Land Rover Discovery Problems by Year

We compared every Land Rover Discovery model year from 1995–2025 using 527 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 23 recalls and federal defect investigations. The years to avoid are 2017, 2019, 2018 and 1996, which drew far more complaints than other Discovery years at the same age. The best years are 2016, 2025 and 2022.

20model years
527complaints
23recalls
2017, 2019worst years
2016, 2025best years

Complaints by model year

’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’2549653533173013174829555373819111178
Owner complaints per model year, Land Rover Discovery. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).
YearComplaintsvs. typical*RecallsTop problemVerdict
20250−67%2—Few
20248typical5ElectricalAverage
20237−25%6ElectricalAverage
202211−42%6ElectricalGood
202111−40%6ElectricalGood
202019−22%6ElectricalAverage
2019381.7×4ElectricalCaution
2018371.4×4TransmissionCaution
2017552.0×3ElectricalAvoid
20165−77%—TransmissionGood
200429−33%—BrakeAverage
2003481.2×1EngineAverage
200217−60%—EngineGood
200113−60%1SuspensionGood
200030typical1BrakeAverage
199917−37%2BrakeAverage
199833typical1SteeringAverage
1997351.2×1BrakeAverage
1996651.9×2BrakeCaution
1995491.3×3AccelerationAverage

* Complaints compared with the median Discovery year at the same age, so new and old years are judged fairly. How this works.

Most common Land Rover Discovery problems

Latest Land Rover Discovery recalls

Electrical system › Propulsion system › DC/DC converter

NHTSA recall 26V-599 · Sep 17, 2026 · 23,677 vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles.

Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 13, 2026.

Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera

NHTSA recall 26V-458 · Jul 16, 2026 · 15,535 vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. Water may not be able to drain away from the rearview camera due to insufficient drain holes, which may result in damage to the rearview camera.

Remedy: Dealers will drill additional drain holes in the underside of the tailgate trim. Additionally, dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge.

Air bags › Frontal

NHTSA recall 26V-389 · Jun 12, 2026 · 250,857 vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver's air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.

Remedy: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driver's air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 3, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837.

Electrical system › Propulsion system › DC/DC converter

NHTSA recall 26V-248 · Apr 17, 2026 · 170,169 vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024…

Remedy: Dealers will update the central software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available.

Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Oil/lubrication › Filter/screen

NHTSA recall 24V-450 · Jun 17, 2024 · 2,013 vehicles

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the filter housing, oil filter, and o-rings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837.

All 23 Land Rover Discovery recalls by year →

Frequently asked questions

What years of the Land Rover Discovery should you avoid?

2017, 2019, 2018 and 1996 — these years have the most complaints relative to other Discovery years at the same age, led by electrical system problems in the 2017.

What is the best year for the Land Rover Discovery?

2016 has the fewest complaints compared with other Discovery years at the same age, followed by 2025 and 2022. Newer years can look better simply because fewer complaints have come in yet, so we compare like with like.

What are the most common Land Rover Discovery problems?

Across all years, owners report the most problems with the electrical system (111), engine & cooling (103) and brakes (79). Electrical complaints peak in the 2017 model year.

How many recalls has the Land Rover Discovery had?

23 recalls across 1995–2025. The model year with the most is 2020. See all Land Rover Discovery recalls by year.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.