The Lemon IndexAll carsLand RoverDiscovery2018
201720195th generation
Complaints only. Too few sold to score: 9,842 in the U.S. in 2018 (sales source), under the 20,000 a fair per-car score needs. Owners filed 14 complaints in its first 3 years.
14 owner complaints, first 3 years — combined, EPA
Similar cars, same year
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Lemon Index: 100 = the average car, lower is better.
When problems show up
Only 14 complaints listed a mileage: too few to say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 23V393000 (electrical), 21V117000 (lights) and 20V143000 (lights) done? It has 4 recalls in all. Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- Any slipping, hard or late shifts, or a transmission warning light? Ask for transmission fluid service records.
- Does it accelerate and hold speed smoothly, with no surging or stalling?
- Any oil burning, leaks or check-engine lights? Ask for oil-change records.
- Land Rover sent dealers 887 repair notes for this car. Was this one done: “Issue: Customer may arrive at retailer with concern relating to loss of performance and engine…”?
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Land Rover's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 14 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 0K to 15K miles (1K to 25K km) on the car (14 of all 14 complaints filed so far listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
In owners' words
Laggy acceleration at "rolling stop" speeds of 2-10 mph. 2-4 second delay merging into traffic or turning into traffic. No amount of accelerator will alleviate the lag. Supercharged v6 gas engine.
2018 Land Rover Discovery owner · NHTSA complaint 11189961
Fixes owners look up most.
From 200 YouTube videos · 18.5M views · 2017–2025 Land Rover Discovery
- Brakes & ABS113K views
2017 Land Rover Discovery Electronic parking brake maintenance mode.The Offroading Mechanic · 82K views · 2 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical29K views
How To Replace Land Rover Discovery Key Fob Battery 2015 - 2018 Change Discovery Remote BatteriesPYR Automotive · 29K views - Cooling system18K views
2017–2021 Land Rover Discovery Low Coolant Light Fix — Quick, No-Tools Check!Green Castle Garage · 18K views
Before you buy, watch
Should You Buy a Land Rover DISCOVERY 5? (Test Drive & Review 2019 3.0SDV6)High Peak Autos · 513K views
Land Rover Discovery 5 Buyer’s Guide (2017-2025) Common faults and reliability (LR Disco 5)The Miles Driven · 98K views
Should you buy a 3.0 SDV6 Land Rover Discovery 5? (2017 HSE Model, Test Drive & Review)James of Condor · 28K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2018 is the same generation.
Problems Land Rover told dealers about
Land Rover sent dealers 887 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Issue: Customer may arrive at retailer with concern relating to loss of performance and engine…
- Situation: A fluid leak from the transmission, poor shift quality, and/or transmission noise…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Recalls 4
- Electrical · recall issued 2023
The UniLatch Keyless Vehicle (KV) entry function may fail to properly latch the rear passenger doors, which can result in the doors opening while driving.
- Lights · recall issued 2021
The Auto High Beam (AHB) system does not indicate through the instrument cluster when the high beams are illuminated automatically.
- Lights · recall issued 2020
When towing a trailer with the trailer lights connected to the trailer socket and the vehicle's Daytime Running Lights (DRL) are on, the trailer lights may not function.
Show all 4 recalls
- Automatic emergency braking · recall issued 2018
The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system may be disabled without warning the driver that the system is not functional.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Every Land Rover Discovery recall, all years · All Land Rover recalls
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Discovery SUV AWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport (5 Seat) SUV AWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Every Land Rover Discovery year. 2018 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Show 4 older years (1999–2009, YouTube reviews only, no complaint data)
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average, too new (2023+: a partial score, marked “partial”) or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 11 Land Rover Discovery years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
Quick answers
Is the 2018 Land Rover Discovery reliable?
We can't score it: only 9,842 were sold in the U.S. in 2018 (calendar-year sales), under the 20,000 we need for a fair per-car score. Owners filed 14 complaints with NHTSA in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2018 Land Rover Discovery problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (50%), speed control (21%) and engine (21%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2018 Land Rover Discovery have?
4 safety recalls (latest: electrical). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Does the 2018 Land Rover Discovery have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 50% of its owner complaints.
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works