Land Rover Discovery 4 2009-2017 problems & buyer's guide

Price (AUD)

$18k-$55k

Body styles

5-door wagon (7-seat)

Drivetrain

Full-time 4WD (lockable centre diff, dual-range, Terrain Response)

Origin

UK

Built in

United Kingdom (Solihull, England)

Overview

The facelifted L319 Discovery 4 (sold here as TDV6/SDV6 and rarely the 5.0 V8) is one of the most genuinely capable and comfortable seven-seat 4WDs ever sold in Australia - full-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case, height-adjustable air suspension and Land Rover's Terrain Response. It is also a high-end European vehicle that punishes deferred maintenance: the Ford/PSA-derived V6 diesels are TIMING-BELT engines (front and rear belts) that need specialist replacement around 150,000-190,000km or the engine self-destructs, the early 2.7 TDV6 had a crankshaft-bearing failure issue, and air suspension, EGR coolers, turbos and the electronic park brake are all known wear/failure points with European parts prices. Bought with full Land Rover service history, the later 3.0 SDV6 with the 8-speed auto is reliable and superb; bought cheap with gaps in its history it can be a money pit. Always budget for proper servicing and a thorough pre-purchase inspection by a Land Rover specialist.

Engines & variants

2.7L TDV6 diesel

Engine

2.7L DOHC common-rail turbo-diesel V6 (Ford/PSA Lion)

Config

V6 turbo

Displacement

2720cc

Power

140kW @ 4000rpm

Torque

440Nm @ 1900rpm

Drivetrain

Full-time 4WD (lockable centre diff, dual-range)

Economy

9.5-11.5 L/100km combined

Tow (braked)

3500kg

Tow (unbraked)

750kg

Transmission

6AT

Timing chain / belt / gear

Timing belt (two belts - front main belt plus rear high-pressure-pump belt); specialist replacement around 150,000-190,000km

Pros

Refined, torquey V6 diesel - effortless on the highway
Only on the earliest D4s, often cheapest entry point
Genuine 7-seat off-road and touring ability
3500kg braked tow

Cons

Early crankshaft-bearing failure issue on some 2.7 engines
Timing-belt engine - skipped belt service can destroy the engine
Less power and torque than the later 3.0 V6
Only the 6-speed auto (no 8-speed); thirstier than the 3.0

Known problems

high

Crankshaft bearing failure (early 2.7 TDV6)

A number of early 2.7 TDV6 engines suffered spun/failed crankshaft main bearings, often heralded by start-up rattle, knocking and bearing material in the oil. Many affected cars received replacement engines under warranty when new.

Fix: Listen for start-up rattle/knock and check oil for metal; confirm whether the engine was replaced. Religious oil changes with correct-spec oil are essential.

From Can be early life (40k-100k km) · ~$12000-25000 (replacement engine)

high

Timing belt failure (interference engine)

The Lion V6 runs two timing belts. If the front belt jumps or breaks the pistons hit the valves and the engine is destroyed. A weak oil-pump-housing boss can let the tensioner fail, so specialists often replace the oil pump with the belt.

Fix: Have belts (and ideally the oil pump) done by a Land Rover diesel specialist on the recommended interval; get documented proof of the last change.

From Service item; failure if neglected · ~$1800-2800 service / $12000+ if it breaks

medium

EGR cooler / intake carbon

EGR coolers can crack/clog and the intake builds carbon, causing coolant loss, rough running and limp mode.

Fix: EGR cooler replacement and intake clean; catch-can helps reduce build-up.

