RoadVitals

2016 Land Rover Discovery

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
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Latest Jul 26, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Land Rover Discovery, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), engine and driver assistance categories. 425 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Powertrain (other)342.9%
  • Engine228.6%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Steering114.3%

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

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jul 26, 2019

WHILE SITTING IN PARK AT IDLE RPM I HEARD A LOUD THUMP FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WARNING AND AN ENGINE OVERHEAT WARNING. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. WHEN CARE ARRIVED AT MECHANICS SHOP THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY LITERALLY FELL OFF THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXTENSIVE VALVE/ENGINE DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID
11235104
Incident
Jul 18, 2019
Mileage
96,000 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 22, 2018

STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN CAUSING COMPLETE LACK OF STEERING CONTROL BY OPERATOR WHILE IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 75MPH. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON STRAIGHT AWAY OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY 565 ALABAMA WITH GRASSY MEDIAN. UPON STEERING WHEEL DETACHMENT, VEHICLE VEERED LEFT AND INTO THE MEDIAN WHERE BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNTIL THE VEHICLE SLID TO A STOP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MEDIN EMBANKMENT. NO INJURIES OCCURRED DUE TO LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11163142
Incident
Dec 5, 2018
Mileage
30,700 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 23, 2018

1.) WATER PUMP FAILED AT 21,000 MILES CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. 1 YEAR LATER CYLINDER #1 LOST COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE MAKING THE CAR INOPERABLE AT 58,000 MILES. DEALER INDICATES THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR OPTION IS A NEW ENGINE AT THE COST OF $21K EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS ACTUALLY BROKEN IN THE CYLINDER. THREE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS HAVE ALL INDICATED THAT THE WATER PUMP IS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FAULT IN THE CYLINDER AS IT MORE THAN LIKELY CRACKED A CYLINDER HEAD WHEN THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING. MY CAR FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A BUSY STREET, MAKING THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. 2.) THE INTERNAL COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED ON THE CAR, WHICH WOULD NOTIFY THE DRIVER REGARDING SERVICE, ENGINE TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH ANY FAILURES IN THE CAR'S SYSTEMS. DEALERSHIP USED BOILERPLATE PAPERWORK TO COVER UP THAT THE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING TWICE. ON THE PAPERWORK IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE "SERVICE INTERVAL REMINDERS" WERE RESET. I NOW KNOW IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO UPDATE THIS AS THE JUNE 2017 PAPERWORK SHOWS WHERE LAND ROVER IMPLEMENTED A FIX FOR "MESSAGES - NOT APPEARING IN THE SERVICE CLUSTER." LAND ROVER KNEW THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND DIDN'T NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT SERVICE REMINDERS AND SENSORS HAD FAILED ON THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN MISSED MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THE CAR'S OPERATING SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE END RESULT BEING LAND ROVER IS DENYING ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ISSUES THAT WERE CAUSED BY THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THE TECHNOLOGY IS OVER A DECADE OLD AND IS A STANDARD EXPECTATION ON TODAY'S CARS. IF LAND ROVER HAD NOTIFIED THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH A RECALL NOTICE AS SOON AS THEY BECAME AWARE OF THE SYSTEM FAILURE, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO FIGHT REGARDING THE COVERAGE FOR MY ENGINE.

NHTSA ID
11064491
Incident
Nov 17, 2017
Mileage
58,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 18, 2017

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW MAY 2016. IN SEPTEMBER 2016, WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED AND THE GEAR DIAL WAS NONOPERATIONAL. THE ISSUE RECURRED IN NOVEMBER 2016 AND AGAIN FEBRUARY 2017. FEBRUARY 2017 WAS EXTREMELY ALARMING AS IT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK. I HAD TO COAST INTO A PARKING SPACE AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE ISSUE JUST RECURRED AGAIN, TODAY, MARCH 18TH WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITH CHILDREN IN IT. I COULDN'T PARK AND I COULDN'T REVERSE. I HAVE TO COAST TO A SAFE AREA, TURN THE CAR OFF AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES.

NHTSA ID
10966704
Incident
Mar 18, 2017
Mileage
6,800 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 22, 2016

I HAVE HAD A 2016 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT FOR 6 DAYS NOW. THE VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 50MPH. DURING THIS SPEED, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN A HIGHER GEAR AND THAT RESULTS IN INTERMITTENT JERKS. THIS MAKES THE RIDE VERY UNEVEN. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN THE SPEED IS ABOVE 50MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH EVERY DISCOVERY SPORT. THEY SHOULD STOP SELLING SUCH VEHICLES TILL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED OR LET THE BUYER KNOW THAT THIS IS CASE WHILE SELLING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10821653
Incident
Jan 21, 2016
Mileage
200 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

BIG5JAN24_26

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Potential manufacturing issue with AJ126 replacement engines.

NAS23.12.001

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Potential manufacturing issue with AJ126 engines.

SSM75814

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Weather and Park & Pay Apps disappear after PIVI update

SFCC_JUN2023_46

EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH; STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

A customer may report that the front or rear door latch does not operate as expected.

SSM75825ATT

EQUIPMENT

MHEV DC/DC Converter - Squeaking Noise From Inside The Cabin.

SSM75825

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER; EQUIPMENT

MHEV DC DC CONVERTER SQUEAKING NOISE FROM INSIDE THE CABIN

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Land Rover Discovery by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026110
2025020
2024740
2023750
2022950
2021105054.7
2020186058.9
2019384060.5
2018364053.3
2017543045.6
2016Viewing500
2006200
2005000
2004290150.8
2003481045.3
2002170043.2
2001131051.4
2000301049.2
1999173056.1
1998332057.2
1997352056.8
1996653155.1
1995494056.5
1994152053.4
1993000
1992000
1991000
1990000
1989000

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.