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NHTSA steps up investigation into Land Rover door latch recall

NHTSA steps up investigation into Land Rover door latch recall

The agency has identified dozens of complaints, including 14 allegations that a door opened while the vehicle was in motion.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has stepped up its investigation into a recall for Land Rover Range Rover door latch issues.

Jaguar Land Rover initially launched a repair campaign in 2015, addressing an issue that caused electronically controlled door latches to release while driving.

The NHTSA opened an investigation last year after receiving complaints of failures in vehicles that had been repaired via a software update or manufactured after the first campaign rolled out.

"All five [reports] allege experiencing at least one incident of a door opening inadvertently while the vehicle was in motion and were repaired by replacing the malfunctioning latch assembly," the agency said. "One minor injury was reported where the consumer did not seek medical care."

Investigators have since identified 43 additional reports and complaints of similar failures, including 14 allegations that a door opened while the vehicle was in motion. The agency has consequently decided to elevate the inquiry to an engineering analysis, taking a deeper look at the apparent issues to determine if another recall is warranted.

JLR has already replaced latches in at least 564 vehicles to address customer concerns over latch malfunctions.