NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Land Rover Discovery II Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Land Rover Discovery II has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 62 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Land Rover dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2003 Land Rover Discovery II owner complaints

Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II, describing incidents dated September 26, 2002 to September 17, 2016.

Most-cited components

Engine 32 complaints
Service Brakes 14 complaints
Power Train 5 complaints
Air Bags 3 complaints
Latches/Locks/Linkages 3 complaints
Traction Control System 3 complaints

Of the 62 complaints on file, 4 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 62 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10934497 · Filed December 11, 2016
ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AFTER I PURCHASED IT AND I HAD JUST GOT THE BEST RECOMMENDED OIL AN SPARK PLUGS / WIRES NO MONEY TO REPAIR
ODI #10883470 · Filed July 7, 2016
WE WERE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON I 5. IN RED BLUFF CALIFORNIA HEADED TO LODI CA.THE CAR JUST STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED SWIIRVING LEFT TO RIGHT WITH CONTROL OR RESPONSE FROM THE STEERING WHEELL WE HIT GOING 65MPH.AND WE WERE SMASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL HEAD ON. THEN SPUN OUT ALL…
ODI #10816218 · Filed December 25, 2015
THE STEERING AIR BAG BLOWOUT FOR NOTHING, THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THE MOTOR WAS WORKING I'M WHASING THE LAND ROVER AND THAT HAPPENED, I'M CONFUSE.

Read all 62 complaints

Owner-reported

2003 Land Rover Discovery II mileage at failure

54 of the 62 complaints on file for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Engine	Median 60,000 miles	Middle half 55,000–85,000 miles	Based on 30 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

DRIVESHAFT COUPLER/SERVICE PART

NHTSA #12E010000 · Power Train — Driveline — Driveshaft · NHTSA notice

Reported March 15, 2012 · JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA, LLC

Potentially affected: 180 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign P024 · Owners notified May 4, 2012

Defect description

JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA, INC. (LAND ROVER) IS RECALLING CERTAIN REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLINGS, LAND ROVER BRANDED PART NUMBER TVF100010, MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2011 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2011, SOLD FOR USE AS SERVICE PARTS FOR CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1995-1999 DISCOVERY, 1999-2004 DISCOVERY II, AND 1995 RANGE ROVER CLASSIC VEHICLES. SOME OF THE REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE REQUIRED ENGINEERING DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXHIBIT THE ONSET OF JOINT SEPARATION, PRECLUDED BY DRIVE LINE VIBRATION.

Safety consequence

IF THIS INCREASED VIBRATION WARNING SIGN IS IGNORED, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DRIVE COUPLING CAN OCCUR. THE DRIVESHAFT MAY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION RESULTING IN LOSS OF DRIVE AND LOSS OF TRANSMISSION PARK FUNCTIONALITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH AND/OR INJURY.

Manufacturer remedy

LAND ROVER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 4, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA AT 1-201-818-8500.

Notes

LAND ROVER'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS P024.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

LAND ROVER/ACE BOLT

NHTSA #04V006000 · Engine and Engine Cooling · NHTSA notice

Reported January 6, 2004 · LAND ROVER

Potentially affected: 5,264 vehicles

Land Rover campaign B149 · Owners notified June 2, 2004 · Vehicles built December 13, 1999 – June 17, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACTIVE CORNERING ENHANCEMENT (ACE) PUMP BANJO BOLT LOOSES TORQUE AND ALLOWS FLUID TO LEAK PAST THE JOINT.

Safety consequence

THE FLUID FROM THE PUMP JOINT CAN IGNITE, RESULTING IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR LEAKAGE. IF NO LEAKAGE IS EVIDENT, THE BANJO BOLT WILL BE RE-TIGHTENED. IF LEAKAGE IS EVIDENT, THE BANJO BOLT AND DOWTY WASHERS WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800-637-6837.

Notes

LAND ROVER RECALL NO. B149.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

LAND ROVER/ABS VALVE COVER BOLT

NHTSA #04V005000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip · NHTSA notice

Reported January 6, 2004 · LAND ROVER

Potentially affected: 100,174 vehicles

Land Rover campaign B148 · Owners notified June 2, 2004 · Vehicles built May 1, 1998 – December 1, 2003 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BRAKE SYSTEMS," AND NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) MODULATOR VALVE COVER RETAINING BOLTS CAN CRACK DUE TO STRESSES TRANSMITTED BY THE FLEXING VALVE COVERS.

Safety consequence

THIS CAN PRODUCE AN UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR TOTAL LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKING FUNCTION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL STRENGTHEN THE ABS MODULATOR ASSEMBLY VALVE COVERS AND REPLACE THE RETAINING BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXEPCTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LAND ROVER AT 1-800-637-6837.

Notes

LAND ROVER RECALL NO. B148.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

62 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II.

Power Train; Engine

ODI #10934497

Incident: September 17, 2016 · Filed: December 11, 2016

ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AFTER I PURCHASED IT AND I HAD JUST GOT THE BEST RECOMMENDED OIL AN SPARK PLUGS / WIRES NO MONEY TO REPAIR

Steering; Air Bags; Unknown or Other

ODI #10883470

2 injuries

Incident: June 12, 2016 · Filed: July 7, 2016

WE WERE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON I 5. IN RED BLUFF CALIFORNIA HEADED TO LODI CA.THE CAR JUST STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED SWIIRVING LEFT TO RIGHT WITH CONTROL OR RESPONSE FROM THE STEERING WHEELL WE HIT GOING 65MPH.AND WE WERE SMASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL HEAD ON. THEN SPUN OUT ALL OVER THE FREEWAY. CAR IS TOTALED AND NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.HAPPENED AT 1435 IN THE AFTERNOON. DRY SUNNY CONDITIONS , AND WE HAD A 11 MONTH OLD IN THE CAR BEHIND ME ON PASSENGER SIDE. AND A 4 YR OLD BEHIND MY WIFE WHOM WAS DRIVING. SCARY , MY GOAL IS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHER FAMILY'S LIKE MINE. MY WIFE AND I WERE LUCKY TO ONLY WALK AWAY INJURED. AND KIDS TRAMITIZED BUT ALIVE.. THANK GOD. BUT ANOTHER FAMILY MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY UNLESS THIS IS ADDRESSED.

Air Bags

ODI #10816218

Incident: December 23, 2015 · Filed: December 25, 2015

THE STEERING AIR BAG BLOWOUT FOR NOTHING, THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY THE MOTOR WAS WORKING I'M WHASING THE LAND ROVER AND THAT HAPPENED, I'M CONFUSE.

Engine

ODI #10577206

Incident: April 1, 2013 · Filed: April 3, 2014

MY ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND THEN A SOUND SIMILAR TO METAL SCRATCHING METAL. I HAD A MASTER MECHANIC LOOK AT THE ENGINE AND HAD SEVERAL PART REPLACED 1500.00 WORTH TO BE EXACT AND STILL THE SOUND OCCURS. I CONTACTED LAND ROVER AND BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS USED AND OVER THE WARRANTY THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BUT SUGGEST A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND IT APPEARS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGE BY LAND ROVER THAT THE LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 2003 THE OIL PUMP WAS FAULTY, HOWEVER HAVE DENIED ANY KIND OF SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM TO MULTIPLE CUSTOMERS OTHER THAN SUGGESTING A NEW ENGINE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND AS A CONSUMER WE CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS ON A VEHICLE WHICH THE MANUFACTURE KNOWING AND WILLINGLY MANUFACTURE THE A VEHICLE WITH FAULTY EQUIPMENT. ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THERE IS NO SAFETY RISK TO THIS FAULTY EQUIPMENT ITS STILL WRONG TO PRODUCE A TECHNICAL WITH FAULTY EQUIPMENT. I AM OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE HOPING BY CONTACTING THE NHTSA SOMETHING WILL BE DONE. *TR

Engine

ODI #10562849

Incident: September 10, 2008 · Filed: February 4, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE OIL PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

Engine

ODI #10491691

Incident: December 24, 2012 · Filed: January 7, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND FAIL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE OIL PUMP FAILED, THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

Engine

ODI #10489148

Incident: November 2, 2010 · Filed: December 18, 2012

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ONLINE ISSUE WITH MY LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II, MY VIN IS NOT THE SAME HOWEVER THE SAME EXACT ISSUES. "2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II OIL PUMP FAILURE" I HAVE A LOAD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE, THE VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING, AND OIL CHANGES, TREATMENTS ETC CANNOT STOP THE KNOCK. NOT GETTING ANY WARNING LIGHTS OF LOW PRESSURE HOWEVER IT IS AT THE LAND ROVER DEALERSHIP OF FORT WORTH NOW AND THEY CONFIRMED THE SAME. THIS A $12,000 FIX FOR AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL OR NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC. I HAVE OVER 300 POSTINGS ON LINE ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES BUT ALL IN 60 MINS OF LOOKING AND SURE THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE. I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SEARCH FOR RECALLS OVER IN GREAT BRITAIN BEING THAT SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT?S WHERE MY VEHICLE WAS IMPORTED FROM WITH THE SALTY VIN NUMBER BUT ANY DIRECTION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10448491

Incident: February 8, 2011 · Filed: February 19, 2012

WHILE DRIVING LOW MILEAGE 2003 DISCOVERY II SE7, ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK IN UPPER ENGINE AREA ON DRIVER SIDE. PULLED INTO LOCAL REPAIR SHOP IMMEDIATELY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A ROD AS THE NOISE DISSIPATES WHEN IDLED ABOVE 1000 RPM. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL LAND ROVER SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS EITHER A BAD OIL PUMP OR THE SLEEVE IN THE CYLINDER AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE HAS COME LOOSE AND IS KNOCKING UP AGAINST THE HEAD GASKET. TECHNICIAN PRIVATELY INDICATED BOTH ARE KNOWN ISSUES AND THAT A NEW ENGINE IS REQUIRED IN EITHER CASE AND THAT LR NORTH AMERICA KNOWS OF THE ISSUES AND HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST OWNERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. COST OF NEW ENGINE IS BETWEEN $8,000 AND 12,000 DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK WITH. SINCE THE ONLY REAL ISSUE SO FAR IS THE NOISE FACTOR (SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL WHILE IDLING), TECHNICIAN FURTHER ADVISED IT WOULD BE BEST TO KEEP DRIVING THE LR UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FAILED AS THE PRICE OF NEW ENGINE WOULD NOT BE MORE AND I SHOULD GET AS MUCH FROM THE ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE. REQUEST NHTSA LOBBY ON BEHALF OF OWNERS TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED BETWEEN OWNERS AND LRNA. ISSUES ARE OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECTS AND LR SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PROBLEM AND OFFER SOME TYPE SOLUTION TO THE CONSUMER. THE NHTSA SHOULD ISSUE SOME SORT OF FINE IF POSSIBLE TO FORCE LR TO MAKE GOOD ON THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10410418

Incident: June 20, 2011 · Filed: July 4, 2011

I OWN A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 57,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. RECENTLY I NOTICED A TAP COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT OVER TO THE LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE IN ORDER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AT A COST OF $14,000. WHAT A JOKE! THERE IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THESE TRUCKS MAINTAINING ADEQUATE OIL PRESSURE IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM RUNNING PROPERLY. ONCE AGAIN THE CONSUMER GETS THE SHAFT. I AM NOW STUCK, ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER LR OWNERS, FACED WITH A HUGE REPAIR BILL. THIS MATTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKED INTO AS A POSSIBLE RECALL. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10367319

Incident: November 23, 2010 · Filed: November 23, 2010

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II HSE TODAY, THE THROTTLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STUCK IN THE FULL POSITION. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC, CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND GET THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LAND ROVER DEALER, AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BUTTERFLY VALVE HAD STUCK. I RESEARCHED THIS AND CAME UP WITH NHTSA CASE NUMBER 03V133000 WHICH DEAL WITH THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL YEAR VEHICLE. THE DEALER CLAIMS THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART UNDER THIS ISSUE. I FIND IT HIGHLY COINCIDENTAL THAT I AM EXPERIENCING THE EXACT ISSUE DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA CASE. IN REVIEWING THE CASE INFORMATION THERE WERE OTHER REPORTS OUTSIDE OF THE DATE RANGE THAT LAND ROVER CLAIMS APPLY TO THIS DEFECT. I CONTACTED THE LAND ROVER CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY SAID THEY WERE REVIEWING THE CASE, BUT THAT THE RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE SINCE THE RECALLS ARE VIN SPECIFIC. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE DID ADMIT THAT THIS PROBLEM DOES OCCUR ON OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS FAILURE AND IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

Other Land Rover Discovery II model years

Check your 2003 Land Rover Discovery II VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Land Rover Discovery II at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Land Rover VIN