Menu

1997 Land Rover DiscoveryProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 35 owner complaints about the 1997 Land Rover Discovery, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

51
CarFlaw IndexSolid year2% below the Discovery median · #7 of 17 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints3511 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem12Service brakes, hydraulic

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 27, 2012. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Land Rover Discovery has problems

35 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic123
Air bags66
Engine and engine cooling50
Fuel system, gasoline40
Power train40
Vehicle speed control31
Electrical system22
Visibility10
Seat belts11
3 other systems31

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1997 Land Rover Discovery recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 98V-040 · Feb 24, 1998 · 54,488 vehicles

Risk. DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITHOUT WARNING CAN CAUSE A DRIVER TO LOSE VEHICLE CONTROL.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Land Rover.

Best & worst years

1997 vs. every other Discovery year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Discovery median. How we score

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'06'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Discovery owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

SURGING AT FULLY CLOSED THROTTLE ACCOMPANIED BY ABS FAILURE IS A REAL ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER. PRM CHIP REPLACEMENT TO FIX THE SURGE PROBLEM SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL. MY 1997 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY WOULD NOT STOP AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN LETTING…
Complaint 10082255 · Jul 20, 2004
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED APPLIES BRAKES AND VEHICLE DOES NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, MECHANIC STATES ABS SYSTEM SENSORS ARE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE DEFECTIVE ABS BRAKES CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
Complaint 8011087 · Jun 5, 2002
WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP ABS SYSTEM WOULD LOCK UP WHEELS. BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO FLOOR AND FEEL MUSHY. THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 20 OR MORE TIMES FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. MECHANIC INDICATED EITHER HAND CABLE/ BRAKE CABLE, "T"BOX OR BRAKE PADS HAD…
Complaint 894552 · Aug 16, 2001

Own a 1997 Discovery?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.