Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Land Rover Discovery, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering5
- Electrical system5
- Air bags4
- Seat belts4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Visibility2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Power train2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Unknown or other2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Land Rover Discovery failed the safety check 3.10% of the time — 81% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 117,795 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
35 first registered in 1998 are on Dutch roads; 23% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen11
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde8
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld7
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht6
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm6
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse6
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast5
- Roestschade van 1,5 t/m 2,0E of meer dan 15% dikteafname4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
748 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 3,102 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 1,334 of these cars first registered in 1998 took their annual MOT test. 66% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1998 the figure was 64%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1998 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 19.4% | 16.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.7% | 9.3% |
| Suspension | 12.2% | 12.4% |
| Brakes | 11.5% | 11.8% |
| Steering | 6.2% | 3.4% |
| Visibility | 6.1% | 6.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
122 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 52% arrived as used imports, 41% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 17.1 L/100 km (about 14 mpg US), CO₂ 393 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery 4X4 · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 18.9 | 14.9 | 17.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Land Rover Discovery.
| 2012099 14 Mar 2012 | Powertrain Certain vehicles may have received an incorrectly manufactured rear driveshaft coupling (part number TVF100010) as a replacement part during service. Drive cou… |
| 1998068 8 Apr 1998 | Airbag DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE SRS AND CRUISE CONTROL CIRCUITS IN THE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CRUISE CONTROL COULD CAUSE THE ROTARY … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Land Rover told its dealers about the 1998 Land Rover Discovery: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 615006 | RECALL D217 - LAND ROVER HAS DETERMINED THAT CERTAIN VEHICLES HAVE FUEL FILLER NECKS WHICH MAY DROP BELOW THE TOP SURFACE OF THE MOUNTING GROMMET RESULTING IN A POOR SEAL WITH THE FUEL CAP. *TT |
| 605888 | DELAMINATION OF THE DOOR BIN MATERIAL COVER. *TT |
| 600375 | SITUATION ON REPAIR REQUIREMENTS FOR PAINTED PLASTIC TRIM. *YC |
| 10214018 | Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability |
| 10136669 | The 'Service Required' warning text will not appear on the Instrument Cluster (IC) if a vehicle has reached its service point. |
| 10125267 | Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call |
| 10100968 | "ISSUE: THIS SSM HAS BEEN RELEASED TO ADDRESS THE HIGH NUMBER OF SPEAKER ASSEMBLIES RETURNED, MANY OF WHICH ARE DEEMED AS NO FAULT FOUND. CAUSE: INCORRECT DIAGNOSIS." |
| 10003905 | A NUMBER OF RIGHT HAND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ON 1997 AND 1998 MY VEHICLES THAT ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRACKING. SERVICE ACTION EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACEMENT. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)