NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON 4/10/03 WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY ON A SLICK SLEET COVERED ROAD WHERE THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELT OVER MY CHEST LOOSENED AND ALLOWED ME TO FLY FORWARD AND CRUNCH THE CENTER OF MY CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR COMPANY ( NOT THE DEALER) HAS BEEN RUDE, NON-RESPONSIVE, AND EVASIVE. THEY HAVE EVEN REFUSED TO CALL ME BACK, REFUSED TO TELL ME (TODAY IS ONE MONTH SINCE THE ACCIDENT) IF THEY TESTED MY AIR BAG, HAVE NEVER ASKED OR EVER ALLOWED ME TO SHARE DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT, AND HAVE NEVER ALLOWED ME TO SHARE DETAILS OF MY INJURY. THEY HAVE BEEN RUDE ON THE PHONE REPEATEDLY AND SEEM TO SHOW NO INTEREST AT ALL IN SEEING THAT MY FAMILY RIDES IN A SAFE CAR. THEY HAVE BEEN SIX PREVIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR THAT THEY REFUSE TO TALK ABOUT EVEN THOUGH FOUR OF THESE INVOLVE A 'SILENT" RECALL THAT DEALER MECHANICS WERE AWARE OF, BUT I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO KNOW ABOUT. I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO EVER EXPERIENCE THIS FLIPPANT RUDE ATTITUDE FROM AN AUTO COMPANY. *NLM
STORED FAULT FOR OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED TRANSDUCER SENSOR FOR TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WON'T MOVE FASTER THAN 2 OR 3 MILES PER HOUR. WON'T SHIFT GEARS. DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING WITH TRAFFIC OR MAKING A LEFT TURN IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. *NLM
LAND ROVER HAS ISSUED A "TECHNICAL ALERT" DATED MARCH 14, 2003 CODED TA03 1201 TO THE ATTENTION OF SERVICE MANAGERS, SERVICE ADVISORS, AND TECHNICIANS. THE ALERT STATES THAT "OIL PUMP FAILURES ON 2003 DISCOVERY SERIES II VEHICLES MAY BE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING ERROR. LOCATING DOWEL PINS MAY BE SLIGHTLY MISALIGNED PERMITTING ASSEMBLY OF THE OIL PUMP TO THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT PLACING STRESS ON THE PUMP HOUSING WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO LEAKAGE OR FAILURE." THEY GO ON TO SAY THIS COULD CAUSE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE! THE RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY LAND ROVER IS "...THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REPAIR CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY..." IN SHORT THE ENGINE COULD SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY FAIL. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECALL ISSUED RELATED TO THIS MATTER. I DO NOT WANT TO BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION? *TR
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
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
IN AUGUST 2003 I PURCHASED A 2003 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY AT BARRET JAGUAR-LAND ROVER IN MCALLEN, TX. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 12K MILES AND HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE SHOP ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. JANUARY 16, 2003 I DISCUSSED MY DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DEALERSHIP MANAGER JOEL GARCIA, AS A RESULT OF THE LACK OF CONCERN I SEEK HELP TO RESOLVE MY PROBLEMS. I FEEL I STRUGGLED TO GET A BRAND NEW VEHICLE OF MY DREAMS IN ORDER TO AVOID PROBLEMS, HOWEVER I FEEL SPENDING 40K FOR A PROBLEMATIC VEHICLE IS UNJUSTLY. I REQUEST ANY KIND OF HELP GETTING THIS RESOLVED SINCE THE DEALERSHIP MANAGER BASICALLY IMPLIED THAT A FAVOR WAS DONE IN ORDER FOR ME TO FINANCE THIS VEHICLE(THIS IS WHY I HAD TO SIGN BLANK CONTRACTS AND NEVER GIVEN COPIES OF THIS SALE) WHICH I HAVE REQUESTED WITH NO ANSWER. *CB
THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS CAN BE HIT AT THE SAME VERY EASILY CAUSING THE CAR TO SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALER KNOWS IT BUT WILL NOT STAND BY THE CAR WHEN I WANTED TO RETURN IT. DT
CONTINUAL WATER LEAK AT LEFT UPPER HINGE PILLAR. FIRST OCCURRED 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE HAS CONTINUED DESPITE 4 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR. *LA
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ANCHORS FOR THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE REAR SEAT SEAT BELTS ARE MOUNTED TOO FAR FORWARD ON THE REAR WHEEL WELL TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. WE HAVE A BRITEX BABY SEAT. FROM WHAT I UNDESTAND FROM A CERTIFIED SEAT INSTALLER IS THAT ALL BABY SEATS DO NOT MOUNT PROPERLY IN THE LAND ROVER DISCOVERIES. THE SEAT ROTATES TO THE SIDE AND HAS SIGNIFICANT LATERAL MOVEMENT. I FEEL THIS IS UNSAFE.*AK *JB
VEHICLE HAS A SUPER LOCK DOWN SECURITY MODE SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. A WINDOW HAD TO BE BROKEN TO GET CONSUMER OUT. *AK