IllustrationFRONT DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF DURING FREEWAY DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED OFFROAD. THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL AND MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS RESULTS IN DANGEROUS DRIVING CONSEQUENCES. OUR VEHICLE ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES. *TR
2002 Land Rover Discovery Ii
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Land Rover Discovery Ii do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 35.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Discovery Ii years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
325–50K
750–75K
1075–100K
4100–150K
1150K+
26 reports with mileage · 8 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports3 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
34 reportsFAILURE OF A U-JOINT LEADING THE NEXT FAILURE OF A TRANSFER CASE IN THE VEHICLE. *NM
TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE II IT STARTED VIBRATING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF AND FELL ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO WARNING IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED 30 MILES BACK TO MY HOUSE AND I AM STILL HAVING TROUBLE…
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TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE II IT STARTED VIBRATING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF AND FELL ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WAS NO WARNING IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED 30 MILES BACK TO MY HOUSE AND I AM STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING IT FIXED PROPERLY. *NM
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II FRONT DRIVE SHAFTS WILL ALWAYS FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY BETWEEN 60,000 TO 70,000 MILES. EVERY LAND ROVER FORUM DISCUSSES THIS AND THE CONSENSUS IS THAT LAND ROVER SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA AS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THEY BREAK THE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE THE SHAFT GOING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OR T…
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LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II FRONT DRIVE SHAFTS WILL ALWAYS FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY BETWEEN 60,000 TO 70,000 MILES. EVERY LAND ROVER FORUM DISCUSSES THIS AND THE CONSENSUS IS THAT LAND ROVER SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA AS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THEY BREAK THE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE THE SHAFT GOING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OR TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED INTO NEARBY CARS. EVERY DISCOVERY II ON THE ROAD HAS THESE FRONT SHAFTS FAIL AND THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES HAVE NEVER BEEN WARNED OF THIS EXTREME DANGER. *JB
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II FRONT DRIVE SHAFTS WILL ALWAYS FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY BETWEEN 60,000 TO 70,000 MILES. EVERY LAND ROVER FORUM DISCUSSES THIS AND THE CONSENSUS IS THAT LAND ROVER SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA AS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THEY BREAK THE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE THE SHAFT GOING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OR T…
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LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II FRONT DRIVE SHAFTS WILL ALWAYS FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY BETWEEN 60,000 TO 70,000 MILES. EVERY LAND ROVER FORUM DISCUSSES THIS AND THE CONSENSUS IS THAT LAND ROVER SHOULD HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA AS A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THEY BREAK THE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE THE SHAFT GOING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OR TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED INTO NEARBY CARS. EVERY DISCOVERY II ON THE ROAD HAS THESE FRONT SHAFTS FAIL AND THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES HAVE NEVER BEEN WARNED OF THIS EXTREME DANGER. *JB
ONLY 68,000 MILES AND VEHICLE OVERHEATS, INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM STILL EXIST. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM WANTS TO REPLACE ENGINE. JB
I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE FOR 2 YEARS. ABOUT 8-9 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT AT CERTAIN SPEEDS, MY STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH, OR SHIMMY, SOMETIMES SOMEWHAT VIOLENTLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO ARISTOCRAT MOTORS, THE ONLY SERVICE CENTER IN MY AREA FOR LAND ROVERS, AND HAVE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM THREE T…
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I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SE FOR 2 YEARS. ABOUT 8-9 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED THAT AT CERTAIN SPEEDS, MY STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE BACK AND FORTH, OR SHIMMY, SOMETIMES SOMEWHAT VIOLENTLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO ARISTOCRAT MOTORS, THE ONLY SERVICE CENTER IN MY AREA FOR LAND ROVERS, AND HAVE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY SAID THEY CHECKED THE TIRES AND THEY WERE FINE. THAT WAS IT. THE SECOND TIME, I CALLED AND ASKED WHY IT WAS DOING IT, AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THAT'S JUST WHAT LAND ROVERS DO AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THE THIRD TIME, I WAS TOLD THE WHEELS AREN'T UNBALANCED AND THAT'S THE LAST THEY SAID ABOUT IT. I HAVE A FOURTH APPOINTMENT TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND EXPECT THEM TO FIX IT OR I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE IF IT BREAKS LATER AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. *JB
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE 2002 LANDROVER DISCOVERY II HILL DESCENT FEATURE THE GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM CAME OFF IN THE CONSUMER'S HAND. *NM THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OUT OF CONTROL WHILE GOING DOWN HILL. *SC
"NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V005000" ON THE ABS VALVE COVER BOLT. AFTER HAVING THE ABS MODULATOR ASSEMBLY VALVE COVERS STRENGTHENED AND THE RETAINING BOLTS REPLACED, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPL…
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"NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V005000" ON THE ABS VALVE COVER BOLT. AFTER HAVING THE ABS MODULATOR ASSEMBLY VALVE COVERS STRENGTHENED AND THE RETAINING BOLTS REPLACED, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TWICE WITHIN A 10 MONTH PERIOD. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOISY. *TC *JB
WHILE TURNING THE TC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER HIT A CURB, CAUSING A MINOR VEHICLE COLLISION. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
304V005000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Jan 6, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
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.
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.
04V006000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Jan 6, 2004
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACTIVE CORNERING ENHANCEMENT (ACE) PUMP BANJO BOLT LOOSES TORQUE AND ALLOWS FLUID TO LEAK PAST THE JOINT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE FLUID FROM THE PUMP JOINT CAN IGNITE, RESULTING IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.
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.
02V028000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Jan 23, 2002
ON SOME SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR CABLE COULD HAVE BECOME KINKED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY, RESULTING IN CHAFFING OF THE CABLE. CONTINUED CHAFFING CAN LEAD TO BREAKAGE OF THE INTERIOR CABLE STRANDS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: BREAKAGE OF THE CABLE STRANDS CAN RESULT IN THE THROTTLE BEING STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE DAMAGED CABLES WHERE NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 6, 2002. 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 1-301-731-9040.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.