There are 21 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2003 Land Rover Discoveryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ON MY WAY HOME FROM PICKING UP MY GRANDCHILD THERE WAS SOME VIBRATING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THAN A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY RUBBER BURNING SMELL AND LOST OF CONTROL OF CAR. MANAGED TO PULL OVER CAR WOULD NOT ROLLING HAD TO ENGAGE PARKING BRAKE. HAD CAR TOWED HOME. DRIVE SHAFT SEPERATED AND DESTROYED TRANSMISSION PAN. BROKE PIECES OFF OF TANSMISSION. CHANGE ROTORS AND BRAKE AND CAR STILL WILL NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT SLIDING A BIT. ABS LIGHTS COME ON EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENS. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPEN WHILE IM DRIVING STREETS OR HIGHWAY.
2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II -ABS STOPS WORKING, IMPAIRED BRAKING, TRACTION CONTROL STOPS WORKING, BAD ABS MODULATOR CONNECTION. HAPPENS SPONTANEOUSLY. REPLACED ABS MODULATOR. *TR
1. APPLIED THE BRAKES. 2. EVERY TIME I APPLY BRAKES AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED 3. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WHICH CAN BE DONE... APPARENTLY ALL SUCH MODELS HAVE THIS ISSUE, WHICH GENERATES THE QUESTION AS TO WHY LAND ROVER HAS NOT BEEN MADE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, MUCH LIKE WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE HAD SUCH AN ISSUE BEEN INCURRED WITH A CHEVROLET, FORD OR TOYOTA? THIS ISSUE HAS ALREADY BEEN RECORDED AS SERVICE BULLETIN NHTSA ITEM NO. 10016118? THIS DEMONSTRATES THERE ARE RECOGNIZED PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS MODULATOR AND SYSTEM, RESULTING IN THE ABS/ EMERGENCY BRAKE / HILL DESCENT AND TRACTION CONTROL LAMPS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM TO INCUR FAILURE WHEN NEEDED? THE NUMBER OF VEHICLE OWNERS INCURRING THIS PROBLEM INDICATES THERE IS A SERIOUS INHERENT DEFECT WITHIN THIS VEHICLE, WHICH I AND MANY OTHERS CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY SUCH HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED... THERE HAS APPARENTLY BEEN ANOTHER RECALL FOR AN ABS COMPONENT IN THIS VEHICLE (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NO. 04V005000) AND THIS PRELIMINARY RECALL SHOULD ALSO BE AMENDED TO INCLUDE THIS ISSUE WITH THE ABS SYSTEM? THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND WIDESPREAD AMONG THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND THE NHTSA SHOULD FINALLY REQUIRE LAND ROVER TO CORRECT SUCH. *TR
MY 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SUFFERS FROM A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH CAUSES THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL TO FAIL. HUNDREDS OF DISCOVERIES SUFFER FROM THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH NO FIX OR RECALL FROM LAND ROVER. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN COINED "THREE AMIGOS" AND CAN BE EASILY FOUND BY SEARCHING ONLINE. I AM DEPENDENT ON MY ABS AND CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY AM PUTTING MY FAMILY AT RISK WITH THIS CONSTANT AND CONSISTENT FAILURE. MY DISCOVERY RECENTLY SLID OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO LOSS OF ABS DURING A RAIN STORM. I HAD 2 CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. *TR
THE PROBLEM IS WITH OUR 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ALMOST DAILY. THE TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, AND HILL DESCENT (REFERRED TO AS THE THREE AMIGOS). I FEEL THIS IS VERY MUCH A SAFETY RECALL DUE TO LACK OF BRAKING AND TRACTION WHEN THESE LIGHTS ALL ARE ON. WHEN THESE LIGHTS ARE ON THE TRACTION CONTROL DEVICE DOES NOT FUNCTION. DUE TO LIVING IN ILLINOIS WEATHER THIS CREATES PROBLEMS DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS-IN WHICH IN OUR AREA WE SEEM TO BE HAVING A SHORTAGE ON SALT FOR THE ROADS. THE FULL REASONING AS TO WHY I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WAS TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ROAD CONDITIONS (I DIDN'T THINK PROBLEMS WITH SYSTEM FAILURES WOULD OCCUR WITH THE COST OF THESE VEHICLES) I FEEL THIS IS A RECALL PROBLEM. PUTTING MANY PEOPLES LIVES IN JEOPARDY WHO ACTUALLY FEEL THEY ARE SAFE WHILE DRIVING UNTIL THEY EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE OF THIS SYSTEM IN THESE VEHICLES WHILE ON A WEEKEND TRIP OR FOUR WHEELING AS WHICH THEY WERE DESIGNED TO DO. THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT I CREATED ON MY VEHICLE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY CREATED WHEN THEY PRODUCED THESE VEHICLES AND SOLD THEM. