2003 Land Rover Discovery II: engine failure

Filed Apr 3, 2014 · Engine · 85,000 miles · TX

My engine started making a knocking sound and then a sound similar to metal scratching metal. I had a master mechanic look at the engine and had several part replaced 1500.00 worth to be exact and still the sound occurs. I contacted land rover and because my vehicle is used and over the warranty there was nothing they could do but suggest a new engine. I have researched and it appears this is a known issue and has been acknowledge by land rover that the land rover discovery 2003 the oil pump was faulty, however have denied any kind of solution to the problem to multiple customers other than suggesting a new engine. I don't understand as a consumer we can be expected to be held responsible for repairs on a vehicle which the manufacture knowing and willingly manufacture the a vehicle with faulty equipment. Although I understand there is no safety risk to this faulty equipment its still wrong to produce a technical with faulty equipment. I am other customers are hoping by contacting the federal safety agency something will be done.

Filed Feb 19, 2012 · Engine · 89,000 miles · TX

While driving low mileage 2003 discovery ii se7, engine began to knock in upper engine area on driver side. Pulled into local repair shop immediately and was told it was not a rod as the noise dissipates when idled above 1000 RPM. Took it to a local land rover shop and was told it was either a bad oil pump or the sleeve in the cylinder at the back of the engine has come loose and is knocking up against the head gasket. Technician privately indicated both are known issues and that a new engine is required in either case and that lr north america knows of the issues and has refused to assist owners or issue a recall. Cost of new engine is between $8,000 and 12,000 depending on who you talk with. Since the only real issue so far is the noise factor (sounds like a diesel while idling), technician further advised it would be best to keep driving the lr until it completely failed as the price of new engine would not be more and I should get as much from the original as possible. Request the federal safety agency lobby on behalf of owners to get this issue resolved between owners and lrna. Issues are obvious manufacturing defects and lr should be held accountable for the problem and offer some type solution to the consumer. The federal safety agency should issue some sort of fine if possible to force lr to make good on their product.

Filed Jul 4, 2011 · Engine · 57,000 miles · NJ

I own a 2003 land rover discovery se. This vehicle only has 57,000 miles and has been very well maintained. Recently I noticed a tap coming from the engine. I immediately took it over to the local land rover dealer. After a couple of days, I was informed that it needed a new engine in order to fix this problem, at a cost of $14,000. What a joke! There is a widespread problem with these trucks maintaining adequate oil pressure in order to keep them running properly. Once again the consumer gets the shaft. I am now stuck, along with a lot of other lr owners, faced with a huge repair bill. This matter should have been looked into as a possible recall.

Filed Feb 27, 2009 · Engine · 53,715 miles · FL

I have a 2003 land rover that just passed 50 k and started ticking from the engine. I took it to the dealer and they told me that I had a oil pump failure and I need a new engine. That will cost 8000$. Why do we have to pay that amount of money when the manufacturer has hundreds of these failures.

Filed Nov 17, 2008 · Engine · 62,000 miles · NC

2003 land rover discovery ii experienced sudden oil pump failure which will require an entire engine replacement. This problem was recognized as a manufacturing error per a land rover technical alert ta03 1201 issued in 2003 but was not divulged to the public and has not generated a recall. The manufacturer refuses to significantly assist with replacement despite their previous identified error and clear consumer expectation that oil pump malfunctions and/or engine replacements are not expected after 5 years/60k miles of use with a normally maintained engine.

Filed Oct 29, 2008 · Engine · 88,000 miles · IN

I was driving my '03 land rover discovery ii home from work and it suddenly died. It restarted about an hour later so I drove it to the auto shop. They, after talking with land rover directly, said the engine wasn't getting enough oil and we would need a new engine!!! We get our land rover serviced very regularly so there shouldn't be any issues like this especially for an '03 with 70,000 miles. With the way the economy is, this is ridiculous! Now they're telling us we have to pay $5,000 for a used engine with 40,000 miles. I noticed a ton of other people had this same problem with the oil pump from the '03 land rovers. Help!!!

Filed Oct 12, 2008 · Engine · 62,550 miles · NC

Land rover technical alert ta03-1201 oil pump failures on 2003 discovery ii vehicles may be the result of a manufacturing error. Vins 3a771801 - 3a808362 are the affected vehicles. The alert states the only effective repair is engine replacement. I've been told land rover will not pay for this repair. Why?

