1997 Land Rover Discovery
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Brakes
Brakes leads by volume: 13 of 35 complaints (37%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Electrical include more fire reports (2) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 64 in 1996 to 35 in 1997.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | vs. 1997 Special Purpose Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 5,950–6,450 | 5,550 | 5,550–5,950 | 5,550–5,950 | 5,550–5,950 | |
| Combined MPG | 12–13 | 14 | 13–14 | 13–14 | 13–14 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 11 / 15 | 13 / 15 | 11–12 / 16 | 12 / 15–16 | 12 / 15–16 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 684–741 | 635 | 635–684 | 635–684 | 635–684 | |
| Complaints filed | 49 | 64 | 35 | 33 | 53 | |
| Recalls issued | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 10 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 9 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | |
| Injuries reported | 13 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 8 | |
| Deaths reported | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 1997 Land Rover Discovery have?
2 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 1997 Land Rover Discovery?
Brakes: 13 of 35 NHTSA complaints (37%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 1997 Land Rover Discovery get?
EPA rates it 13–14 MPG combined across 2 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 1997 Land Rover Discovery?
EPA estimates $5,550–$5,950 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (2)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic 4-spd | 8 | 4.0L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Special Purpose Vehicles | 12 mpg (high) | 16 mpg | 14 mpg (high) | $5,550 (low) | 635 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Manual 5-spd | 8 | 4.0L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Special Purpose Vehicles | 11 mpg (low) | 16 mpg | 13 mpg (low) | $5,950 (high) | 684 g/mi (high) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (2)
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT · Campaign 12E010000 · Mar 15, 2012
Defect: JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA, INC. (LAND ROVER) IS RECALLING CERTAIN REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLINGS, LAND ROVER BRANDED PART NUMBER TVF100010, MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2011 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2011, SOLD FOR USE AS SERVICE PARTS FOR CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1995-1999 DISCOVERY, 1999-2004 DISCOVERY II, AND 1995 RANGE ROVER CLASSIC VEHICLES. SOME OF THE REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO THE REQUIRED ENGINEERING DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXHIBIT THE ONSET OF JOINT SEPARATION, PRECLUDED BY DRIVE LINE VIBRATION.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: LAND ROVER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED REAR DRIVESHAFT COUPLERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 4, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA AT 1-201-818-8500.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · Campaign 98V040000 · Feb 27, 1998
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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.