2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
57%
25 of 44 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
57% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 76% of the 1,789 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 50%).
Looking at a specific Range Rover Evoque?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.
Does the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 25 of 44 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (57%), and the largest group is filed under engine (13). For comparison, the 2013 scores 40%. 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.
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
ENGINE07/29/2026FIRE
The vehicle out of nowhere began to make a werid clacking noise (possibly the lifters so we thought) my husband immediately pulled off the freeway the car sputtered; The engine immediately SEIZED, BEGAN TO SMOKE, and CAUGHT FIRE.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE11/24/2025
In January 2025 I noticed light ticking/knocking at startup, idle, and while driving. On January 23, 2025 I searched online for how to check the oil level and for an L322 dipstick location (there is none). Only after finding a YouTube video with an undocumented override (double-pressing the “Cancel” button) was I able …
POWER TRAIN12/10/2024
Gearbox failure. NO warning lamps, symptoms or messages prior to the incident. While driving down the road, upon accelerating; the vehicle would not move forward. The shift was in drive. There was an indicating (grinding) noise beneath the vehicle. Had this been on a highway it had great potential to become a severe da…
Three of 25 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque (2)
AIR BAGS
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 LR2 and 2012-2013 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. A component within the Occupan…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
Jaguar Land Rover is recalling certain model year 2012 LR2 and Range Rover Evoque vehicles manufactured on June 11, 2012. The rear brake caliper retaining bolts may be i…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Questions people ask about the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Does the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 25 of 44 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (57%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Which Land Rover Range Rover Evoque years are better?
Among the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque years we track, the 2016 (20%), the 2017 (37%) and the 2015 (39%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (57%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.
Should I buy a 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?
That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental 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. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.