1997 Land Rover Discovery problems & reliability
35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Land Rover Discovery. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 12 | 34% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 17% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 14% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 11% |
| Power Train | 4 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 6% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% |
| Structure | 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 →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Right front abs sensor malfunction. Unable to stop due to abs engaging. Vibrated vehicle out into intersection. Lucky enough to avoid being t-boned by accelerating hard. Happened numerous times since. Upon researching problem found it to be common in 97 discovery. Also found most people have wound ip removing abs fuse…”
Service Brakes · filed May 27, 2012
“Two years ago I replaced a fuel tank on my land rover discovery 1997 at the dealership in san diego as a result of the safety recall action b156 - fuel tank cracking. The replacement tank is exhibiting the same problem as for the initial recall. It leaks when full and noticeable fuel odor can be smelled. The…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Aug 25, 2008
“Recently found out though nhtsa that land rover had a recall on my vehicle for fuel system , gasoline : storage (fuel tank) it seems a stress crack can develop in the plastic fuel tanks which may result in a fire . The remedy according to the report is fuel tank replacement. I contacted land rover they refused to…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Apr 14, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
31 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Land Rover Discovery. The 10 most recent:
The 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a vehicle has reached its service point.
SFCC_08MAR18_16 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 8, 2018
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
Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability
LTB00389NAS3 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 19, 2013
"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
A number of right hand exhaust manifolds on 1997 and 1998 my vehicles that are susceptible to cracking. Service action exhaust manifold replacement. *tt
112 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 24, 2003
Oil seepage from manual transmission front cover. Improved manual transmission sealing. *tt
370103 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 6, 2003
Recall d217 - land rover has determined that certain vehicles have fuel filler necks which may drop below the top surface of the mounting grommet resulting in a poor seal with the fuel cap. *tt
SA00RE05 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2000
Front swivel seal replacement and grease fill. *yc
600197 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 1998
Vehicles experiencing intermittent cruise control disengagement. *tt
86/18/97/NAS · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 11, 1997
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Land Rover Discovery in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 1997 Land Rover Discovery?
- · 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.