Reliability
Land Rover

Discovery (L462)

2017-2025 · Midsize SUV · 2 engines
127 NHTSA Complaints
17 Recalls
1 Fire Reports
5 Crash Reports
View all 4 generations of the Land Rover Discovery → Inspection checklist

Reliability Score

7.8 / 10

Reliability score

Fewer owner complaints than similar midsize SUVs

The class average is 7.0. Based on complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the engine, transmission or drivetrain.

Owners filed 32 powertrain complaints. A typical midsize SUV fleet of this size and age would have drawn about 44.

Scores this high have held: three years on they had moved 0.2 points in the typical case.

Breakdown
Complaints overall32 complaints against about 44 for similar vehicles
7.8
Last three years15 complaints against about 26 for similar vehicles
8.1
Engine, transmission or drive unit failed or replaced
n/aNot enough data
Oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating
n/aNot enough data

Each line scores one view of the same complaints the same way, so the lines overlap. The mark on each bar is the class average. A line needs 20 expected complaints to show a number.

By model year
  • 20179.0
  • 20187.3
  • 20197.5
  • 20208.1
  • 2021n/a
  • 2022n/a
  • 2023n/a
  • 2024n/a
  • 2025n/a

Similar vehicles are others in the same class, compared at the same age and in the same years. The score counts complaints owners filed with NHTSA, per vehicle built, which is different from the share of vehicles that fail. How the score is worked out

By engine

3.0L 6-cyl turbo 7.6/10
Too few complaints to compare. (27 complaints, about 35,000 built)
2.0L 4-cyl turbo Not rated
Too few complaints to compare. (2 complaints, about 7,000 built)

A complaint counts toward an engine only when its VIN names the engine. Each score is that engine on its own against similar vehicles, worked out the same way as the score above.

On the record · from NHTSA's files, not reviewed by hand

Recall26V248
Electrical System, Propulsion System, Dc/Dc Converter · 6,323 vehicles (14% of those built) · maker's estimate: 100% have the defect

Complaints by Engine Code

AJ126

3.0L 6-cyl / 340 hp
80 complaints 26.7 per year Gasoline
1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
31
other
18
engine
16
body
15
transmission
14

AJ20P6

3.0L 6-cyl / 355 hp
29 complaints 7.2 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
19
engine
4
steering
3
safety systems
3
other
3
Show 4 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints. A low count can mean a clean record, and it can also be a VIN-decode anomaly in NHTSA's data.

AJ120P4

2.0L 4-cyl / 296 hp
7 complaints 2.3 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
4
transmission
2
safety systems
1
body
1
wheels tires
1

Land Rover Discovery Unidentified Engine

2 complaints 2.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
1
engine
1
fuel system
1

AJ20

2.0L Turbo / 247 hp
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

engine
1

Battery & Propulsion Reliability

Mild Hybrid

Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery

12 battery-related complaints 3.0 per year 2 battery-related recalls

That's near the typical rate for mild hybrids in this dataset (median 3.0 per year). Within the normal range for the category.

1 fire report

What kind of battery complaint?

Among the 12 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.

Electric Propulsion 10 (83%)

Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.

12V Auxiliary Battery 2 (17%)

Low-voltage battery deaths, common on EVs and hybrids that use a 12V for accessories.

High-Voltage Battery 1 (8%)

Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.

Hybrid Drivetrain 1 (8%)

Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.

Thermal Events 1 (8%)

Battery fires, smoke, thermal runaway. Includes any complaint with fire reported.

Battery & propulsion recalls (2)
26V248000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs). Insufficient electrical load balancing during times of high demand can lead to a current overload condition and malfunction of the DCDC converter. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.

Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

26V599000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload that can occur during high power demand. Additionally, a software error can cause the DC-DC converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up under certain circumstances. Failure of the DC-DC converter will result in the loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.

Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
  • [2021] The contact owns a 2021 Land Rover Discovery. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle stalled in the middle of the roadway. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer retrieved several fault codes
  • [2021] 2021 Land Rover Discovery 48V mild hybrid (MHEV). Recurring 12V system failures: repeated depleted/dead 12V batteries and no-start events. The 12V battery has failed and been replaced three times during my ownership (two documented at a franchised Land Rover dealer and an independent shop), plus a prior replacement under the previous owner per the vehicle history report. Symptoms: the vehicle wil
  • [2021] Supplement / update to prior NHTSA complaints regarding my 2021 Land Rover Discovery MHEV (VIN: [XXX] y prior complaints, Jaguar Land Rover has issued Recall 26V248 for DC/DC converter failure leading to loss of propulsion in 2021–2024 Land Rover Discovery MHEV vehicles. My vehicle experienced the same real-world failure condition: sudden loss of propulsion in traffic with my children in the vehic
12V Auxiliary Battery
  • [2021] 2021 Land Rover Discovery 48V mild hybrid (MHEV). Recurring 12V system failures: repeated depleted/dead 12V batteries and no-start events. The 12V battery has failed and been replaced three times during my ownership (two documented at a franchised Land Rover dealer and an independent shop), plus a prior replacement under the previous owner per the vehicle history report. Symptoms: the vehicle wil
  • [2022] Car displayed a warning noting of an “an electrical fault” but was still running fine otherwise. Drove straight to service center roughly 5 miles away. About a half a mile away from service center the car experienced a cascading number faults in quick succession. First it was safety systems, then air suspension, followed by transmission and finally steering, which point the car was able to roll an
High-Voltage Battery
  • [2021] While driving my 2021 Land Rover Discovery (MHEV) in active traffic, the vehicle suddenly displayed an “Electrical system fault – Stop safely” warning. Immediately after the warning, the vehicle lost power and shut down, leaving me stalled in traffic with no ability to safely move the vehicle out of the roadway. There was no prior warning, no gradual degradation, and no driver-caused condition. T
Hybrid Drivetrain
  • [2022] Car displayed a warning noting of an “an electrical fault” but was still running fine otherwise. Drove straight to service center roughly 5 miles away. About a half a mile away from service center the car experienced a cascading number faults in quick succession. First it was safety systems, then air suspension, followed by transmission and finally steering, which point the car was able to roll an
Thermal Events
  • [2024] My car caught on fire while driving only 5 days, and 210 miles, after being purchased brand new. I first smelled melted plastic, few seconds after that saw smoke rising up under the driver seat and then felt the seat getting hot and saw flames shooting under my seat. All along there were no warning messages or light displayed on the car. The car burned completely and was deemed totaled by my insur

Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.

Owner Complaints by System

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Land Rover Discovery, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.

Electrical System: 55 owner complaints
Engine: 22 owner complaints
Body/Trim: 19 owner complaints
Transmission: 19 owner complaints
Safety Systems: 13 owner complaints

What to check on a used 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery

On a used 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the electrical system (55), the engine (22) and the body and structure (19). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

  1. Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 55 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery about the electrical system.
  2. Start the engine cold and listen for the first 30 seconds, then again at idle once it is warm.Costly repair. NHTSA has 22 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery about the engine, all engines combined.
  3. Open and close every door, the hood and the trunk or hatch. Check the latches, the seals and the gaps between panels.Minor. NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery about the body and structure.
  4. Accelerate gently through every gear, then once at full throttle. Shift into Reverse and back to Drive.Costly repair. NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery about the transmission and drivetrain, all engines combined.
  5. Switch the ignition on and watch the airbag light. On the drive, check the backup camera and any collision or lane warning.Safety. NHTSA has 13 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery about the airbags and driver-assist systems.
Open the full inspection checklist for the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery

Recalls (17)

26V599000Sep 17, 2026serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload that can occur during high power demand. Additionally, a software error can cause the DC-DC converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up under certain circumstances. Failure of the DC-DC converter will result in the loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.

26V458000Jul 16, 2026serious
Back Over Prevention

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. Water may not be able to drain away from the rearview camera due to insufficient drain holes, which may result in damage to the rearview camera.

26V389000Jun 12, 2026serious
Air Bags

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.

26V248000Apr 17, 2026serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs). Insufficient electrical load balancing during times of high demand can lead to a current overload condition and malfunction of the DCDC converter. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.

24V450000Jun 17, 2024serious
Engine & Cooling

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.

Show 12 older recalls
23V393000Jun 1, 2023serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2017-2020 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The UniLatch Keyless Vehicle (KV) entry function may fail to properly latch the rear passenger doors, which can result in the doors opening while driving. In addition, the instrument cluster open-door warning light may fail to alert the driver of this condition.

23V044000Feb 2, 2023serious
Engine & Cooling

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.

22V523000Jul 21, 2022serious
Seat Belts

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.

21V668000Aug 26, 2021serious
Seat Belts

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.

21V457000Jun 17, 2021serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. A loose contact between the battery ground stud and the chassis may result in various electrical faults, possibly causing a loss of electrical power or the vehicle to shut down while driving.

21V117000Feb 25, 2021serious
Exterior Lighting

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC. (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The Auto High Beam (AHB) system does not indicate through the instrument cluster when the high beams are illuminated automatically. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

20V694000Nov 10, 2020serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Discovery vehicles. A loose contact between the battery ground stud and the chassis may result in various electrical faults, possibly causing a loss of electrical power or the vehicle to shut down while driving.

20V143000Mar 12, 2020serious
Exterior Lighting

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Discovery vehicles equipped with low line headlight assemblies. When towing a trailer with the trailer lights connected to the trailer socket and the vehicle's Daytime Running Lights (DRL) are on, the trailer lights may not function.

20V053000Jan 30, 2020serious
Seats

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020 Discovery vehicles. The second row seat frame assembly may be missing fasteners, resulting in a seat frame with insufficient strength.

19V040000Jan 17, 2019serious
Engine

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019 Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Discovery vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with V6 or V8 engines whose crankshaft pulley retaining bolt may fracture possibly resulting in engine failure.

18V625000Sep 13, 2018serious
Forward Collision Avoidance

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2018 Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system may be disabled without warning the driver that the system is not functional.

18V337000May 23, 2018serious
Electrical System

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2017 Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Discovery vehicles. The fuel gauge on these vehicles may indicate that the fuel level is low and illuminate the warning lamp, when the fuel tank actually has more fuel. The engine management software may also cut off the engine when the vehicle has traveled approximately 17 more miles.

Alternatives in Midsize SUV

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery complaints?

Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the engine and the body and trim.

Is the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery a good used car?

That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery have?

NHTSA has 127 owner complaints on file for the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

What recalls affect the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery?

NHTSA lists 17 recalls covering some 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.

What should I check before buying a used Land Rover Discovery?

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the engine and the body and trim, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.

Does the Discovery have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2017-2025 Land Rover Discovery. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 127 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-12.

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