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT THEIR FLAW THAT THEY MADE IN THE PRODUCTION OF THESE VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE SYSTEM ALLOWING FAILURE DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS IF A SYSTEM FAILS THAT IS DEFECTIVE. AS TO ANY DEATHS RELATED IN THIS INCIDENT -THE ANSWER WOULD BE AS OF THIS TIME NO AND I PRAY THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE POLICE WHERE CALLED BECAUSE I'M QUITE SURE THEY COULD CARE LESS IF THE TRACTION CONTROL OR MY ABS ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THANK GOD THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROPERTY DESTRUCTION OR CRASHES YET. *TR
2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY ABS/ TRACTION CONTROL/ HILL DECENT LIGHT REMAINS ON WHILE DRIVING, HAS AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF LAND ROVER VEHICLES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SENSOR. LIKE I SAID IT HAS AFFECTED TO MANY VEHICLES AND PEOPLE TO JUST SAY THAT IT WAS A MINOR MISHAP WITH SOME OF THE VEHICLES. IT OCCURS ALMOST EVERY DAY GOING TO WORK AND DO NOT HAVE THOSE OPTIONS IN USE WHEN ON. *TR
THE DEFECT IS ALREADY RECORDED AS SERVICE BULLETIN NHTSA ITEM NO. 10016118. IN SHORT, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SHUTTLE VALVES IN THE ABS SYSTEM, WHICH RESULT IN THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL/HILL DESCENT WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATION IN THE DASH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY MAY PREVENT THE ABS FROM ACTIVATING AS NEEDED. DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME SPECIFIC ISSUE, A RECALL IS VERY APPROPRIATE. THERE ARE INHERENT PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS IN THESE CARS, AS IS PRELIMINARY EVIDENT IN THE FACT THAT THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A RECALL FOR ANOTHER COMPONENT IN THE ABS (NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NO. 04V005000). THIS ISSUE IS VERY WIDESPREAD AMONG OWNER'S OF THIS AUTOMOBILE. THE SAFETY SYSTEM OF THE AUTOMOBILE IS COMPROMISED AND THE NHTSA SHOULD REQUIRE LAND ROVER TO FINALLY ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. *TR
ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE; MULTIPLE LIGHTS ILLUMINTE WHE HEAVY BRAKING DOWN HILLS. ALL BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE NEW. LIGHTS ON DASH EXTINGUISH UPON RESTART. VERY POOR BRAKING ALMOST ALLOWING VEHICLE TO TRAVEL INTO CROSS TRAFFIC. FELT AS THOUGH ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM STOPPED FUNCTIONING WITH STANDARD BRAKING REMAINING. HAPPENDED SEVERAL TIMES WITH MYSELF AND WIFE DRIVING VEHICLE. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND LOOKED UP INFO ON INTERNET. DEALER INDICATED IS WAS THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM MODULATOR. MANY COMPLAINTS ON ROVER WEBSITES ABOUT THIS GOING FAIRLY EARLY IN LIFE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP TOLD MY WIFE THAT THERE WAS STILL NORMAL BRAKING IF LIGHTS ARE ON,BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE USED LIKE YOUR BRAKING WITH ANTILOCK SYSTEMS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT LANDROVER HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM AS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN BRAKING ON LIMITED HILLS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED PART WAS $1500 AND TOTAL JOB WAS $2100 TO REPLACE, BUT AGAIN SAID IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO DO AS BRAKING WOULD BE THERE IF LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. *TR
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II ABS FAULT. I CANNOT DRIVE MORE THAN 5 MILES WITHOUT THE ABS, HILL DESCENT CONTROL, AND TRANSFER CASE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS FAULT IS A RESULT OF AN ABS SYSTEM FAILURE. AFTER FAULT HAS BEEN RECEIVED BY THE CARS COMPUTER, ABS IS NON-RESPONSIVE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING MANY OF THE LAND ROVER DISCOVERY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR INTO MY MECHANIC WHO HAS BEEN UNABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY MORE THAN ONE ELEMENT TO THE ABS SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. THIS OCCURS EVERYDAY AND I'M STILL WORKING ON A RESOLUTION. I CANNOT SELL THE CAR IN GOOD CONSCIOUS WITH SUCH A HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. *TR
