1997 Land Rover Discovery Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 Land Rover Discovery, and owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 Land Rover Discovery
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bags: frontal and vehicle speed control
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fusible link which will protect the rotary coupler from overheating.
35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Land Rover Discovery have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA; 9 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 67,311 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 6 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Right front ABS sensor malfunction. Unable to stop due to ABS engaging. Vibrated vehicle out into intersection. Lucky enough to avoid being t-boned by accelerating hard. Happened numerous times since.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 27, 2012 · Service brakes
“Two years ago i replaced a fuel tank on my land rover discovery 1997 at the dealership in san diego as a result of the safety recall action b156 - fuel tank cracking. The replacement tank is exhibitin”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 25, 2008 · Fuel system, gasoline
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Land Rover Discovery. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 13–14 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 11–12 / 16 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Special Purpose Vehicles |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Land Rover Discovery model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Land Rover Discovery model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 15 |
| 1995 Land Rover Discovery | 3 | 49 |
| 1996 Land Rover Discovery | 2 | 65 |
| 1997 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 35 |
| 1998 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 33 |
| 1999 Land Rover Discovery | 2 | 17 |
| 2000 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 30 |
| 2001 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 13 |
| 2002 Land Rover Discovery | 0 | 17 |
| 2003 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 48 |
| 2004 Land Rover Discovery | 0 | 29 |
| 2006 Land Rover Discovery | 0 | 2 |
| 2016 Land Rover Discovery | 0 | 5 |
| 2017 Land Rover Discovery | 3 | 55 |
| 2018 Land Rover Discovery | 4 | 37 |
| 2019 Land Rover Discovery | 4 | 38 |
| 2020 Land Rover Discovery | 6 | 18 |
| 2021 Land Rover Discovery | 6 | 11 |
| 2022 Land Rover Discovery | 6 | 11 |
| 2023 Land Rover Discovery | 6 | 7 |
| 2024 Land Rover Discovery | 5 | 7 |
| 2025 Land Rover Discovery | 2 | 0 |
| 2026 Land Rover Discovery | 1 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1997 Land Rover Discovery
How do I know if my 1997 Land Rover Discovery has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 Land Rover Discovery; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Land Rover dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 98V040000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Land Rover models
- Range Rover961 complaints
- Range Rover Sport639 complaints
- Freelander455 complaints
- Range Rover Evoque391 complaints
- Defender309 complaints
- Discovery II226 complaints
- LR2181 complaints
- Discovery Sport178 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.