2002 Land Rover Discovery II problems & reliability
34 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Land Rover Discovery II, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 14 | 41% |
| Power Train | 9 | 26% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 15% |
| Steering | 3 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 12 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 26 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 79,500 miles (middle 50% between 62,000 and 91,250 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Power Train · filed Feb 6, 2012
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 land rover discovery ii. The contact stated that he smelled a strong odor of anti freeze while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that a head gasket was blown due to a coolant leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Nov 14, 2011
“Land rover discovery ii well maintained at 112 miles presented slight coolant and oil leakage. Overheated twice. Coolant leak worsened resulting in visual inspection by owner. Severe coolant leak evident from right side rear head gasket and either left side front head gasket or front cover. Oil leak isolated to left…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Nov 26, 2010
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
9 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Land Rover Discovery II.
Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
SFCC-14SEP17 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 14, 2017
"issue: reports have been received of engine damage occurring, which is caused by the use of non-approved engine induction / fuel injection cleaning equipment or materials. This includes, but is not limited to…
SSM56457 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 28, 2014
"issue: this ssm has been released to address the high number of speaker assemblies returned, many of which are deemed as no fault found . Cause: incorrect diagnosis."
SSM68378 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 23, 2013
Shuttle valve switch related anti-lock braking system /traction control /hill descent control warning lamp illumination troubleshooting. All land rover discovery series ii. *tt
700205 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 17, 2006
Troubleshooting anti-lock braking system (abs)/hdc/tc warning lamp illumination. Land rover discovery series ii. *tt
700704 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 17, 2006
Revised procedure and time for steering box installation. *sc
570305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2005
Revised front shock replacement procedure and times-replaces the published information on gtr section 60.30.02. *sc
600205 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 16, 2005
Handbrake vibration noise. *tt
700604 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 28, 2004
Subject regarding availability of cup holder kits. *tt
VKG0201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 26, 2002
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2002 Land Rover Discovery II has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Land Rover Discovery II?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 79,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.