle, and no recall has been issued. My safety was at risk because my car showed no warnings of breaking down, it was well maintained, and there was a manufacturing error that caused me to suddenly lose all power on a highway. I couldn’t make it to a safe area to pull over, and was stuck on the side of the highway for hours not understand why my car was not running”

   NHTSA complaint #11662212, filed 2025-05

   “Driving our car down the road. No engine lights or warnings and the engine powered down and the car came to a complete stop. Vehicle was a 2017 certified pre-owned which we have had for about three years. It has 61k miles and has always been serviced by the local land rover dealership. Vehicle was serviced by the landrover dealership two months prior to this incident and there was no recommended service for the engine. Towed the vehicle to the Land Rover dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11608545, filed 2024-08
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Fuel odor and fuel leaks

   Mentioned in 4 of 52 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a fuel smell that can be strong inside the vehicle or around it. According to complaints, the dealer identified a cracked or leaking fuel tank flange or gasket, and a complaint says the vehicle was left unrepaired. A complaint describes fuel reaching the engine oil pan, with fumes that stayed noticeable in closed spaces such as a garage. A complaint also notes that a fuel-related recall was described for other models but not for that vehicle. Reported mileage in the sample ranges from about 350 to 60,000 miles, and some describe a smell that grew stronger over time.

   What to check: Ask the seller whether the fuel tank flange or gasket has been inspected or replaced, and check the cabin and the area around the fuel tank for fuel odor. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a fuel-system check can help confirm whether a leak is present.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “With 1300 miles, car stalled multiple times, found that fuel leaks into the oil pan, smells of fuel fumes constantly, particularly in closed spaces like home garage. Losing and expending fuel at an accelerated rate. Been in service without answers more than driven; 6 visits totaling over 69 days within the first 3-4 months of ownership there is a know technical bulletin on the 'fuel rail' on the same model and year but not our VIN#.”

   NHTSA complaint #11172625, filed 2019-01, 350 miles

   “A few months ago, started smelling faint fuel, the smell gradually increased. Took it to Land Rover dealership was told there was a problem with fuel tank fiange and gasket that sits on top of the gas tank. Was advised there was a recall for the same problem on other models but not mine. Due to the nature of potential hazard (fire, explosion), I wanted to make sure this was documented.”

   NHTSA complaint #11629220, filed 2024-12
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Gear selector knob stuck or not rising

   • 5 complaints (10%)
   • median 42,948 mi at 2.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2025

   Owners describe a gear selector knob that does not rise from the console as expected, stays stuck in the down position, or sinks into the console. A complaint says a rubber surround around the knob tore, after which the knob stayed down and would not come back up. Another complaint describes gear changes made with the knob sometimes not taking effect, with the vehicle still moving after being placed in park. According to complaints, the dealer found no fault on repeat visits. The only mileage given for this group is about 40,000 miles, and most of the complaints leave mileage blank.

   What to check: During a test drive, shift through every position with the ignition on and confirm the knob rises and locks into park, then inspect the boot around it for tears. Ask the seller whether the shifter or its surround has been repaired or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on the southern state parkway in new york during rush hour. Driving approx 10mph at a steady pace and had been in the car for about an hour. All of a sudden my 2017 evoque stalled out when I pressed the gas pedal. I came to a stop in the middle of the traffic lane, as there wasn't enough time to pull off the road. Once I shifted the shift knob into park, the knob disappeared into the center console as pictured. Numerous attempts were made to restart the car with no luck and no error indication on the dash. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11180171, filed 2019-02, 40,000 miles

   “The gears on my range rover keeps getting stuck. The gears rarely will turn on the knob and has caused the gears to get stuck when driving or stop the car. Sometimes I put the car in park and the car keeps moving. I have took the car to range rover several times and was told nothing is wrong. I disagree for I bought the range rover july 2020 and since then has had many problems with the gears.”

   NHTSA complaint #11384485, filed 2020-12

Buying note. The most frequent complaints are sudden loss of power or stalling and windshield water leaks in rain, while the timing chain, fuel odor and gear knob complaints are less common. Before buying, ask for records covering the windshield seal, engine and fuel-system work, and have a technician scan for stored codes and check for fuel odor.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.