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1997 Land Rover Discovery

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Compare all Discovery 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

Limited mileage data: 4 of 35 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

9 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 17, 2001
Power Train

THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY BUCKING AND HESITATING WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 35MPH. AFTER PULLING INTO BREAKDOWN LANE CAR WAS TOWED TO LANDROVER OF HANOVER (MA). THEY REPORTED THAT THE TRANSFER BOX "SPLIT IN HALF" CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE QUOTE RECEIVED AT THAT TIME WAS $14,000. NOT TRUSTING THAT DE…

Read full complaint

THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY BUCKING AND HESITATING WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 35MPH. AFTER PULLING INTO BREAKDOWN LANE CAR WAS TOWED TO LANDROVER OF HANOVER (MA). THEY REPORTED THAT THE TRANSFER BOX "SPLIT IN HALF" CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE QUOTE RECEIVED AT THAT TIME WAS $14,000. NOT TRUSTING THAT DEALER, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LAND ROVER METROWEST (MA). THEY REPLACED THE TRANSFER BOX AND REPORTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE OK. 2 WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. METROWEST THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSFER BOX AND TRANSMISSION. THE COST WAS UPWARDS OF $5,000 WITH A USED TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER BOX. THE VEHICLES WARRANTY RAN UP IN AUGUST OF 2000. 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DAMAGE. I REQUESTED A GOODWILL ADJUSTMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS DECLINED. IN ADDITION, ON 6/5/00 THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO LAND ROVER HANOVER FOR A RECALL ITEM O2 SENSOR. AT THAT TIME IT WAS FOUND THAT A TRANSFER BOX MOUNT STUD WAS RUSTED (WHILE UNDER WARRANTY). THE DEALER NEVER NOTIFIED ME WHEN THE PART CAME IN AND ONLY MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT THE PART WAS RUSTED AT ALL. IT IS MY FEELING THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED REPAIRS AND PARTS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY THE MANUFACTURER. FURTHERMORE, ON MARCH 9, 2001 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A UTILITY POLE AT 25-35 MPH. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S NOR PASSANGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE SEATBELT, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.

NHTSA ODI #742590

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 1999
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SEAL.

NHTSA ODI #609728

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 1999
Power Train

VEHICLE FROM A STANDSTILL WAS PUT IN REVERSE GEAR, WHILE THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED ATTEMPTED TO BACK THE VEHICLE UP, THE TRUCK ACCELARATED AT AN HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN REVERSE GEAR ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ODI #703181

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 1999
Power Train

WHEN YOU PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE ACCELERATES TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND TAKE OFF IN REVERSE GEAR. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE IS TURNING THE IGNITION OFF.

NHTSA ODI #701843

Official recalls

1

98V040000 · Air Bags:frontal; Vehicle Speed Control

Feb 24, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AS A RESULT OF CHAFFING OF A CRUISE CONTROL WIRE, THE STEERING WHEEL ROTARY COUPLER CAN OVERHEAT AND INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOSE VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSIBLE LINK WHICH WILL PROTECT THE ROTARY COUPLER FROM OVERHEATING.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AS A RESULT OF CHAFFING OF A CRUISE CONTROL WIRE, THE STEERING WHEEL ROTARY COUPLER CAN OVERHEAT AND INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG.

Consequence: DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOSE VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSIBLE LINK WHICH WILL PROTECT THE ROTARY COUPLER FROM OVERHEATING.

Air Bags:frontal

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AS A RESULT OF CHAFFING OF A CRUISE CONTROL WIRE, THE STEERING WHEEL ROTARY COUPLER CAN OVERHEAT AND INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG.

Consequence: DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOSE VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSIBLE LINK WHICH WILL PROTECT THE ROTARY COUPLER FROM OVERHEATING.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.