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1996 Land Rover Discovery problems

The most common problem on the 1996 Land Rover Discovery is brakes. It has 3.8 times the complaints of a typical Discovery model year.

Typical year3.8x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
65
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
45
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
14mpg

The worst 1996 Land Rover Discovery problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Brakes
    19
  • Body
    10
  • Fuel system
    10
  • Acceleration
    9
  • Electrical
    9
  • Locks
    9
  • Engine
    6
  • Visibility
    6
  • Suspension
    4
  • Steering
    3
  • Transmission
    3
  • Seat belts
    2
  • Wheels
    2
  • Airbags
    1
  • Seats
    1

Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Land Rover Discovery

ABS 10Door locks 7

Recalls 2

Vehicle speed controlReported February 24, 1998 · 54,488 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. As a result of chaffing of a cruise control wire, the steering wheel rotary coupler can overheat and inadvertently deploy the driver's air bag.
Risk
Deployment of the air bag restraint system without warning can cause a driver to lose vehicle control.
Remedy
Dealers will install a fusible link which will protect the rotary coupler from overheating.

Recall number 98V040000 · Recall details

Structure: body: door: hinge and attachmentsReported December 12, 1996 · 20,889 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The right front door can fail to latch fully when closing, causing the door to "bounce" back off the door seals.
Risk
This condition could cause unexpected opening of the door increasing the risk of a vehicle accident or personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will install corrective hardware on the right front door. Delaers will also check the door latches for the other doors at the same time.

Recall number 96V247000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 1996 Land Rover Discovery

Defect investigations

Door open while drivingOpened October 21, 1996, closed December 16, 1996

It is alledged that the right front door opens while driving

PE96060

Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Land Rover Discovery 45

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 45 bulletins for the 1996 Land Rover Discovery

1996 Land Rover Discovery fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
4.0L 8‑cyl4WD131514

What 1996 Land Rover Discovery owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Dec 8, 2018 · Fuel system · AL

I noticed the problem first when I was refueling at the gas station. When the pumps "gallon" gauge reached about 14 gallons I heard a shop playing sound and looked down to find that all the gas I was pumping in was spilling on the ground.I later realized after inspecting it, there's a stress crack that leaks fuel while filling tank or whiledriving if tank is close to full. This results in horrible head aches from three constant smell of gasoline inside my land rover while driving.

Filed Aug 14, 2016 · Acceleration, Brakes · 150,000 miles · CA

Abs system is faulty. Activation at low speeds,dry pavement, and low or high pressure on pedal. I can hear the pump activate for no reason. I also feel the pedal vibrate and the truck continues to roll. Almost killed a pedestrian once or twice. After it did the same to my wife I clipped the sensors and took out the light bulb in the dashboard. I drive better than the ABS ecu computes. No problems since completely deactivating and unplugging system. Please include new ranges of vehicles in these recalls. I will be powerless to have this reimbursed otherwise. Also need to re-evaluate recall range for the fuel neck filler problem. My truck was in for the tank recall but they failed to do the filler neck and I have spent years trading out iac, throttle sensors, and maf sensors trying to figure out the problem. Thank you sanfrancisco land rover. Sarcasm intended.

Filed Aug 14, 2016 · Brakes, Electrical · 150,000 miles · CA

Gas tank recall done in san francisco but they failed to check the fuel filler neck problem. I have had multiple mystery issues ever since, ruling out the fuel tank and pump as they were both new. I have since tracked the problem to the fuel filler neck that the dealer failed to fix. I believe my vehicle to have been manufactured incorrectly and repaired in the same manner. My vehicle does not come up in a recall search for the filler neck and I believe the recall should be amended to include mine. I have read all 80 of the complaints relative to this problem and mine is less than 40 units away from the complaint vehicles. I also have been battling the ABS problems of not stopping and the ABS activation for no reason. I almost wrecked a few times because of the ABS kicking on for no reason- low speed, dry pavement, easy soft brake pressure. I clipped the front wheel ABS sensors and I have had no problems with ABS since. Faulty software in the ABS ecu is probably to blame but it would do no good to blame the computer with bodiers lying in the street.

Filed Jul 6, 2015 · 145,000 miles · CA

Car won't start but turns over normally. Beginning about a month and a half ago so I've noticed a few times it feeling like its going to die like it's being held back a little bit when I'm driving on the freeway not having enough to get it going like something is clogged or something.... Fuel pump I was wondering and going to get it checked but it only happens when I'm on the freeway for a little bit and when I slow down it feels like its going to die also after getting off the freeway are slowing down but it does it also when I'm going at higher speeds on the freeway but only then not when I'm driving through town.

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Brakes, Electrical · 10 miles · WA

Service brakes, hydraulic. Under normal braking ABS is activated when applying brakes and causes brakes vibrate/pulse and make it extremely difficult to stop requiring pumping of brake pedal. Happens most frequently at low speeds when turning a corner, ie: out of a driveway when very likely to his pedestrians or oncoming traffic when unable to break. At higher speeds up to 25-30 MPH the same situation arises but you generally have more time and distance to recover. Otherwise breaks work most of the time, which makes this glitch so frustrating and seemingly unrelated to break pad or wear and tear issues, as substantiated by similar the federal safety agency complaint #s: 882300, 8011620, 10028658, 10024539, 10110112.

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 55 miles · WA

Ascending minimal inclines while 55mph and above, engine misfires resulting in loss of power and inability to accelerate, as substantiated by similar the federal safety agency complaint #: 603676 "an english car specialist in raleigh, nc. Determined it was a speed sensing transmitter. This device tells the car's computer how fast the car is moving. While driving 60 MPH, it was getting a signal of 130 MPH. Thinking it was moving too fast, the car will automatically misfire in an effort to slow it down. They replaced the speed sensor (for $120) and the problem was fixed. This is a common problem for older lrs and the dealers should know this. They use it as an opportunity to charge for a much more expensive valve job."

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Acceleration, Airbags · WA

As a result of chaffing of a cruise control wire, the steering wheel rotary coupler can overheat and inadvertently deploy the driver's air bag....this has not happened yet to me, but despite my vehicle being a 1996 land rover discovery with only one previous owner, dealer claims my VIN# is not included in recall for substantiated by previous complaints submitted for this issue with my year/make/model, so please re-open investigation of the federal safety agency campaign # 98v040000 to include all 1996 land rover discovery VIN#s so it can be addressed before it deploys improperly. Deployment of the air bag restraint system without warning can cause a driver to lose vehicle control.

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Body · WA

SIDE STEP BROKE OFF, SUBSTANTIATED BY SIMILAR the federal safety agency COMPLAINT # = 603676.

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Transmission · 55 miles · WA

At 55mph vehicle violently vibrating causing driver to lose vehicle control, due to power train, drive shaft, track bar bushing. Despite my vehicle being a 1996 land rover discovery with only one previous owner, dealer claims my VIN# is not included in recall for drive shaft repair substantiated by previous complaints submitted for my year/make/model, so please re-open investigation of the federal safety agency campaign # 12e010000 to include all 1996 land rover discovery VIN#s. If this increased vibration warning sign is ignored, catastrophic failure of the drive coupling can occur. The driveshaft may detach from the vehicle while in motion resulting in loss of drive and loss of transmission park functionality, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash and/or injury.

Filed Nov 3, 2014 · Body, Locks · WA

Component(s): latches/locks/linkages on all doors: right front door latch requires slammed shut and won't open without key trapping passenger inside or fails to latch fully when closing causing the door to "bounce" back off the door seals.---rear door lock requires key----driver door key broke off inside. Despite my vehicle being a 1996 land rover discovery with only one previous owner, dealer claims my VIN# is not included in recall for door latch repairs substantiated by previous complaints submitted for my year/make/model, so please re-open investigation to include all 1996 land rover discovery VIN#s: similar the federal safety agency complaint #s= 605132, 823508, 983887, 508953, pe96060, 603247, 602621, 603962.

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Questions about the 1996 Land Rover Discovery

Is the 1996 Land Rover Discovery reliable?

Owners have filed 65 complaints about the 1996 Land Rover Discovery, 3.8 times a typical Discovery model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1996 Land Rover Discovery?

Brakes, with 19 complaints. Next is body (10).

How many recalls does the 1996 Land Rover Discovery have?

2 recalls, covering vehicle speed control and structure.

What year does the Land Rover Discovery have bad brakes?

The Land Rover Discovery model years with the most brakes complaints are 1996 (19 complaints) and 1997 (13 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1996 Land Rover Discovery get?

Official estimates for the 1996 Land Rover Discovery range from 14 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.0L 8-cyl, 4WD) gets 13 city and 15 highway.

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