2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 51 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (26% of complaints); the 2015 and 2018 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Dec 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Backing out of a driveway. Stopping and put the car in drive. Started to drive. Turned the steering wheel and heard a metal crunch. Steering failed because the bolts that hold electric motor attached to the steering mechanism sheered. Broke off from the mount. A very dangerous situation. Could have hit other cars as there was no control.”Owner report · Steering · Dec 2025
“My 2016 Jaguar Land Rover Discovery Sport is displaying a CHECK ENGINE light. After having it seen by mechanics I'm told the Turbo-Manifold is faulty-CRACKED-and must be replaced, not safe to drive. It demonstrates by having noxious fumes enter the cabin, causing ill effects-not operable subject to dire illness. Should be part of RECALL. Please advise. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Engine · Nov 2025
“I own a 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport (VIN [XXX] ). The vehicle was sold with InControl Remote features (remote lock/unlock, vehicle status, emergency SOS). These no longer function because the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) relies on the obsolete 2G/3G T-Mobile network. Since U.S. carriers shut down 2G/3G, the TCU cannot connect, leaving me without remote access or emergency SOS. Jaguar Land Rover acknowledges this but refuses to provide a 4G retrofit, unlike other automakers who offered upgrades or goodwill fixes when 2G/3G sunset occurred. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2025
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“Vehicle engine shut down and completely lost power. Technician inspected and found intake camshaft actuator came loose from camshaft. On this vehicle it simply uses tension from the bolt torquing. There is no keyway to prevent this. Vehicle engine is destroyed. Very unsafe design.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2025
“the driver's side from door latch is not operating correctly. the driver's side front door opens when the car is in motion. this happened in a parking lot while trying to leave the lot. we may have been going about 15mph. the door latch is not working at all now. the door will not stay closed at all. there is a current recall for the same issue but Land Rover says that my vin number is not included in the recall. Maybe a larger recall needs to be issued.”Owner report · Structure · May 2024
“The timing chain broke on an uphill and evidently ruined the entire engine. I was stuck in the middle of a 2 lane road with no shoulder on a hill. I had to direct traffic for 45 minutes to avoid any crashes or my car being rear ended. Repair will cost more than the car is currently worth. Seems to be a known issue. It was inspected by Land Rover Cincinnati. Check engine light came on 2.5 days prior to the incident - called Land Rover Service and I was instructed to "tighten the gas cap and wait a few days."”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2023
“I checked the car for a pre trip inspection, and noticed the oil dipstick smelled of gas. Towed it to a service center where they were not able to confirm what was the cause as there are no warning lights and fuel injectors tested good. They drained and flushed oil, but the issue did not resolve. Concerned this issue is the same issue as other cars of the same model but different year have been recalled for, I am reporting the issue.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2023
“The drivers side door does not latch closed and the vehicle does not warn with dash lights or sounds. When driving the door flies open and requires pulling over and using the physical key within the fob to lock and unlock to engage latch.”Owner report · Structure · Jun 2023
“The shift gear is broken. It is stuck in drive, I cannot park, reverse, or put the vehicle in neutral. Because the gear shift is stuck in drive I had to crash the vehicle into a curb, as not to hurt myself or others. Once resting against the curb I had to quickly get out and disconnect the battery, otherwise my car would have continued driving. The gear shift remains broken and in drive. Research shows that this is a common and persistent issue with Land Rovers; one that isn't disclosed during purchase. This was a considerable safety hazard for me and my family.”Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2023
“Crankshaft pulley fell off vehicle Belt of vehicle was no longer spinning and coolant/charging systems were not functioning properly Unknown Unknown No”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2022
When filing, owners marked a crash in 4 of these complaints and injuries in 0 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport vehicles manufactured September 17, 2014, to March 5, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the license plate illumination lamp may fall out. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will replace both rear license plate lamp housings, free of charge. The recall began on June 21, 2016. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is P077.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport vehicles manufactured May 30, 2016, to August 24, 2016, and 2016-2017 Range Rover Evoque vehicles manufactured June 7, 2016, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles have front lower control arm fasteners that may fail due to an assembly error, possibly resulting in separation of the steering knuckle.
Remedy: Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will replace the hardware that connects the front lower control arm to the knuckle, free of charge. The recall began on January 27, 2017. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is Q650/Q651.
How other years compare
Check your exact Discovery Sport by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport reliable?
NHTSA has 51 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport. The most complained-about area is engine (26% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 55,500 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.