Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Land Rover Discovery
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Land Rover Discovery has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 33 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #12E010000 DRIVESHAFT COUPLER/SERVICE PART NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V040000 LAND ROVER/INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 5 complaints
- Steering 5 complaints
- Air Bags 4 complaints
- Seat Belts 4 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 4 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 2 complaints
Of the 33 complaints on file, 7 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 33 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,500–$9,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Land Rover Discovery has below-average reliability, largely attributable to frequent electrical and braking issues. The recalled front airbags and driveshaft issues highlight further vulnerabilities.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $400–$1,000 | very common |
| service brakes | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| steering | 80,000–110,000 miles | $500–$1,200 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change
- Brake fluid replacement
- Coolant flush
- Spark plug replacement
- Transmission service
- Timing belt replacement
- Air filter change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Steering wheel noise
- Electrical flickering
- Brake pedal issues
- Vibration in driveshaft
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Land Rover Discovery at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.