2004 Land Rover Discovery II problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Land Rover Discovery II, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 27% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 18% |
| Engine | 2 | 9% |
| Steering | 2 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 13 reported components →Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 20 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 62,059 miles (middle 50% between 36,340 and 87,450 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Vehicle in motion traveling at approx 5-7 mph. Zip code 06615 when 3 abs sensor lights went on 1. Hill descent 2. Abs 3.traction control. Recent abs shuttle switch replaced for same reported sensor lights failure. Vehicle was not on an incline and at an intersection and light. After passing intersection cars were…”
Service Brakes · filed May 3, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 land rover discovery ii. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where it was stated that the oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not…”
Engine · filed Oct 15, 2013
“Discovery land rover defect in the oil pump, it exploded, heard a loud bang and it damaged engine, the car is now junk and I am not buying another expensive part for this vehicle. There are forums all over the internet of this happening to many people. Had to carefully pull over on the highway at high speed as this…”
Engine · filed Mar 20, 2013
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA05016 · opened Oct 14, 2005 · closed Feb 22, 2007 · led to recall 07V041000
- BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE05034 · opened Jun 16, 2005 · closed Oct 14, 2005
Technical service bulletins
12 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Land Rover Discovery II. The 10 most recent:
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
Land rover: vehicles were manufactured from specification for rear propshaft coupling, must not be used for repair due to being out of specification. *pe
PA-12GA-02-C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 15, 2012
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
Service action-rear seat release mechanism repair. Seat release mechanism jams. *sc
160 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 23, 2005
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
Incorrect a/c refrigerant label. Land rover discovery series ii. *tt
820404 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 20, 2004
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 2004 Land Rover Discovery II has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — 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 2004 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 62,059 miles — worth a pre-purchase inspection if the car is near that mileage.