Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover n/a. The contact stated that he bought four tires that turned out to be manufacturer defects. The tires were federal tires, tire size 255/45/r20, and no dot given. The tires were providing such a rough and bouncy ride that two shock absorbers were busted in the front and back of the vehicle. The contact removed the tires and took them to an unknown tire dealer. The dealer attempted to rebalance the tires then informed the contact that two of the four tires were out of round. The dealer said the contact would have to speak to the tire manufacturer to get the tires replaced. The manufacturer had not returned a call to the contact in over eight months. The contact no longer owns the vehicle. The failure mileage on the vehicle was 109,000. The VIN was not available. *bf
The worst 2003 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.
- Engine19
- Transmission10
- Brakes9
- Acceleration8
- Electrical6
- Suspension3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Tires2
- Fuel system1
- Seats1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Land Rover Discovery
Recalls 1
Vehicle speed control: cables
- What is wrong
- On certain sport utility vehicles, the throttle can stick intermittently during its operation. The exact point of sticking is not predictable and can result in a higher engine speed than expected.
- Risk
- In the case where a throttle fails to return to idle, particularly after a high degree of engine throttle application, the driver will experience difficulty in bringing the vehicle to rest, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the throttle body. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact land rover at 1‑201‑818‑8500.
Recall number 03V133000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery 4
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
2003 Land Rover Discovery fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 11 | 14 | 12 |
What 2003 Land Rover Discovery owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. The contact stated that there was a defect in the bosche engine which caused the engine to overheat. The failure caused the coolant to boil in the main cylinder head and mix with the oil in the engine. The contact was quoted a cost of $7,000 for the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to (land rover north atlanta 1505 mansell rd, alpharetta, ga 30009, (770) 587-2000) to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. While the contact's spouse was driving 45 MPH around a curve, the vehicle hydroplaned, left the road, and crashed into a culvert and a highway sign. The vehicle rolled over multiple times. The contact stated that the anti-lock braking system warning indicator was illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the spine, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.
On my way home from picking up my grandchild there was some vibrating on the passenger side of the automobile. Than a loud explosion followed by rubber burning smell and lost of control of car. Managed to pull over car would not rolling had to engage parking brake. Had car towed home. Drive shaft seperated and destroyed transmission pan. Broke pieces off of tansmission. Change rotors and brake and car still will not come to a complete stop without sliding a bit. Abs lights come on every time this happens. Both incidents happen while im driving streets or highway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. While driving 2 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle accelerated without warning. As a result, it crashed into a curb, drove over the sidewalk, and into the street. The brake pedal was applied and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer (land rover paramus, 405 nj-17, paramus, nj), but no failure codes were located. The vehicle was not repaired. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the thumb, which did not require medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. The contact stated that there was excessive corrosion on the subframe by the rear axle of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be inspected. The contact was informed that until the vehicle was repaired, the vehicle should not be used to tow another vehicle or trailer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
2003 land rover discovery ii oil pump failure: we bought ours previously-owned from a land rover dealer. Nothing was mentioned about the defect in the manufacturing of this 4.6 l engine or the attached march 14, 2003 technical alert. In spite of regular service, the engine failed because of this defect and we replaced the engine with a used engine. Now, it may also be failing due to internal oil starvation. There are many posts online about these engine failures. Land rover sent out their alert, but did not offer the only remedy to their defective product - replace the engine ($10-12k). Like many others, we have spent thousands of dollars and been without the car while ours was in the shop because of a known defect that the land rover dealer chose not to share with us when we purchased the car. Attempts by others to seek help from land rover of america or through legal actions seem to have been unsuccessful. Since the statute of limitations has most likely expired on this matter, there is probably no way to ever recover the financial losses. It seemed like a nice car, but land rover really dropped the ball on this one. Don't by a 2003-4 discovery unless the VIN has been checked to be sure the vehicle is in the production series included in the land rover technical alert -ta03 1201.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, an abnormal sound emitted from the vehicle as it started to vibrate violently. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 135,850.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated on its own. The brake pedal was engaged and the vehicle began to jerk when coming to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the throttle body failed. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v133000 (vehicle speed control). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 land rover discovery. While driving at 45 MPH, a noise emitted from the front of the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 149,562. The VIN was not available.
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Questions about the 2003 Land Rover Discovery
Is the 2003 Land Rover Discovery reliable?
Owners have filed 47 complaints about the 2003 Land Rover Discovery, 2.8 times a typical Discovery model year.
What is the 2003 Land Rover Discovery year score?
The 2003 Land Rover Discovery scores 36 out of 100 (poor). The score compares it with the other model years of the Land Rover Discovery: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Land Rover Discovery?
Engine and cooling, with 19 complaints, typically around 96,700 miles. Next is transmission (10).
How many recalls does the 2003 Land Rover Discovery have?
1 recall, covering vehicle speed control.
What year does the Land Rover Discovery have bad engine?
The Land Rover Discovery model years with the most engine complaints are 2003 (19 complaints) and 2017 (14 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2003 Land Rover Discovery get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Land Rover Discovery range from 12 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.6L 8-cyl, 4WD) gets 11 city and 14 highway.
VIN decoder
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