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1998 Land Rover Discovery

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
33Owner complaints

Model-year median: 17

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
49
199565
199635
199733
199817
199930
200013
2001
Compare all Discovery years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
5Steering
5Air Bags
4Seat Belts
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4
All reported categories
Engine And Engine Cooling
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Power Train
2Unknown Or Other
2Visibility
2Engine
1Exterior Lighting
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Seats
1Service Brakes, Air
1Structure
1Suspension
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

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: 10 of 33 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2012
Air BagsCrashFireInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSIVE SPARK WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER'S CLOTHING TO IGNITE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS TO THE RIGHT HAND AND THE LEFT ARM BECAME BLISTERED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTION…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSIVE SPARK WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER'S CLOTHING TO IGNITE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BURNS TO THE RIGHT HAND AND THE LEFT ARM BECAME BLISTERED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING AND ABRASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10465311

58,000 miles · Apr 15, 2004
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CLIPPED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM THE REAR, FORCING IT INTO A GUARD RAIL, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067221

75,494 miles · Apr 2, 2004
Air BagsCrash

NON DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIRBAG IN FRONTAL ACCIDENT SEVERE ENOUGH TO DISTORT VEHICLE'S FRAME (1998 LANDROVER DISCOVERY). *JB

NHTSA ODI #10064406

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING IN A FRONTAL COLLISION NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8015703

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.