2003 Land Rover Discovery II Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Discovery II years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II. That is the most of any Discovery II model year in the database (6 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (27 complaints, 43%), typically at around 61,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 2 fires, 8 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 63owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Land Rover Discovery II problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 27 | 43% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 17% | 54,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 8% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 8% | 75,131 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 6% | 31,225 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 5% | 79,810 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 5% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | 27,362 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 3% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 72,118 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 2% | 51,100 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 9,450 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 50,950 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | 60,113 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Land Rover Discovery II recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standards no. 105, "hydraulic and electric brake systems," and no. 135, "passenger car brake systems." the anti-lock braking system (abs) modulator valve cover retaining bolts can crack due to stresses transmitted by the flexing valve covers.
Risk: This can produce an unexpected increase in stopping distance, with the potential for total loss of service braking function, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will strengthen the abs modulator assembly valve covers and replace the retaining bolts. Owner notification is exepcted to begin during may 2004. Owners should contact land rover at 1-800-637-6837.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the active cornering enhancement (ace) pump banjo bolt looses torque and allows fluid to leak past the joint.
Risk: The fluid from the pump joint can ignite, resulting in an under hood fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for leakage. If no leakage is evident, the banjo bolt will be re-tightened. If leakage is evident, the banjo bolt and dowty washers will be replaced. Owner notification is expected to begin during may 2004. Owners should contact land rover at 1-800-637-6837.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Engine started knocking after i purchased it and i had just got the best recommended oil an spark plugs / wires no money to repair
We were driving straight on i 5. In red bluff california headed to lodi ca.the car just started making a noise and then the vehicle started swiirving left to right with control or response from the steering wheell we hit going 65mph.and we were smashed into a guard rail head on. Then spun out all…
The steering air bag blowout for nothing, the vehicle was stationary the motor was working i'm whasing the land rover and that happened, i'm confuse.
My engine started making a knocking sound and then a sound similar to metal scratching metal. I had a master mechanic look at the engine and had several part replaced 1500.00 worth to be exact and still the sound occurs. I contacted land rover and because my vehicle is used and over the warranty…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. The contact stated while driving the vehicle would suddenly stall. The failure was diagnosed by the dealer who confirmed that the engine oil pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure…
Other Land Rover Discovery II years
← 2002 Discovery II · 2004 Discovery II →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Discovery II | 22 | 1 |
| 2003 | 63 | 2 |
| 2002 Discovery II | 34 | 3 |
| 2001 Discovery II | 31 | 5 |
| 2000 Discovery II | 40 | 9 |
| 1999 Discovery II | 36 | 6 |
See all Land Rover Discovery II problems by year, every Land Rover model, or the Land Rover VIN decoder.
Similar Land Rover models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic, engine problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Land Rover Discovery II a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Discovery II model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.