RoadVitals

1997 Land Rover Discovery Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
35
Latest May 27, 2012
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
11
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
11

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 Land Rover Discovery, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes1331.7%
  • Airbags614.6%
  • Engine512.2%
  • Fuel system49.8%
  • Transmission49.8%
  • Driver assistance37.3%
  • Electrical24.9%
  • Visibility12.4%
  • Body & structure12.4%
  • Seat belts12.4%
  • Tires & wheels12.4%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

RIGHT FRONT ABS SENSOR MALFUNCTION. UNABLE TO STOP DUE TO ABS ENGAGING. VIBRATED VEHICLE OUT INTO INTERSECTION. LUCKY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING T-BONED BY ACCELERATING HARD. HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE. UPON RESEARCHING PROBLEM FOUND IT TO BE COMMON IN 97 DISCOVERY. ALSO FOUND MOST PEOPLE HAVE WOUND IP REMOVING ABS FUSE DUE TO PROBLEM RECURRING EVEN AFTER REPAIR. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL MANY YEARS AGO. LAND ROVER NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID 10459794 · filed May 27, 2012

SURGING AT FULLY CLOSED THROTTLE ACCOMPANIED BY ABS FAILURE IS A REAL ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER. PRM CHIP REPLACEMENT TO FIX THE SURGE PROBLEM SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. MY 1997 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY WOULD NOT STOP AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE THE RPMS SURGED ON THE VEHICLE. UPON ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE DUE TO LACK OF BRAKES AND AN ELEVATED RPM LEVEL. THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC DEFECT THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION DUE TO THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WHICH EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AND THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT RPM SURGING AT FULLY CLOSED THROTTLE REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF A REVISED CHIP TO REMEDY THIS. THIS VEHICLE IS OF NO USE TO ME BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE AND THUS UNSUITABLE FOR ROAD USE. I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING CONTACTING OTHER SOURCES/MEDIA OUTLETS TO INVESTIGATE THIS COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID 10082255 · filed Jul 20, 2004
All 13 reports naming brakes

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

6
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FRONTAL COLLISION AT 50MPH AND AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLY. IF NOT FOR SEAT BELTS, CRASH WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL.*AK

NHTSA ID 725409 · filed Jul 14, 2000

THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD-ON AT 40MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER INSISTS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID 838261 · filed May 20, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

LEFT EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED, RIGHT EXHAUST MANIFOLD BROKEN IN 2! CAST IRON EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOTH DIAGNOSED AS CRACKED - I REPLACED WORSE OF 2 THEN BETTER ONE BROKE. ENGINE BLOCK ALUMINUM - CREEP/FATIGUE FAILURE DUE TO THERMAL EXPANSION RATES OF MANIFOLD VERSUS BLOCK SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I BELIEVE WARRANTS A RECALL - ESPECIALLY IN CA WITH TIGHT SMOG LIMITS.*AK

NHTSA ID 10078636 · filed Jun 22, 2004

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED THE LOUD NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID 10050372 · filed Dec 10, 2003

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

TWO YEARS AGO I REPLACED A FUEL TANK ON MY LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 1997 AT THE DEALERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO AS A RESULT OF THE SAFETY RECALL ACTION B156 - FUEL TANK CRACKING. THE REPLACEMENT TANK IS EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEM AS FOR THE INITIAL RECALL. IT LEAKS WHEN FULL AND NOTICEABLE FUEL ODOR CAN BE SMELLED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME AFTER I NOTIFIED THEM WITH THE RECENT PROBLEM, THAT THE REPLACEMENT TANK HAS ONLY ONE YEAR WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS WAS RECALLED AND THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE TANK AT THEIR COST. WHAT DO YOU ADVICE I TELL THEM NEXT FRIDAY WHEN I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN. *TR

NHTSA ID 10239653 · filed Aug 25, 2008

RECENTLY FOUND OUT THOUGH NHTSA THAT LAND ROVER HAD A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE FOR FUEL SYSTEM , GASOLINE : STORAGE (FUEL TANK) IT SEEMS A STRESS CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE PLASTIC FUEL TANKS WHICH MAY RESULT IN A FIRE . THE REMEDY ACCORDING TO THE REPORT IS FUEL TANK REPLACEMENT. I CONTACTED LAND ROVER THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL STATING IT DOSE NOT EFFECT MY VEHICLE WHEN THE REPORT CLEARLY SAYS THAT IT DOES. PLEASE HELP ME CHILDREN RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 4V203000. THE VEHICLE IS A 1997 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THANK YOU JAMES FOWLER *TR

