As ‘tough gigs to follow’ go, the Land Rover Freelander was right up there. It was one of the earlier cool small SUVs, and it had the added benefit of being more than a little capable when you reached the end of the Tarmac and hit the rough stuff.
But times move on, and the Freelander was eventually deemed old and surplus to requirements. That’s because those requirements changed to a demand for more technology and luxury, and the ageing Freelander wasn’t able to provide it. Step forward the high-tech Land Rover Discovery Sport, so named as Land Rover tried to create a ‘Discovery’ sub brand in the same way as it did with Range Rover.
So, technological? Yes. Reliable? Not quite so much. But that’s where Haynes comes in, because we have decades of experience of keeping cars on the road for the minimum of expense. And that’s because the cheapest mechanic you’ll ever find is you. So, when your Disco Sport develops another annoying niggle, you can diagnose and sort it yourself, with our help. Just invest in the Haynes Autofix for the Land Rover Discovery Sport and we’ll be with you every step of the way.
What recalls has the Land Rover Discovery Sport been subject to?
It’s fair to say that the Land Rover Discovery Sport has been recalled a few times. Almost 10,000 examples were recalled because the engine wiring could chafe on an engine bracket, potentially causing a short circuit and making the engine cut out. Then 4779 examples were recalled for software updates to comply with emissions regulations.
A potential fuel leak dragged 37,059 examples back to dealerships, and a subsequent problem with fuel pipes caused another 1537 cars to go back to dealers.
Seat belt pretensioners that might not deploy in a crash forced a recall of 8628 cars, then a fuel delivery locking ring issue affected 479 vehicles.
An electrical overload problem with the 48-volt electrical system meant 45,275 Disco Sports were recalled, then 7502 cars were recalled to have potentially faulty fuel return hoses replaced.
Damaged seat belt pretensioner tubes meant a recall of almost 3000 Discovery Sport models.
What common problems does the Land Rover Discovery Sport have?
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is known to suffer a problem with its stabiliser bar bushes, which can cause a creaking noise over rougher roads.
The front brakes on the Discovery Sport are also known to cause a vibration, while the rear brakes can also generate a squeak.
A rattle from underneath is a faulty heat shield, and a transfer ’box oil leak is an irritating but easy fix.
Is your Land Rover Discovery Sport vibrating under braking?
People tend to buy the Land Rover Discovery Sport because it offers a blend of on-road comfort and a classy badge. However, they’re going to feel somewhat disappointed if their car starts to vibrate when they touch the brake pedal to slow down from medium or high speeds.
But sadly, that’s what can happen. The issue lies with the brake discs, which can become warped and cause a vibration through the steering wheel and brake pedal. This, of course, can also cause extra wear on other steering and suspension components, so it’s best to get it sorted quickly.
There’s only one thing for it – to replace the front brake discs (part number: LR083647), and the brake pads (part number: LR091568). You’ll also need to replace the caliper bolts (LR090697).
The good news is that this is a comparatively straightforward task that the Haynes Discovery Sport Autofix can guide you through from start to finish.
Why is your Land Rover Discovery Sport creaking?
Land Rovers are sold as vehicles that can get you very far into the back of beyond with little trouble, but when yours begins to creak at the first sight of a speed bump then that impression is going to take a bit of a hit.
But that’s what can happen, because the Discovery Sport has been diagnosed with faulty front stabiliser bushes. The only solution is to replace the faulty items, so your first task is to remove the front wheels and check the colour coding of the items in your car.
If your car’s bushes are red, then replace them with red ones (part number: LR031310); if yours are pink, then replace them with purple ones (part number: LR107663); if they’re grey, replace them with yellow items (part number: LR110708).
The technical drawings contained in your Haynes Discovery Sport Autofix will tell you all the information you need to know.
Does your Land Rover Discovery Sport rattle?
Well, isn’t that irritating. You’ve just gone and fixed the squeaks from the rear brakes of your Land Rover Discovery Sport, and now the silence has exposed a rattling noise. And it’s coming from somewhere underneath. There’s only one thing for it, raise the car safely and set it on axle stands, so you can get underneath to investigate.
Once you’re under the car you’ll likely find that the problem is a faulty propeller shaft heat shield.
There’s a revised part available (part number: LR083889), so it’ll be a case of undoing the fasteners for the old one, then replacing it with the new item.
What’s that puddle under your Land Rover Discovery Sport?
Oh no. A puddle. Directly underneath your Discovery Sport. That’s not good, because your car is basically dripping your money out on to the road surface.
Again, it’s time to raise the car safely and set it on axle stands before you even think about crawling underneath.
The issue is a faulty transfer ’box drain plug, which can spring a leak. A new one will sort the issue (part number: LR000375). The oil in the transfer ’box will also drain out when you take out the old plug, so you’ll need a suitable receptacle, and you’ll need to refill the transfer ’box with new oil (part number: LR019727).
Again, the technical drawings contained in the Haynes Discovery Sport Autofix will help you through this task.
Does your Land Rover Discovery Sport squeak?
Squeaks. Deeply annoying because they can often be difficult to trace. Unfortunately, a squeak can irritate drivers of the Land Rover Discovery Sport because it emanates not from inside the cabin, but from somewhere outside.
The problem actually comes in the form of faulty rear brake pads, which can emit and annoying squeaking noise every time your touch the brake pedal. Annoying, because there’s no way to avoid having to brake, so you have no option to listen to the noise.
Still, there’s good news in the fact that the fix is a simple one – you just need to replace the faulty pads with new ones (part number: LR095295).
The whole procedure is covered in your Haynes Discovery Sport Autofix, so just follow the steps and you’ll soon have squeak-free braking once more.