65 of the
784 complaints filed about the Land Rover Discovery
are about the transmission —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
65
Complaints
8%
Share of all complaints
6
Crashes
1
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2019 Land Rover Discovery. The contact stated that when attempting to back out of a parking space, the shifter was moved to reverse; however, the shifter failed to release from reverse. The vehicle was shut off, then restarted to reset the transmission, and at which time the shifter was able to be moved. The next day, while driving at highway speeds of approximately 55 MPH, entering on an on-ramp, the vehicle began to lose power and suddenly decelerate, then the vehicle shifted to neutral. The contact coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced and there were failures with the gearbox and other computer systems. The vehicle was repaired. The next morning, the shifter failure and start failure occurred again. The next day, the instrument panel began to illuminate the messages, "Proceed With Caution" and "Gearbox Fault Detected." The Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) would black out, restart, and black out again. The failure would occur while idle, at which time they would have to place the vehicle in park, shut off, then restart it. The vehicle returned to their home and parked. The contact completed some research and found their experienced failure related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, their VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the issue. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
NHTSA complaint #11735749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a sudden and complete loss of power event while driving my 2021 Land Rover Discovery. The vehicle experienced a DC-DC converter failure with no warning, resulting in a sudden shutdown. The engine lost power, critical systems went offline, and I was unable to shift the vehicle into neutral. The vehicle became immobilized in active traffic, creating a dangerous situation. This incident occurred without warning and left me with no ability to safely move the vehicle out of traffic or rely on normal emergency functions. This presents a serious safety hazard to both the driver and others on the road. The vehicle has been at the dealership since mid-January 2026. The dealer has stated that the DC-DC failure caused additional component failures. However, no root cause has been identified beyond “internal failure,” and I have not been provided confirmation that the system has been properly tested or that the issue will not recur. I am concerned that this failure can cause cascading electrical issues, including loss of the 12V system, impacting multiple critical vehicle functions at once. The lack of a clear diagnosis and verified repair raises concerns about reliability and safety. Given the sudden loss of power, inability to move the vehicle, and absence of a confirmed root cause or validated repair, I am formally requesting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration open a defect investigation into the MHEV/DC-DC system. This failure creates a significant safety risk, including vehicles becoming immobilized in active traffic without warning. The risk of recurrence without a defined cause is especially concerning and may indicate a broader issue.
NHTSA complaint #11732006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The camshaft is broken allong with the nit which causes our car to shut off. This defect has ben corrected on other autos like mine but my vin has not been recalled yet
NHTSA complaint #11701322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Defect Summary: Repeated water intrusion (windshield, roof rails, rear door latch) leading to electrical damage. Electrical failures resulting in sudden loss of power, lighting, and infotainment. Critical safety system failures including: Sudden loss of steering assist and brake assist while in motion. Vehicle stalling with the engine running but no drivetrain response. Gear shifter malfunctions leaving the vehicle stuck in gear. Notable Incidents: July–August 2025 (61,000 mi): Multiple events of complete power loss while driving, including loss of steering and braking control on a public roadway. September 11, 2025 (post-repair): After dealer-replaced battery and gear-shift module, the vehicle failed catastrophically within 450 feet of leaving the service center, jolting violently, losing all electrical power, and leaving steering and brakes stiff. An Edison Police officer witnessed the event and assisted in traffic control. Safety Concern: These recurring failures present a clear and ongoing danger of crash, injury, or fatality. The pattern demonstrates a systemic design or manufacturing defect related to water ingress and electrical integrity.
NHTSA complaint #11690779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a safety recall for the 2019-2020 Land Rover Discovery models. 414-01 SAFETY RECALL: Startup Battery Ground Stud - Insufficient Ground Contact Land Rover Tech bulletin dated 09 DEC 2020 On July 25 my 2017 Land Rover discovery lost power, instrumentation went haywire, and steering limp as I was making a turn onto US-90. On August 5 it would not start. Eventually jump started it, as the battery did not seem to register to the vehicle. On August 6 it again lost power, drive train went limp, all warnings lit up, and steering died as I was getting onto I-95 On August 7 JLR of Jacksonville informed me they found arching burn marks on the battery ground stud. They knew this as a common issue from the previous Tech Bulletin. The 2017&2018 have the same design as the 2019&2020, why are the 2017&2018 not included in the recall?
