15 documented faults
Engine & fuel system
3 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Failure to start.
Defender: VIN XA 159810-YA 199999.
Defender: VIN YA 600000-1A 602857.
Discovery: →VIN XA 907212 (system 1).
Discovery: →VIN 1A 296165 (system 2).
Range Rover: VIN XA 410483-1A 446786.
What you'd notice
Intermittent failure to start.
The repair
Poor electrical connection between battery main lead and starter motor solenoid.
Failure to start.
All models.
In-tank fuel pump (FP) faulty.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Replace component if necessary.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 6.
Engine overheating, particularly in slow moving traffic.
All models with petrol engines.
Cooling fan viscous coupling faulty.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Replace cooling fan viscous coupling.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 15.
Brakes
1 documented fault — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
ABS warning lamp illuminated.
All models.
Excessive wear in front wheel bearings, causing wheel speed sensor to be moved out of its correct position. Excessive wear in rear wheel bearings, causing wheel speed sensor to be moved out of its correct position. Faulty ABS control module.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Check front wheel bearings for excessive wear and replace if necessary.
- Adjust rear wheel bearings.
- Re-position wheel speed sensors, replace if necessary.
- Check ABS control module, replace if necessary.
- Access ABS control module fault memory and erase trouble codes.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 9.
Suspension & drivetrain
3 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Vehicle leans to one side.
All models with self-leveling suspension (SLS).
Suspension ride height sensor faulty.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Replace suspension ride height sensor.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 5.
Vehicle leans to one side.
All models with self-leveling suspension (SLS).
Internal fluid leak in suspension adjustment valve block.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Replace suspension adjustment valve block.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 7.
Vehicle leans to one side.
All models with self-leveling suspension (SLS).
Suspension control module requires re-programming.
Workshop instructions
Clutch & gearbox
2 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Transmission warning lamps flash continuously.
All models.
Water/dirt ingress into transmission wiring harness multi-plug. Engine control module (ECM) requires software upgrade.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Check transmission wiring harness multi-plug (located on top left-hand side of gearbox), clean contacts if required.
- Re-program ECM with upgraded software.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 10.
Poor AT gear shifting.
All models with automatic transmission (AT).
What you'd notice
Trouble code stored in transmission control module (TCM) fault memory: 2.
The repair
Open/short circuit or high/low resistance in wiring harness of transmission valve block.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Repair/replace wiring as necessary.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 14.
Air conditioning & heating
2 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Vibration from AC/heater blower motor on high blower speed.
All models.
Sound insulation material from plenum chamber enters heater ducting, fouling AC/heater blower motor fan.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Remove AC/heater blower motor and clean sound insulation material from fan.
- Ensure no sound insulation material loose in heater ducting.
- Renew sound insulation material in plenum chamber.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 3.
Loss of coolant.
All models.
What you'd notice
Engine overheats.
The repair
Cylinder head gasket faulty. Inlet manifold gasket damaged. Heater matrix leaks.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Pressure test cooling system.
- Replace cylinder head gasket as necessary.
- Replace inlet manifold gasket as necessary.
- Replace heater matrix as necessary.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 11.
Body & trim
2 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Excessive noise from rear seat backs whilst driving.
All models.
Excessive play between stops on seat frame.
Workshop instructions & parts1 part
Workshop procedure
- Fit anti-rattle washer kit.
| Part | Part number | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-rattle washer kit | HTP 100080 | 1 |
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 12.
Water ingress into spare wheel well.
All models.
Tailgate seal leaking.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Remove and discard tailgate seal.
- Apply sealant to tailgate flange.
- Fit new tailgate seal.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 13.
Other
2 documented faults — symptoms, causes and workshop fixes.
Alloy wheels difficult to remove.
All models with alloy wheels, →03/01.
Corrosion between hub spigot and wheel centre.
Workshop instructions & parts1 part
Workshop procedure
- Clean corrosion from wheel contact surfaces.
- Apply anti-seize grease to wheel contact surfaces.
| Part | Part number | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-seize grease | RYL105020L | 1 |
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 2.
Poor active cornering enhancement (ACE) performance.
All models.
What you'd notice
ACE fluid loss.
The repair
Fluid leak from ACE high-pressure pump. Fluid leak from ACE valve.
Workshop instructions
Workshop procedure
- Tighten ACE high-pressure pump union.
- Replace ACE high-pressure pump seals.
- Replace ACE valve seals.
Data: Motorwise Workshop. Bulletin 4.
Take it with you
Before you view one
Land Rover Discovery II 4 (1998–2002)
Each documented fault as a quick check for a viewing or test drive — tick them off as you go.
A little workshop vocabulary
Workshop terms used on this page
Definitions for the technical language used in these bulletins.
- ECM
- Engine control module — the car's engine computer
- VIN
- Vehicle identification number — 17 characters, found at the base of the windscreen and on the V5C logbook
- Nm
- Newton-metres — the standard unit for how tightly a bolt is done up
- ABS
- Anti-lock braking system — stops the wheels locking under hard braking
- Trouble Codes
- Standardised fault codes stored by the engine computer, read with a diagnostic tool
- ACE
- Active Cornering Enhancement — a hydraulic anti-roll system that stiffens the suspension in corners
- FP
- Fuel pump — the pump that supplies fuel from the tank
- SLS
- Self-levelling suspension — keeps the ride height even when the vehicle is loaded
- TCM
- Transmission control module — the gearbox computer
- AC/Heater
- The heating and air-conditioning system
- Anti-Seize
- Grease that stops mating parts (like a wheel on a hub) from corroding together
- Control Module
- A computer that runs one of the car's systems (engine, gearbox, brakes, body, and so on)
- Fault Memory
- The list of stored trouble codes in a control module
- Heater Matrix
- The small radiator behind the dashboard that provides cabin heat
- Hub Spigot
- The raised centre of the hub that locates the wheel
- In-Tank Fuel Pump
- The fuel pump mounted inside the fuel tank
- Inlet Manifold
- The housing that distributes air into the cylinders
- Multi-Plug
- A multi-pin electrical connector on a wiring harness
- Re-Program
- Update the software on a control module using the manufacturer's diagnostic tool
- Ride Height
- How high the vehicle sits; on air suspension this can be raised or lowered
- Solenoid
- An electrically operated valve or actuator
- Trouble Code
- A standardised fault code stored by a control module, read with a diagnostic tool
- Valve Block
- The set of solenoid valves that directs air or fluid in the air-suspension or gearbox
- Viscous Coupling
- A fluid coupling that automatically sends drive to an axle when the other starts to slip
- Wheel Speed Sensor
- A sensor at each wheel used by ABS and stability control
- Wiring Harness
- The bundled cables that carry power and signals around the vehicle
- Blower Motor
- The fan that pushes air through the heater and air-conditioning
- Earth
- An electrical ground connection back to the battery or body
- Head Gasket
- The seal between the cylinder head and the engine block
Common questions
Using this guide.
What are the common faults with the Land Rover Discovery II 4?
Garages and workshops regularly encounter 15 documented faults on the Land Rover Discovery II 4 — three concern the engine and fuel system and three the suspension and drivetrain. Each fault above lists the symptoms, cause, fix and any parts needed.
Does every Land Rover Discovery II 4 have these faults?
No. These are patterns documented across the model by workshops, not predictions for an individual car. Where a fault applies only to certain vehicles or VIN ranges, that is listed with the fault.
Can I check for Land Rover Discovery II 4 faults when viewing one?
Many of them, yes — the documented symptoms are things you can see, hear or feel on a viewing or test drive. The 'Before you view one' checklist above turns each documented fault into a quick check you can tick off as you go.