The 2003 Land Rover Discovery has 1 safety recall and 48 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (11 complaints).
Problem: ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE THROTTLE CAN STICK INTERMITTENTLY DURING ITS OPERATION. THE EXACT POINT OF STICKING IS NOT PREDICTABLE AND CAN RESULT IN A HIGHER ENGINE SPEED THAN EXPECTED.
Risk: IN THE CASE WHERE A THROTTLE FAILS TO RETURN TO IDLE, PARTICULARLY AFTER A HIGH DEGREE OF ENGINE THROTTLE APPLICATION, THE DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO REST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-201-818-8500.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2003 Land Rover Discovery Series II
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Discovery Series II
12mpg combined
City / highway
11 / 14 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
4.6 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $6,850/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Engine
11
0
2
0
109,000 mi
Power train Driveline; Automatic transmission
10
1
0
0
70,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling Engine; Exhaust system
9
0
0
0
65,010 mi
Vehicle speed control Accelerator pedal; Cables
8
4
0
1
65,280 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic Pedals and linkages; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
7
2
0
0
35,311 mi
Electrical system Ignition › Anti-theft › Control module; Ignition › Switch
6
2
1
0
83,000 mi
Suspension
3
0
0
0
109,000 mi
Structure Body
2
0
0
0
—
Tires
2
0
0
0
—
Air bags
2
2
0
2
—
Service brakes
2
1
0
1
—
Seat belts Front › Anchorage
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Dec 2, 2019 · 109,000 milesSuspension TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER N/A. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BOUGHT FOUR TIRES THAT TURNED OUT TO BE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. THE TIRES WERE FEDERAL TIRES, TIRE SIZE 255/45/R20, AND NO DOT GIVEN. THE TIRES WERE PROVIDING SUCH A ROUGH AND BOUNCY RIDE THAT TWO SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE BUSTED IN THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE TIRES AND TOOK THEM TO AN UNKNOWN TIRE DEALER. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REBALANCE THE TIRES THEN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT TWO OF THE FOUR TIRES WERE OUT OF ROUND. THE DEALER SAID THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO SPEAK TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER TO GET THE TIRES REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT RETURNED A CALL TO THE CONTACT IN OVER EIGHT MONTHS.…
Jan 16, 2020 · 144,000 milesEngine TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE BOSCHE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE COOLANT TO BOIL IN THE MAIN CYLINDER HEAD AND MIX WITH THE OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS QUOTED A COST OF $7,000 FOR THE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (LAND ROVER NORTH ATLANTA 1505 MANSELL RD, ALPHARETTA, GA 30009, (770) 587-2000) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000. *JS
Aug 21, 2018 · crash · 1 injuryAir bags TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS DRIVING 45 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, LEFT THE ROAD, AND CRASHED INTO A CULVERT AND A HIGHWAY SIGN. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE SPINE, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Jul 13, 2018 · 165,000 milesService brakes ON MY WAY HOME FROM PICKING UP MY GRANDCHILD THERE WAS SOME VIBRATING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THAN A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY RUBBER BURNING SMELL AND LOST OF CONTROL OF CAR. MANAGED TO PULL OVER CAR WOULD NOT ROLLING HAD TO ENGAGE PARKING BRAKE. HAD CAR TOWED HOME. DRIVE SHAFT SEPERATED AND DESTROYED TRANSMISSION PAN. BROKE PIECES OFF OF TANSMISSION. CHANGE ROTORS AND BRAKE AND CAR STILL WILL NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SLIDING A BIT. ABS LIGHTS COME ON EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPEN WHILE IM DRIVING STREETS OR HIGHWAY.
Mar 2, 2018 · 72,000 miles · crash · 1 injuryVehicle speed control TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, IT CRASHED INTO A CURB, DROVE OVER THE SIDEWALK, AND INTO THE STREET. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (LAND ROVER PARAMUS, 405 NJ-17, PARAMUS, NJ), BUT NO FAILURE CODES WERE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE THUMB, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.
Nov 14, 2016 · 65,000 milesStructure › Body TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE CORROSION ON THE SUBFRAME BY THE REAR AXLE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE USED TO TOW ANOTHER VEHICLE OR TRAILER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
Jul 1, 2012Engine 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II OIL PUMP FAILURE: WE BOUGHT OURS PREVIOUSLY-OWNED FROM A LAND ROVER DEALER. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS 4.6 L ENGINE OR THE ATTACHED MARCH 14, 2003 TECHNICAL ALERT. IN SPITE OF REGULAR SERVICE, THE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND WE REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE. NOW, IT MAY ALSO BE FAILING DUE TO INTERNAL OIL STARVATION. THERE ARE MANY POSTS ONLINE ABOUT THESE ENGINE FAILURES. LAND ROVER SENT OUT THEIR ALERT, BUT DID NOT OFFER THE ONLY REMEDY TO THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT - REPLACE THE ENGINE ($10-12K). LIKE MANY OTHERS, WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND BEEN WITHOUT THE CAR WHILE OURS WAS IN THE SHOP…
Sep 21, 2015 · 135,850 milesSuspension TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT STARTED TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,850.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.