NHTSA complaint #11679467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle electronics began going crazy. The instrument cluster and gages just started flashing and pulsating. The transmission and mode selection cluster lit up like a Christmas tree. The engine power and steering went limp. The transmission eventually stuck in drive. This occurred twice while driving on the roadway. The second time I had it towed to the dealership. The dealership found the M6 ground stud to be arching. This same issue is a technical bulletin for the 2019-2020 models, but 2017-2018 which are of the same design and build were left off the recall.
NHTSA complaint #11679196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Had engine cooling system repaired at dealer in 2023. In late 2024/early 2025 - engine coolant loss returned. We maintained engine coolant at recommended levels until we could get vehicle into dealership for diagnosis and repair. During routine local trip, low coolant light suddenly came on and immediately following that, engine stopped in the middle of traffic. Wife was barely able to navigate vehicle to safe place alongside the road. Vehicle was towed to dealer. They diagnosed engine failure due to oil cooling system failure. We contacted JLR and they offered no solutions. This is a $40,000 repair on a vehicle worth at most $20 to $25,000 retail. We had to dispose of it to a salvage buyer at an extreme loss.
NHTSA complaint #11650887 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pulled out of car wash to drying area. Car was still in D, with foot on brake. After a few moments, auto start/stop triggered shutting the car off, but rotary gear selector retracted while still in D. Would not allow restart as trans still in Drive and dash displayed Gearbox malfunction. After a 15 minute wait for system restart, tried to start to no avail. Had to get Discovery towed to dealer which informed that gear selector failed and needed replacement. Thank goodness I wasn't in a traffic situation. This problem has recalls on other models in same model year. Desire the Discovery (D5) to be included in recall. Car is at 82K miles.
NHTSA complaint #11639208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle warning lights come on including traction control and engine warning. Vehicle stops running after halting and then quits running completely. I had the vehicle towed 80 miles to the nearest dealer in Columbia, SC they reported that it was a loose ground wire on the battery and told me it was resolved. Less than a month later the same thing happened again and all 4 wheels locked up requiring the towing company to drag it onto the flat bed two truck. It was towed to the local dealer in Hardeeville, SC for repair last Friday and am waiting on a notice that they are working on the vehicle. I did report the issue to the local dealer prior to the latest event and was told that the earliest available appointment was a month out. I was not told of any recall by either dealer but was told that they are having the same issue with “so many cars” The first event was on September 13th and the second on October 14th.
NHTSA complaint #11489510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is an update to Complaint Number 11436854, submitted on 10/14/2021, 5:53:21 PM Additional service has been performed on the vehicle to identify and correct random electrical faults interrupting the safe operations of this vehicle. Service record generated by Land Rover Boise, ID (RO Number 520844) is attached as an uploaded file. This RO indicates the third repair by Land Rover dealers that have serviced this vehicle (Lynnwood, WA; Flatirons, CO and Boise, ID) regarding the Ground Stud Update, and now provides the documentation of another ground fault in the Locking Actuator (door locks are randomly actuating w/driving).
NHTSA complaint #11438567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vehicle should be considered as a "drive at your own risk" vehicle. Engine randomly fails to start using push button start in coordination with pressing on the brake pedal. Dash and gages indicated all electrical systems were on and no warning symbols were displayed. Repeated attempts by owner to start vehicle failed. Attempts using remote start app erroneously indicated that the vehicle was already in operation. Fail-to-start generally existed for 2-4 hours before the vehicle would randomly start. Failure to start and stranding owner repeated 4 times over the next 8 days, including while the vehicle was in service shop of Dealer. Dealer service could not identify source of the problem and produced records that the safety recall for the battery ground stud issue had already been performed. Dealer service records (attached) recommended against driving vehicle due to "what seems to be intermittent high speed power train communications fault". Owner has requested Dealer By Back due to this repetitive and unresolved safety problem. Refusal from Land Rover to buy the vehicle back places this consumer safety issue back into owners hands which triggered the moral obligation to submit this information to the NHTSA as a safety problem.
NHTSA complaint #11436854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Received an error message stating reduced traction only 2 wheel drive and to drive with caution. Took it to the dealer to discover the software was not programmed for the 4wd modules
NHTSA complaint #11436146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HAD RECALL COMPLETED ONE MONTH AGO TO CORRECT GROUND WIRE LOCATION. TWO DAYS AGO THE AUTO START/ STOP ACTIVATING WHILE IN A DRIVE THROUGH, THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHERE ALL SAFETY FEATURES WERE DISABLED. GEAR SHIFTER BLINKING IN "D". HAD TO PUT TRANSMISSION IN PARK, THEN WAS ABLE TO PUT BACK IN DRIVE. WHEN ACCELERATING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. STARTING BACK INSTANTLY, BUT DISPLAYED GEARBOX FAILURE MESSAGE. MADE IT HOME VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE DRIVE WAY AND WOULDN'T START BACK, THE TACHOMETER WAS STUCK ON 1K RPM, BUT NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE. WAITED TWO HOURS AND THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK WITHOUT ANY ISSUE. TOWED TO LAND ROVER AS IT IS A HAZARD TO DRIVE. 2ND ATTEMPT AT LAND ROVER FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE FIX. RESEARCHING ONLINE MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH LITTLE TO NO RESOLUTION FROM DEALERSHIP/LAND ROVER
NHTSA complaint #11415107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE ROLLED BACK WHEN IN THE PARK POSITION. VEHICLE HAD NO OCCUPANTS. VEHICLE PARKED ON AN INCLINE. ROLL BACK OCCURRED SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER SHIFTER WAS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION AND MINUTES AFTER I EXITED THE VEHICLE. EXTREMELY WORRISOME. 2018 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY*DT
NHTSA complaint #11398473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ONE MONTH AFTER PURCHASING MY LAND ROVER DISCOVERY I NOTICED THERE WAS A LAG TIME WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE WHEN MAKING A TURN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY UPDATING THE SYSTEM. THEY UPDATED IT BUT IT CONTINUED TO HAVE THE LAG ISSUE SO I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT'S THE NATURE OF THE CAR. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVEN'T RECEIVED ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO SAY IT'S AN ISSUE WITH CAR. I ALSO HAVE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE NAVIGATION SCREEN GOING BLANK WHILE DRIVING OR NOT COMING ON AT ALL AND ALSO MY REMOTE KEY FOBS DO NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. EVEN WITH THE REMOTES IN MY HAND NEAR THE CONSOLE THE CAR WILL SAY THEY ARE NOT DETECTED. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE FINE. TODAY, I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM LAND ROVER STATING THERE ARE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH CAR WHERE THE VEHICLE COULD CUT OUT WHILE IN MOTION AND MAY LOSE ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THEY ARE BOOKED OUT FOR 3 WEEKS SO I WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS UNSAFE CAR. I THINK IT'S VERY IRRESPONSIBLE OF LAND ROVER TO PUT OWNERS IN A POSITION TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE A VERY UNSAFE CAR. THESE CARS SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #11385482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DIAL FOR PARK OR DRIVE GET STUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF THEN ON FOR THE DIAL TO GO INTO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE PULL UP ON THE DIAL SOME TIME IT WOULD MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,000.
NHTSA complaint #11384680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS DURING NORMAL DRIVING THERE IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DELAY AFTER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS ALREADY ALMOST RESULTED IN 2 ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME IN PERSON THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, BUT THAT THE COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN FORTHCOMING WITH A REMEDY.
NHTSA complaint #11192668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LAGGY ACCELERATION AT "ROLLING STOP" SPEEDS OF 2-10 MPH. 2-4 SECOND DELAY MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR TURNING INTO TRAFFIC. NO AMOUNT OF ACCELERATOR WILL ALLEVIATE THE LAG. SUPERCHARGED V6 GAS ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #11189961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THERE IS A DANGEROUS THROTTLE LAG WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A ROLLING STOP. MANY USERS HAVE NEARLY HAD ACCIDENTS LIKE ME. YOU PRESS THROTTLE AND IT DOES NOTHING FOR LIKE 2 SECONDS THEN SUDDENLY ENGINE PICKS UP... ITS A GASOLINE V6 ENGINE SO ITS NOT TURBO LAG.... AND WHEN YOU ARE ACTUALLY STOPPED AND ACCELERATE ITS JUST FINE. ITS JUST WHEN SLOWLY ROLLING ITS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!
NHTSA complaint #11186692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FROM A STANDSTILL, THE GAS PEDAL ACTUATION CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LAUNCH INSTEAD OF SMOOTH ACCELERATION. FROM A ROLLING STOP, HITTING THE GAS PEDAL THERE IS A SEVERE LAG AS THE TRUCK SHIFTS TO THE NECESSARY GEAR AND MOVES AT THE EXPECTED RATE, AGAIN LURCHING THE OCCUPANTS
NHTSA complaint #11183392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.