NHTSA ID 10224469 · filed Apr 14, 2008

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY BUCKING AND HESITATING WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 35MPH. AFTER PULLING INTO BREAKDOWN LANE CAR WAS TOWED TO LANDROVER OF HANOVER (MA). THEY REPORTED THAT THE TRANSFER BOX "SPLIT IN HALF" CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE QUOTE RECEIVED AT THAT TIME WAS $14,000. NOT TRUSTING THAT DEALER, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LAND ROVER METROWEST (MA). THEY REPLACED THE TRANSFER BOX AND REPORTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE OK. 2 WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. METROWEST THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSFER BOX AND TRANSMISSION. THE COST WAS UPWARDS OF $5,000 WITH A USED TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER BOX. THE VEHICLES WARRANTY RAN UP IN AUGUST OF 2000. 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DAMAGE. I REQUESTED A GOODWILL ADJUSTMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS DECLINED. IN ADDITION, ON 6/5/00 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO LAND ROVER HANOVER FOR A RECALL ITEM O2 SENSOR. AT THAT TIME IT WAS FOUND THAT A TRANSFER BOX MOUNT STUD WAS RUSTED (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY). THE DEALER NEVER NOTIFIED ME WHEN THE PART CAME IN AND ONLY MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT THE PART WAS RUSTED AT ALL. IT IS MY FEELING THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED REPAIRS AND PARTS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY THE MANUFACTURER. FURTHERMORE, ON MARCH 9, 2001 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A UTILITY POLE AT 25-35 MPH. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S NOR PASSANGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE SEATBELT, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.

NHTSA ID 742590 · filed Mar 17, 2001

TRANSMISSION SEAL.

NHTSA ID 609728 · filed Sep 8, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

SURGING AT FULLY CLOSED THROTTLE ACCOMPANIED BY ABS FAILURE IS A REAL ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER. PRM CHIP REPLACEMENT TO FIX THE SURGE PROBLEM SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. MY 1997 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY WOULD NOT STOP AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN LETTING OFF THE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE THE RPMS SURGED ON THE VEHICLE. UPON ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE DUE TO LACK OF BRAKES AND AN ELEVATED RPM LEVEL. THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC DEFECT THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION DUE TO THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WHICH EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AND THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT RPM SURGING AT FULLY CLOSED THROTTLE REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF A REVISED CHIP TO REMEDY THIS. THIS VEHICLE IS OF NO USE TO ME BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE AND THUS UNSUITABLE FOR ROAD USE. I AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING CONTACTING OTHER SOURCES/MEDIA OUTLETS TO INVESTIGATE THIS COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID 10082255 · filed Jul 20, 2004

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DASHBOARD WENT BLANK WHILE DRIVING LOSING ALL POWER, DEALER FOUND THAT THE SECURITY SYSTEM HAD FAILED, CAUSING IT TO CUT THE IGNITION SWITCH, THEN AFTER HAPPENING AGAIN DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS CASUED BY A DEFECTIVE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR.

NHTSA ID 553688 · filed Aug 17, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER STATED SAW SPARKS COMING FROM UNDER DASH ON DRIVER SIDE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. INVESTIGATOR INDICATED WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. NLM

NHTSA ID 8006528 · filed Mar 27, 2002

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON PAVEMENT ROAD WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STARTED BEEPING. HE PULLED OVER AND LADY IN THE OTHER VEHICLE TOLD HIM THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT VEHICLE WAS BURNING TO A CRISP. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID 867961 · filed Aug 16, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

REAR VIEW MIRROR MALFUNCTIONING AS THERE IS A LARGE BUBBLE THAT KEEPS MOVING AROUND IN THE MIRROR

NHTSA ID 9004915 · filed Oct 3, 2001

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

1997 OFF-LEASE VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM LOUISVILLE LAND ROVER IN MARCH OF 2000. WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED AND MGR STATED I SHOULD ACCEPT VEHICLE AND FILE CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY FOR REPLACEMENT. REFUSED DELIVERY UNTIL DEALER REPLACED WINDSHIELD. FIRST RAIN AFTER TAKING DELIVERY, VEHICLE HEADLINER DRIPPING AND DASH, RADIO AND HVAC CONTROLS SATURATED WITH STANDING WATER IN CARPET ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. NOTIFIED DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WITH "NO PROBLEM FOUND" ON 5 OCCASIONS. DEALER FINALLY REPLACED WINDSHIELD AGAIN AND CLAIMED NO MORE WINDSHIELD REPAIRS WOULD BE PERFORMED. VEHICLE IS UNDRIVABLE IN RAIN AS WATER RUNS FREELY OFF THE HEADLINER, WHICH HAS SEPARATED AND IS HANGING FROM IT'S BACKING. CURRENTLY UNDER REPAIR AT A REPUTABLE BODY SHOP. WEB POSTINGS INDICATE WATER INTRUSION DUE TO SUNROOF AND PILLAR DRAIN BLOCKAGE AND BAD SUNROOF SEALS ARE A CONSTANT ISSUE. ALSO GETTING SATURATED CARPET ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DURING DRY, HOT WEATHER. CLEARLY AC CONDENSATE ISSUES. *JB

NHTSA ID 10203029 · filed Sep 14, 2007

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 40 MPH COMING TO INTERSECTION ,150-200 YARDS AWAY , LIGHT TURNED RED, WENT TO APPLY BRAKES VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. STOOD ON BRAKES, NOTHING HAPPENED, HIT SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. SEAT BELT WAS WORN. THIS DEFECT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. 820963 DUPLICATE OF 818194, POSTED ON 03-NOV-98. *AK

NHTSA ID 818194 · filed Nov 3, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

1997 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW WHILE CHANGING LANES. *TS THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK A MEDIAN. THE BLOWOUT WAS A RESULT FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE MEDIAN. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS TOLD THE TIRE WAS GOING FLAT RIGHT BEFORE HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID 10147532 · filed Dec 22, 2005

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .