Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Land Rover Discovery Series Ii problems

Owners filed 51 complaints about the 2002 Land Rover Discovery Series Ii with NHTSA between Dec 2002 and Sep 2017. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (20).

Complaints
51
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling20
  2. Power train13
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic5
  4. Steering4
  5. Service brakes2
  6. Vehicle speed control2
  7. Electrical system2
  8. Structure2
  9. Visibility2
  10. Air bags2
  11. Suspension1
  12. Equipment1
  13. Parking brake1
  14. Tires1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20021
20033
20046
20054
20064
20076
20087
20094
20106
20113
20123
20130
20140
20151
20161
20172

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

20 reports1 crash4 fires
“OIL LEAK ON ENGINE, OIL PAN LEAK, WATER PUMP LEAK, NO POWER ON ENGINE IT LOST THE POWER FROM OVER HEATING, MECHANIC WANTS TO REPLACE ENGINE I WAS QUOTED 3700 DOLLARS. HOW CAN I KNOW IF THIS ENGINE WAS A DEFECT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 10442835

Power train

13 reports2 crashes1 fire
“CATASTROPHIC INJURIES SUSTAINED!!!! LOSS OF LIFE ALMOST OCCURRED! I WAS DRIVING MY LAND ROVER ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE BRAKE DRUM FELL APART WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND PARTS FROM THE BRAKE DRUM PIERCED THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND CAME IN THROUGH THE DRIVER SEAT I WAS SITTING IN AND CAUSE ME MAJOR INTERNAL INJURIES THAT LED TO ME BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR 52 DAYS. THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OR THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE THE FAILURE CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND I WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES THAT HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THE PICTURES OF THE CAR PARTS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM MY ABDOMINAL AREA AND PICTURES OF THE SEAT I WAS SITTING ON. I FILED A LAW SUIT AND IT SETTLED OUT OF COURT SO THIS IS THE BEST WAY I COULD THINK OF TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT THE DANGER THESE VEHICLES POSSES. *BF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2017Power train, Unknown or other, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11030242

Service brakes, hydraulic

5 reports1 crash
“THE ANTILOCK BRAKES, HILL DESCENT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE ON MY LAND ROVER DISCOVERY ON A REGULAR BASIS. AFTER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THIS IS DUE TO THE ABS MODULATOR, AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED AS YET WITH THIS PART. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10228834

Steering

4 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE SPEED WAS ABOVE 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FRONT SHAFT WAS REPLACED TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2016SteeringODI 10881207

Service brakes

2 reports1 crash
“VEHICLE LOST THE BRAKE FLUID. NO BRAKES. ALL LINES AND CHASSIS RUSTED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2015Service brakesODI 10679833

Vehicle speed control

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND COASTED TO THE SHOULDER. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED THE ACCELERATOR CABLE WAS SHREDDED AND DISCONNECTED AND THE THROTTLE WAS IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE CONTACT CONNECTED THE CABLE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SHOP BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2017Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10971834
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.