Land RoverRange Rover HSE1996Overview/land-rover/range-rover-hse/1996/base/

1996 Land Rover Range Rover HSE

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Range Rover HSE.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Land Rover Range Rover HSE requires 6.1 qt of engine oil, with acceptable viscosities of 20W‑40, 20W‑50 or 15W‑40 API. It is rated at 11/16/13 mpg (city/highway/combined) and pairs with a four‑speed automatic transmission. Owner‑reported issues total 39 complaints, the most frequent being in the Engine & Engine Cooling area, and the model year carries three recorded recalls. This places the 1996 HSE at the outset of the Range Rover’s reliability log, where the modest complaint total and recall count frame its early‑year dependability profile.

Model year199819971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.1 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque84 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy11/16/13 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 31A · 660 CCA battery, OE oil filter ERR3340. Note the factory thermostat is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 31A · 660 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterERR3340
Engine air filterLR027408
Fuel filterESR4065
Spark plugERR3799
BatterySTC8588
Front wiper bladesDKC100830
Serpentine beltERR4461 alt ERR4460
ThermostatPEM101130 discontinued
Cabin air filterLR030219

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length185.4 in
Overall width74 in
Overall height71.7 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight4960 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined11 / 16 / 13 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.1 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 API engine oil, 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 84 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 32.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear Oil80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.6 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · API · 15W-40 · 10W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity6.1 qt
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · API · 15W-40 · 10W-50 · 10W-40 · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity6.1 qt

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts44 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug32.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission35.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts84 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug11.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)525 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)25 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.76 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity5.06 oz
Standard BCI Group Number31A
Standard BCI Cranking Performance660 cca
Standard BCI Group Number30H

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Engine Oil Pressure30-40 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2500 rpm

Brakes

Minimum Pad Thickness0.118 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.006 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1 in / 0.496 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1 in / 0.496 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.866 in / 0.46 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 8015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
115 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
115 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17 ft. lbs., step 2: 387 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., step 2: 2811 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
17 ft. lbs., step 2: 387 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., step 2: 2811 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Tighten all bolts to 10 ft. lbs., Step 2: Bolts 1-8: 53 ft. lbs., Step 3: Bolts 9-10: 68 ft. lbs., Step 4: Side bolts: 3310 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Power Steering System (inspect)
At 30,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Active Suspension System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 45,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 52,500 miDistributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)
At 75,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 82,500 miOxygen Sensor (replace)
At 105,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1996 Land Rover Range Rover HSE lead in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 7 of 39 reports (18%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the engine & engine cooling are also the target of recalls 00V-328 and 99V-007 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming they were actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 6 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
25
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
39
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 6 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 39 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling7
Visibility5
Suspension5
Latches/Locks/Linkages4
Electrical System2
Structure2
Engine & Engine Cooling,Unknown Or Other2
Air Bags2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

00V328000Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Hoses/Lines/Piping/FittingsReported 16/10/2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN AREAS WHERE THE COOLANT COULD BE SUBJECTED TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAKE A SERIES OF MODIFICATIONS TO SEVERAL UNDERHOOD HOSE COMPONENTS TO ELIMINATE THE RELEASE OF ENGINE COOLANT.

99V007000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 19/01/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. AS A RESULT OF WATER INGRESS AND SUBSEQUENT ICE BLOCKAGE, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHER TUBE CAN BECOME CLOGGED, EXPELLING TRANSMISSION FLUID FROM THE DIPSTICK TUBE ONTO HOT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION BREATHER TUBE FROM THE INNER FENDER AND A SECTION OF THE HOSE WILL BE CUT AT AN ANGLE. THIS ACTION WILL REMOVE THE END OF THE BREATHER TUBE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 25 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SFCC_08MAR18_162018-03-08Electrical SystemThe 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a…
SFCC-14SEP172017-09-14EquipmentPresentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
SSM564572014-10-28Fuel System, Gasoline"ISSUE: REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED OF ENGINE DAMAGE OCCURRING, WHICH IS CAUSED BY THE USE…
LTB00389NAS32013-11-19EquipmentTechnical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability
6001052005-03-16SuspensionAIR SUSPENSION DIAGNOSTIC GUIDELINES-INCORRECTLY DIAGNOSED EAS SYSTEM FAULTS. *SC

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Range Rover HSE. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Range Rover HSE take?

6.1 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50 API SM, ABOVE 14 degrees F:15W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, ABOVE -4 degrees F:10W-40 OR 10W-50 API SM, -4 TO 95 degrees F: 10W-30 API SM, BELOW 122 degrees F: 5W-4, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Range Rover HSE have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Range Rover HSE get?

EPA figures are 11 city / 16 highway / 13 combined mpg.