1994 Land Rover Discovery Problems & Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH CONSUMER WAS UPSET AND SLAMMED THE CONSOLE, AND BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS NO LIGHT INDICATION OF ANY DEFECTS OF THE AIR BAG. ALSO, HORN WAS STUCK AS RESULT CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OUT A FUSE. *AK *EH *JB

RECALL 04V203000 CONCERNING LAND ROVER FUEL TANKS: CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *NM

THE SUPPORT WEBBING OF THE DRIVERS SEAT IN THIS VEHICLE FAILED IN TENSION. THE POINT OF FAILURE WAS NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE WEBBING SPAN. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE METAL SPRING SUPPORT PLACES A NORMAL FORCE ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE WEBBING WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS IN USE. THE RELATIVELY HARD, METAL SPRING RUBS THE SURFACE OF THE WEBBING AS THE DRIVER'S WEIGHT IS SHIFTED ON THE SEAT. EVENTUALLY THIS CAUSES A WEAK AREA IN THE WEBBING AND THE TENSION PLACED ON THE WEBBING BY ITS CONNECTION WITH THE FRAME OF THE SEAT IS TOO GREAT FOR THIS WEEK AREA. THUS THE WEBBING SNAPS APART AT THIS LOCATION. WHEN THE WEBBING SNAPS, THE DRIVER IS SUBJECT TO A SUDDEN DROP IN SITTING HEIGHT. THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES FOR ME. HAD THIS SUDDEN CHANGE IN SITTING HEIGHT OCCURRED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, UNDESIRED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *JB

THE DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED IN THE SEAT SECTION. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE SEAT SUDDENLY FAILED AND DROPPED ABOUT 3-INCHES. THE SUPPORT SECTION OF THE SEAT FAILED. HOWEVER, THE LEATHER SEAT COVER HELD MY WEIGHT, BUT THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FAILED COMPLETELY. UNDER MANY CIRCUMSTANCES THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT AND COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I CONSIDERED THE FAILURE TO BE OF A SAFETY NATURE AND WELL OUTSIDE OF THE DEFINITION OF NORMAL WEAR. I REPORTED THIS FAILURE TO MY LOCAL LAND ROVER DEALER AND REQUESTED LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA BE ADVISED OF THIS UNUSUAL FAILURE. I PURCHASED TWO 1994 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY VEHICLES, NEW IN 1994. BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE NOW HAD THIS SAME FAILURE. THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IN THE FIELD OF SAFETY. MY PRIMARY FIELD IS AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS, BUT I HAVE DONE IN EXCESS OF FIFTY AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ABS BRAKE PROBLEM. . WHEELS LOCK WHEN TRAVELING ON A NON TRACTION ROAD. *AK....TWO YEAR'S AGO THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN TWO COLLISIONS DUE TO ABS FAILURE ON FRESH WET SNOW. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ABS BRAKE FAILED. *AK

THE EARLY MODEL YEAR LT230 TRANSFER CASE INPUT GEAR DID NOT PROVIDE FOR LUBRICATION TO THE MAINSHAFT. THIS CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE MAINSHAFT SPLINES, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO FAILURE OF THE MAINSHAFT. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE EXCESSIVE LASH, AND CLONKING WHEN SHIFTING. ONCE THE MAINSHAFT FAILS, THERE IS NO POWER TO THE DRIVETRAIN. THIS DEFECT WAS CORRECTED AT THE FACTORY WITH A CROSS-DRILLED GEAR IN 1997, BUT NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED. THE PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET.

DURING MANUFACTURE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FLEXIBLE GASKET SEALANT MATERIAL WAS USED TO SEAL THE OIL PAN TO THE ENGINE. THE EXCESS MATERIAL ENDED UP IN THE OIL PAN, AND WAS PICKED UP BY THE OIL PUMP. THIS MATERIAL BLOCKED THE OIL PUMP PICKUP SCREEN, STARVING THE ENGINE OF OIL UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY OVERHEATED, SEIZED, AND FAILED.

THE TAIL DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THIS VEHICLE HAS SEVEN PASSENGER SEATS. TWO OF THESE SEATS MUST ENTER AND EXIT VIA THE TAIL (REAR) DOOR. THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DOOR LATCHES FAILED IN THE CLOSED POSITION AND THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FOR EITHER SIDE. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT IN AN EMERGENCY THE REAR PASSENGERS WOULD HAVE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY IN EXITING THE VEHICLE. SIMILARLY, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WOULD HAVE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY IN EXTRACTING ANYONE FROM THE REAR SEATS.

MY STEERING ROD FELL OFF AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR! THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND RARE AND I THINK IT WARRANTS AN INQUIRY AND RESPONSE. THIS CAR IS SOLD AND ADVERTISED AS THE ULTIMATE RUGGED OFF ROAD VEHICLE. I DO NOT DRIVE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS BUT RATHER ORDINARY CONDITIONS. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM IF I WERE DRIVING UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. *AK

FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235 70 R16) EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL TIRE SEPARATION, DEALER INFORMED THAT THE TIRE SHOULD BE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY, BUT LATER SAID THAT HE COULDN'T ASSIST THE CONSUMER IN A TIMELY MANNER AND LET THE CONSUMER DRIVE ON THE BAD TIRE, CONSUMER FEELS THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THE TIRE SINCE IT WAS AN EMERGENCY. *SLC

THE ACTIVE HYDRAULIC CORNER ENHANCER WHICH PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM LEANING WHILE TURNING CORNERS BROKE, CAUSING HYDRAULIC FLUIDS TO RELEASE WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CAR HYDROPLANED ON FREEWAY AND ROLLED ON TO LEFT SIDE

DEFECTIVE TRANSFER CASE REPLACED THREE TIMES. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. ALSO, THE THROTTLE LINKAGE FAILURE CAUSED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

THE BODY MOUNTS ARE CRACKED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. *YC