There are 3 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2016 Land Rover Discoveryin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
1.) WATER PUMP FAILED AT 21,000 MILES CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. 1 YEAR LATER CYLINDER #1 LOST COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE MAKING THE CAR INOPERABLE AT 58,000 MILES. DEALER INDICATES THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR OPTION IS A NEW ENGINE AT THE COST OF $21K EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS ACTUALLY BROKEN IN THE CYLINDER. THREE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS HAVE ALL INDICATED THAT THE WATER PUMP IS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FAULT IN THE CYLINDER AS IT MORE THAN LIKELY CRACKED A CYLINDER HEAD WHEN THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING. MY CAR FAILED WITH NO WARNING WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO A BUSY STREET, MAKING THIS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. 2.) THE INTERNAL COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED ON THE CAR, WHICH WOULD NOTIFY THE DRIVER REGARDING SERVICE, ENGINE TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH ANY FAILURES IN THE CAR'S SYSTEMS. DEALERSHIP USED BOILERPLATE PAPERWORK TO COVER UP THAT THE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING TWICE. ON THE PAPERWORK IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE "SERVICE INTERVAL REMINDERS" WERE RESET. I NOW KNOW IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO UPDATE THIS AS THE JUNE 2017 PAPERWORK SHOWS WHERE LAND ROVER IMPLEMENTED A FIX FOR "MESSAGES - NOT APPEARING IN THE SERVICE CLUSTER." LAND ROVER KNEW THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND DIDN'T NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT SERVICE REMINDERS AND SENSORS HAD FAILED ON THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN MISSED MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THE CAR'S OPERATING SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE END RESULT BEING LAND ROVER IS DENYING ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ISSUES THAT WERE CAUSED BY THE COMPUTER SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THE TECHNOLOGY IS OVER A DECADE OLD AND IS A STANDARD EXPECTATION ON TODAY'S CARS. IF LAND ROVER HAD NOTIFIED THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH A RECALL NOTICE AS SOON AS THEY BECAME AWARE OF THE SYSTEM FAILURE, THEN THERE WOULD BE NO FIGHT REGARDING THE COVERAGE FOR MY ENGINE.
THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW MAY 2016. IN SEPTEMBER 2016, WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED AND THE GEAR DIAL WAS NONOPERATIONAL. THE ISSUE RECURRED IN NOVEMBER 2016 AND AGAIN FEBRUARY 2017. FEBRUARY 2017 WAS EXTREMELY ALARMING AS IT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK. I HAD TO COAST INTO A PARKING SPACE AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES. THE ISSUE JUST RECURRED AGAIN, TODAY, MARCH 18TH WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITH CHILDREN IN IT. I COULDN'T PARK AND I COULDN'T REVERSE. I HAVE TO COAST TO A SAFE AREA, TURN THE CAR OFF AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKES.
I HAVE HAD A 2016 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT FOR 6 DAYS NOW. THE VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 50MPH. DURING THIS SPEED, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN A HIGHER GEAR AND THAT RESULTS IN INTERMITTENT JERKS. THIS MAKES THE RIDE VERY UNEVEN. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN THE SPEED IS ABOVE 50MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH EVERY DISCOVERY SPORT. THEY SHOULD STOP SELLING SUCH VEHICLES TILL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED OR LET THE BUYER KNOW THAT THIS IS CASE WHILE SELLING THE VEHICLE.
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