Filed Aug 17, 2008 · Engine · 47,800 miles · WA

We have a 2003 land rover discovery w/ 47k miles on it. On friday night, august 15th 2008, we started to drive down our street when all of a sudden the engine sounded like a diesel truck. It was horrible. We also had a red oil light. The car felt sluggish, sounded horrible & had an oil light on so we turned around and parked the land rover before the engine seized up. We have been trying to figure out what it could be & determined that our oil pump has failed. I am understanding that there is a technical defect that was issued on march 14, 2003, but no recall. This is quite disturbing since the manufacturing is admitting to fault, but is not setting up a recall for this item. With the prices of gas, food, utilities and the general state of our economy, I don't have the resources to fix this rig at this time. I am hoping that the dealership will fix this issue since it is a manufacturer's (self admitted) defect. We tried calling the dealer on saturday, august 16th 2008 but the service department is closed. We don't know where else to turn for help but to the dealer. And, from reading other forum posts from other individuals such as myself it appears that the dealerships are less than helpful in resolving this defect. Good business is good business -- and... Bad business is bad business. Please help!!!!!

Filed May 29, 2008 · Engine · 102,000 miles · NC

Oil pump failure resulting in complete engine replacement....noticed car oil leak coming from car and about 2 days later check engine light & oil pressure light came on, took to dealership...dealership discovered oil pump failure and of course only remedy is a complete engine replacement. Advised dealership about technical alert issued on 3/14/03 in reference to manufacturer defect which causes the oil pump failure and all I was told was "sorry, we cannot cover this...your warranty has expired and the new engine will cost $11,000.00....gave no offer of help, advised that I come get car..I guess I will have to get car from dealership with a tow truck!

Filed Apr 16, 2008 · Engine · GA

Land rover has issued a "technical alert" dated march 14, 2003 coded ta03 1201 to the attention of service managers, service advisors, and technicians. The alert states that "oil pump failures on 2003 discovery series ii vehicles may be the result of a manufacturing error. Locating dowel pins may be slightly misaligned permitting assembly of the oil pump to the engine block, but placing stress on the pump housing which can ultimately lead to leakage or failure." they go on to say this could cause complete engine failure! The resolution proposed by land rover is "...the only effective repair currently available is replacement of the complete engine assembly..." in short the engine could suddenly and completely fail. I have not seen any recall issued related to this matter. I do not want to be driving on the highway and have a complete engine failure. What is going to be done about this situation?

Filed Sep 18, 2007 · Engine · 43,000 miles · OR

I had an oil pump failure on my 03 land rover discovery. It was under warranty, so it was towed to the dealership. However, even before they got back to me with a diagnosis, I had researched and found out what the issue was, as it is a common issue with this year, and within a certain VIN range. Land rover even issued a tsb about the issue, and by the time they called me back, I had that tsb in hand. The dealership stated that my car would be ready to pick up the next day, that the oil pump had, "basically exploded" that they had cleaned all the metal out of the engine, and that it would be fine. I protested this based on the tsb, published by land rover, that stated that the only way to fix this problem would be to replace the entire engine! The dealership said that this tsb did not apply anymore. I asked for the documentation to show that the tsb had been overridden. They said that there was none, but that they had fixed it in the, "new way". I contacted the land rover north america corporate hq and they told me that there was nothing that they could do, that the dealership could decide what it wanted to do with the issue. Since then, I have got several first hand accounts of people who have had this same issue and who had a new engine put into their car within a month. I also have first hand accounts of people who had the issue, did not know about the tsb, and never got a new engine. Land rover's own documentations say that I need a new engine in my car, independent mechanics say I need a new engine, and even mechanics at other land rover dealers have told me that I need a new engine. I have all these on record, willing to vouch for my side of this argument.

Filed May 3, 2007 · Engine · 58,000 miles · WA

I encountered a fairly well documented problem with 2003 land rover discoveries. There was a manufacturers defect in the oil pump that ultimately causes the entire engine to fail. Land rover has issued a technical service bulletin acknowledging the problem yet is not standing behind their product when the discoveries breakdown. They have told me that it was a faulty part that caused the engine failure in my vehicle yet they are trying to charge me to put in the new engine.