SAFETY RECALL / HISTORICAL RECORD
Range Rover windscreen recall: the P028 bonding defect
A bonding problem could cause water ingress and wind noise, while the safety concern was retention of the glass during a crash.
P028 / 12V485
The United States campaign record for P028 was received on 4 October 2012 and identified 36 potentially affected 2012-model-year Range Rovers. The production date listed for that population was 24 November 2011. An owner letter dated 29 October explained the defect and the replacement programme.
This was the outgoing Range Rover generation, rather than a fault announcement for the newly revealed L405. The campaign’s calendar date and the car’s model year describe different things.
At a glance
- Manufacturer campaign P028; US identifier 12V485000.
- US report received 4 October 2012.
- Owner letter dated 29 October 2012.
- 36 potentially affected US vehicles.
- Defined production date: 24 November 2011.
- Correction: windscreen replacement under the campaign.
The problem lay at the bonded joint
Land Rover’s letter described a windscreen that might not be correctly bonded into the body aperture. Poor bonding could allow water to enter and increase wind noise. These were possible manifestations of the concern, not a statement that every water leak or wind noise on a Range Rover had this cause.
The important safety issue involved insufficient adhesion between the glass and the polyurethane adhesive. The letter explained that full retention of the windscreen might not be achieved during airbag deployment or a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The specified correction
The US owner letter said an authorised Land Rover retailer would replace the windscreen without charge for the campaign repair. It estimated approximately two hours of work, while noting that scheduling could require the car to remain longer. That was a period service estimate, not a present booking commitment.
The British record for the same manufacturer campaign used reference R/2012/116 and a launch date of 10 December 2012. Its remedy described removing and replacing the windscreen using the correct bonding agent and existing repair procedures. The British summary listed five vehicles; the 36-vehicle figure belongs to the separate US population.
Why a model name is insufficient
The US record’s one-day production range shows how narrow a manufacturing campaign can be. It does not cover every Range Rover registered in 2012, and it does not prove that every car built that day in every market was included.
For a specific vehicle, the useful evidence is its VIN, original market and campaign-completion record. A previous glass replacement should also be distinguished from documented completion of P028. The historical letter explains what the manufacturer intended to correct; it cannot establish the present status of an individual car.
What this campaign adds to the model’s history
P028 is a structural-glazing issue rather than a key, immobiliser or control-module software campaign. Its importance lies in the connection between an apparently local bonding defect and the glass’s required retention during an accident.
The record also illustrates why an archive needs both announcement dates and technical scope. A recall issued in October 2012 can concern a small group built in the previous calendar year, without becoming a general defect claim about the entire model generation.
Historical campaign information. Applicability and completion must be checked against the individual vehicle’s VIN and market records.