2002 Land Rover Discovery Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 35%of 17 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 95,550miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2002 Land Rover Discovery, 35% of the 17 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 95,550 miles. 3 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Oil leak on engine, oil pan leak, water pump leak, no power on engine it lost the power from over heating, mechanic wants to replace engine I was quoted 3700 dollars. How can I know if this engine was a defect.”
NHTSA complaint #10442835, filed 2012-01, 160,700 miles“Of all the personal vehicles I've ever owned, I've never had one that causes me to drive like I was on pins & needles . I was driving at highway speed when out of the blue the engine head gaskets let go, without warning. The engine shut down and I lost power steering and power brakes. After investigating with dealer inquiries and independent shops this is a common problem with Land Rover v8 aluminum engines.the dealership(s) I spoke with actually agreed with my concerns but said talking to Land Rover is like talking to a dog, they hear you but won't do a thing about it . …”
NHTSA complaint #10436133, filed 2011-11, 85,101 miles“While driving the vehicle, the driver noticed smoke coming from under the hood. The consumer proceeded to drive the vehicle home where it caught fire. The consumer was able to put out the fire coming from the engine. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. Please provide any further details.”
NHTSA complaint #10047806, filed 2003-11, 15,218 miles“Fire originated right rear secion engine around heater hoses-one hearter hose leaked or ruptured allowing engine coolant to drip down onto hot exhaust manifold igniting the coolant cause fire”
NHTSA complaint #10073101, filed 2004-05, 58,345 miles“The contact owns a 2002 Land Rover Discovery. While driving 70 MPH, the contact stated that the vehicle suddenly overheated without warning and she noticed smoke coming from the vehicle. The dealer advised the contact to call the warranty company. No repairs were performed. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 147,081. The VIN was unavailable.”
NHTSA complaint #10415382, filed 2011-07, 147,081 milesEngine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 | 3% |
| 2004 | 1 | 3% |
| 2003 | 8 | 17% |
| 2002 | 6 | 35% |
| 2001 | 2 | 15% |
| 2000 | 5 | 17% |
| 1999 | 3 | 18% |
| 1998 | 2 | 6% |
| 1997 | 5 | 14% |
| 1996 | 5 | 8% |
| 1995 | 8 | 16% |
| 1994 | 1 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2002 Land Rover Discovery
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
2 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsElectrical system
1 complaintsOther or unknown
1 complaintsSteering
1 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaintsSuspension
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2002 Land Rover Discovery
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology