2001 Land Rover Discovery Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 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
- Suspension426.7%
- Brakes320.0%
- Engine320.0%
- Electrical16.7%
- Body & structure16.7%
- Other / unspecified16.7%
- Powertrain (other)16.7%
- Driver assistance16.7%
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
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND WHEN APPROACHING A TURN VEHICLE SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. AFTER LOSING CONTROL VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THEN, VEHICLE TIPPED OVER AND FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES INTO A DITCH. FOUR PERSONS WERE SLIGHTLY INJURED IN THE INCIDENT. A LAND ROVER MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT STABILIZER BAR WAS THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND UPON APPROACHING A TURN IN THE ROAD VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SWAY, CAUSING IT TO TIP OVER. THEN, VEHICLE FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. CONSUMER AND FAMILY SUFFERED MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO BRAKE PROPERLY WHILE THE TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, AND DOWN HILL SENSOR WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TRUCK ABS, DOWNHILL DESCENT, TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON WHEN BRAKE APPLIED. ALL THREE LIGHTS ARE ON. IN EVENT I WAS DRIVING DURING SNOW OR SLIPPERY CONDITIONS DOWN HILL VEHICLE WOULD OF BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL RESULTING IN CRASH AND PHYSICAL INJURY. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SHUTTER VALVE FAILURE WHICH CAN BE RESULT OF BRAKE FLUID CORRODING ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR JUST OUTRIGHT FAILURE WHERE REPAIR ESTIMATES RANGE FROM $1200 TO $3800. THIS ISSUE IS NOTORIOUS AMONG 1999-2004 DISCOVERY'S. WHY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED EVENTUALLY TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE NOW TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF ITS CITIZENS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH AN ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V423000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
2001 LANDROVER DISCOVERY HEAD GASKET WAS NEVER FIXED STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR. *TR
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY FAILED - COULD NOT UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL . HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED AWAY FROM GAS STATION PUMP ON A SUNDAY ($75) IN ATHENS GA. THEN ON A WEEK DAY HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED FROM ATHENS GA TO AUGUSTA GA ($350)(TO A LANDROVER DEALER) TO FIX IT. IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED ($778). *TR
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO BY PASS AND OBJECT IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
2001 LANDROVER DISCOVERY HEAD GASKET WAS NEVER FIXED STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 62 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY, NEARLY CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT FAILED. SHE DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE DEALER DID NOT ASSUME LIABILITY. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83,000.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRUCK ABS, DOWNHILL DESCENT, TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON WHEN BRAKE APPLIED. ALL THREE LIGHTS ARE ON. IN EVENT I WAS DRIVING DURING SNOW OR SLIPPERY CONDITIONS DOWN HILL VEHICLE WOULD OF BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL RESULTING IN CRASH AND PHYSICAL INJURY. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SHUTTER VALVE FAILURE WHICH CAN BE RESULT OF BRAKE FLUID CORRODING ELECTRICAL SWITCHES OR JUST OUTRIGHT FAILURE WHERE REPAIR ESTIMATES RANGE FROM $1200 TO $3800. THIS ISSUE IS NOTORIOUS AMONG 1999-2004 DISCOVERY'S. WHY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED EVENTUALLY TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE NOW TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF ITS CITIZENS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .