There are 19 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2002 Land Rover Discoveryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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 MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
OF ALL THE PERSONAL VEHICLES I'VE EVER OWNED, I'VE NEVER HAD ONE THAT CAUSES ME TO DRIVE LIKE I WAS ON "PINS & NEEDLES". I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS LET GO, WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. AFTER INVESTIGATING WITH DEALER INQUIRIES AND INDEPENDENT SHOPS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LAND ROVER V8 ALUMINUM ENGINES.THE DEALERSHIP(S) I SPOKE WITH ACTUALLY AGREED WITH MY CONCERNS BUT SAID "TALKING TO LAND ROVER IS LIKE TALKING TO A DOG, THEY HEAR YOU BUT WON'T DO A THING ABOUT IT". I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THIS VEHICLE WAS HIGH MILEAGE OR WAS REALLY ABUSED. SOMEONE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THESE PEOPLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY OVERHEATED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE WARRANTY COMPANY. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 147,081. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
OIL LEAK ON ENGINE, OIL PAN LEAK, WATER PUMP LEAK, NO POWER ON ENGINE IT LOST THE POWER FROM OVER HEATING, MECHANIC WANTS TO REPLACE ENGINE I WAS QUOTED 3700 DOLLARS. HOW CAN I KNOW IF THIS ENGINE WAS A DEFECT. *TR
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 SIDE VALVE COVER. ENGINE UNDERGOING TEARDOWN TO DETERMINE DAMAGE EXTENT AND REPAIRABILITY. ESTIMATE $2,500 ASSUMING STEEL CYLINDER LINERS HAVE NOT MOVED OUT OF POSITION. PROPOSED REPAIR ACTION: REPLACE LEFT AND RIGHT HEAD, FRONT COVER, OIL PAN, VALLEY, THROTTLE BODY, GASKETS, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND POSSIBLY RADIATOR. RESEARCH SUGGESTS ENGINE REPLACEMENT WITH "TOP HAT" CYLINDER LINERS. *TR
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 SIDE VALVE COVER. ENGINE UNDERGOING TEARDOWN TO DETERMINE DAMAGE EXTENT AND REPAIRABILITY. ESTIMATE $2,500 ASSUMING STEEL CYLINDER LINERS HAVE NOT MOVED OUT OF POSITION. PROPOSED REPAIR ACTION TO REPLACE LEFT AND RIGHT HEAD, FRONT COVER, OIL PAN, VALLEY, THROTTLE BODY, GASKETS, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND POSSIBLY RADIATOR. RESEARCH SUGGESTS ENGINE REPLACEMENT WITH "TOP HAT" CYLINDER LINERS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN FEBRUARY 2010, THE VEHICLE BEGAN LOSING OIL PRESSURE WHEN IDLING AND THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED REGARDING THE IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NEED BEARINGS BUT RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. THE OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
WHILE DRIVING OUR LAND ROVER IT STARTED TO OVERHEAT. I PULLED OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP SINCE IT WOULD NOT START AFTER ALLOWING IT TO COOL. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THE ALUMINUM CAMS HAD MELTED AND THAT THEY ALONE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THEY STATED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WOULD BE NECESSARY. COST $5600 - $7300. MILES ON VEHICLE AT TIME OF INCIDENT 87,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT AFTER DRIVING ONE MILE, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. HE WOULD THEN MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND ALLOW IT TO COOL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER COOLING OFF UNTIL THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
HEAD GASKET LEAK. COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS SUV. LOCAL LR REPAIR SAID $1650 - $2500. HEAD GASKETS ON THIS ENGINE CAN GO OUT EVERY 35K. COOLANT LEAKS FROM THE BACK OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. NOT DETRIMENTAL, BUT CAN CAUSE THE CONSTANT SMELL OF COOLANT. NO PUDDLES. MY COOLANT LEVEL DROPS ABOUT A QUART A MONTH. HARDLY WORTH $1650 TO REPAIR. *TR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *TR
MY 2002 LANDROVER DISCOVERY BEGAN TO OVER HEAT. THE ENGINE HAS 68K ON IT, THEY STATED THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN AND FLUIDS LEAKED INTERNALLY. COST TO REPLACE ENGINE IS 10,500.00, REFURBISHED ENGINE RUNS 7,300.00. *TR
2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY OVERHEATING AND LEAKING COOLANT.*TR
ONLY 68,000 MILES AND VEHICLE OVERHEATS, INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM STILL EXIST. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM WANTS TO REPLACE ENGINE. JB
PROBLEMS WITH 2002 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY OVER HEATING. *MR THE CONSUMER VIEWED SMOKE COMING FORM THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER VIEWED AND SAW A YELLOW LIGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE 2 CIRCLES JOINED WITH A LINE 0-0. THE VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. *SC THE CONSUMER REMEMBERED RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER WHICH SOUNDED FAMILIAR TO WHAT SHE EXPERIENCED WITH HER VEHICLE (RECALL #B148 AND B149). *JB
FIRE ORIGINATED RIGHT REAR SECION ENGINE AROUND HEATER HOSES-ONE HEARTER HOSE LEAKED OR RUPTURED ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT TO DRIP DOWN ONTO HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD IGNITING THE COOLANT CAUSE FIRE
WHILE TURNING THE TC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER HIT A CURB, CAUSING A MINOR VEHICLE COLLISION. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WHERE IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *PH
THE DRIVE LINE ON OUR 2002 LANDROVER DISCOVERY II IS GOING OUT ON OUR SUV. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM IN DEPTH WITH THE DEALER BUT AS OF YET THE SITUATION IS UNRESOLVED. THEY FEEL THAT BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THAT WE SHOULD FIX IT OURSELVES. I FEEL THAT ON A CAR THIS NEW THAT THE DRIVE LINE SHOULD NOT BE DEFECTIVE AS WE DO NOT OFF ROAD IN THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR ALSO HAS A BAD HEATER CORE WHICH WILL COST ANOTHER 1200.00 TO FIX. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026