HILL DESCENT CONTROL TRACTION CONTROL AND THE ABS LIGHT CONSTANTLY LIGHT UP, I JUST BOUGHT MY CAR,(LESS THAN 2 MONTHS AGO) WHEN APPLIED BRAKES SOMETIMES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. I WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, I TOOK THE CAR TO A SERVICE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY 2500 DOLLARS! I HAD OTHER PROBLEMS AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MY PURCHASE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ALL DISCOVERIES HAVE THIS PROBLEM I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, THIS IS MY 3RD LAND ROVER AND THEY ALL HAD ABS FAILURE. *JB
ABS, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND HILL DESCENT LIGHT STAYS ON. THE ABS BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY BRAKE FLUID WAS NOT CHANGED ACCORDING TO RECOMMENDED WARRANTY STANDARDS. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHERS WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE HAVE ALSO HAD ABS MODULE MALFUNCTIONS OR DEFECTS. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE BRAKES FELT AS IF THEY WERE GRIPPING WHILE BEING APPLIED. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE CONTACT TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THE HEAD LIGHTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.
DISCOVERY 2 ABS ISSUES, MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH ABS SYSTEM. UPON APPLICATION ADDS A BIT OF TIME TO YOUR ANTICIPATED STOPPING DISTANCE. VERY DANGEROUS CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENT DEALER SHOP CANNOT FIND HOW TO FIX IT AND LIGHTS AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON CONSTANTLY. ABS SYSTEM IS NOT ENGAGED WHEN NEEDED. *NM
I HAVE A 2003 DISCOVERY II AND THE ABS MODULATOR IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THREE MAIN LIGHTS ILLUMINATING CONSTANTLY AND THEY ARE TRACTION CONTROL, ABS AND HILL DESCENT CONTROL, WHEN THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE IN AMBER COLOR WHILE I'M DRIVING I HAVE NO USE OF TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS ALSO MY BRAKES DON'T WORK WELL. *NM
2003 DISCOVERY II AND THE THREE MAIN LIGHTS ILLUMINATING, TWO TIMES THEY HAVE BEEN ON AND STAY ON, SOMETIMES NOW THEY TURN ON AND OFF. TRACTION CONTROL, ABS AND HILL DESCENT CONTROL. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD TRIP TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH PEDALS WERE CLOSE TOGETHER. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL OR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BY MISTAKE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *SC
WE WERE APPROACHING THE TOLL BOOTHS FROM THE MASS PIKE AND MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT ME AND ASKED ME WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BRAKES. I FREAKED OUT AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. WE WERE SURROUNDED BY CARS AND APPROACHING THE TOLL BOOTH VERY QUICKLY. WE WERE ABLE TO SLOW DOWN BEFORE WE CRASHED, BUT WE WERE AND NOW ARE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOT KNOWING IF THIS WILL OCCUR AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AND SAID THAT A SECONDARY AIR INJECTION VALVE STUCK OPEN CAUSING HOT EXHAUST GASES TO FLOW THROUGH PIPES, AND MELTED VACUUM LINE TO MASTER CYLINDER. WE CALLED LAND ROVER COMPANY AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD RESEARCH IT TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM HAD EVER OCCURED WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THEY RETURNED OUR CALL LATER ON IN THE WEEK AND SAID THAT IT HADN'T AND TECHNICALLY, WE DIDN'T LOSE OUR BRAKES, THEY JUST WEREN'T POWER ASSISTED! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT-WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!. *AK
AFTER DEALERSHIP PERFORMED ABS VALVE COVER BOLT RECALL 04V005000 REPAIRS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED.*AK
THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ARE TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND ALMOST AT THE SAME LEVEL THAT YOU CAN STEP BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO SURGE FORWARD. *NLM
GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER THAT YOU CAN BOTH STEP ON THEM AT THE SAME TIME OR SLIPS FROM BRAKE TO GAS THAT CAUSES A SUDDEN FORWARD SURGE.*JB
Showing 1–20 of 21 complaints
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