There are 11 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2002 Land Rover Discoveryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH, THE DRIVESHAFT CAME APART WITHOUT WARNING AND I WAS ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH I WAS ABLE TO AVOID. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA, VA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MOST COMMON IN LAND ROVER AND RANGE ROVER. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT WOULD CAUSE SEVERE ACCIDENTS IF THERE IS NO WARNING BEFOREHAND. *TR
I OWN A 2002 DISCOVERY SERIES 2 AT ABOUT 92000 MILES THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT FAILED, WITH NO WARNING. I HAVE REPLACED IT WITH A USED ONE FROM A 2002 ALSO AND NOT EVEN 1 MONTH LATER THE REPLACEMENT ALSO FAILED NOW I'M RELUCTANT TO REPLACE IT AGAIN AT ANOTHER 900 DOLLARS. ALSO I HAVE THE OLD ONE THAT FAILED, HOPING TO GET IT FIXED AS A REPLACEMENT AS I HAVE BEEN READING THEY SEEM TO FAIL ALOT. *TR
BEGAN HEARING A SMALL SQUEAKING NOISE FROM UNDER VEHICLE AT LOW TO MODERATE SPEEDS. DRIVESHAFT UJOINT WAS GOING OUT. IT WENT OUT AT 45K MILES, AND RECENTLY AT 87K. COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS SUV. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN MY 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY MADE A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND STOPPED MY CAR. I HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND AFTER INSPECTION WAS TOLD THE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE 55K MILES AND THE REPAIRS ARE OVER $1,000.00. ALSO I JUST HAD A MECHANICAL INSPECTION A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE. *TR
FRONT 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
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
FAILURE OF A U-JOINT LEADING THE NEXT FAILURE OF A TRANSFER CASE IN THE VEHICLE. *NM
DRIVESHAFT FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT PROCEED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM THAT LANDROVER CONTINUES TO DENY. *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 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
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
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026