From 120k+ km · ~$800-3000

3.0L TDV6 diesel

Engine

3.0L DOHC common-rail turbo-diesel V6

Config

V6 turbo

Displacement

2993cc

Power

180kW @ 4000rpm

Torque

600Nm @ 2000rpm

Drivetrain

Full-time 4WD (lockable centre diff, dual-range)

Economy

8.8-10.5 L/100km combined

Tow (braked)

3500kg

Tow (unbraked)

750kg

Transmission

6AT, 8AT

Timing chain / belt / gear

Timing belt (front main belt plus rear pump belt); specialist replacement around 150,000-190,000km

Pros

Big jump to 180kW / 600Nm over the 2.7
Up to ~9% better economy than the 2.7
8-speed auto from 2013 transformed refinement and economy
Excellent loaded tourer with 3500kg tow

Cons

Still a twin-timing-belt interference engine
DPF dislikes short urban-only running
Turbo and EGR cooler are known failure points
European parts and labour costs are high

Known problems

high

Timing belt failure (interference engine)

Like the 2.7, the 3.0 V6 uses two timing belts and is an interference design - a broken/jumped belt destroys the engine. The oil-pump-housing tensioner boss can fail, so reputable shops replace the oil pump with the belt.

Fix: Belts (and oil pump) by a specialist on schedule with documented proof; do not buy one with unknown belt history without budgeting for it.

From Service item; failure if neglected · ~$1800-2800 service / $12000+ if it breaks

high

Turbocharger failure

Turbo failures are reasonably common on the V6 diesels - worn bearings, oil feed issues or VGT problems causing smoke, whine, lost power or oil consumption.

Fix: Turbo replacement; keep oil fresh and let the engine idle-down after hard work.

From 120k-180k km · ~$3000-6000

medium

EGR cooler failure / coolant loss

EGR coolers crack and leak, causing coolant loss, white smoke and overheating; intake carbon adds to running issues.

Fix: Replace the EGR cooler (often both banks) and clean the intake; address promptly to avoid overheating damage.

From 100k+ km · ~$1500-4000

medium

DPF clogging (short trips)

Diesel particulate filter blocks if the car only does short stop-start trips and never completes a regeneration.

Fix: Regular highway runs to allow regen; forced regen or DPF clean/replace if blocked.

From Any (urban use) · ~$500-2500

3.0L SDV6 diesel (twin-turbo)

Engine

3.0L DOHC common-rail twin-turbo diesel V6 (high-output SDV6)

Config

V6 twin-turbo

Displacement

2993cc

Power

188kW @ 4000rpm

Torque

600Nm @ 2000rpm

Drivetrain

Full-time 4WD (lockable centre diff, dual-range)

Economy

8.5-10.5 L/100km combined

Tow (braked)

3500kg

Tow (unbraked)

750kg

Transmission

6AT, 8AT

Timing chain / belt / gear

Timing belt (front main belt plus rear pump belt); specialist replacement around 150,000-190,000km

Pros

Strongest and most flexible of the diesels (188kW)
8-speed auto from 2013 is smooth and efficient
The pick of the range when properly maintained
Genuine luxury 7-seat tourer with 3500kg tow

Cons

Same twin-belt interference timing as the other V6 diesels
Two turbos to fail rather than one
EGR coolers, DPF and high-pressure fuel parts all expensive
Demands specialist servicing - not a cheap car to own

Known problems

high

Timing belt failure (interference engine)

Shares the twin-timing-belt interference design of the TDV6 - neglecting the belt service risks total engine destruction, and the oil-pump tensioner boss is a known weak point.

Fix: Belts (plus oil pump) by a Land Rover specialist on schedule, with documented history.

From Service item; failure if neglected · ~$1800-2800 service / $12000+ if it breaks

high

Turbocharger failure (twin-turbo)

The SDV6 uses two turbochargers; either can fail with smoke, whine, oil use or lost power, and the twin setup makes replacement costlier than the single-turbo TDV6.

Fix: Replace failed turbo(s); maintain oil quality and avoid hot shut-downs after towing.

From 120k-180k km · ~$3500-7000

medium

EGR cooler / intake carbon

EGR coolers crack and leak coolant and the intake carbons up, causing overheating risk, smoke and rough running.

Fix: EGR cooler replacement and intake clean; catch-can to slow build-up.

From 100k+ km · ~$1500-4000

medium

High-pressure fuel system / injector wear

Injectors and high-pressure fuel components wear at higher km, causing rough idle, smoke and hard starting; poor fuel quality accelerates it.

Fix: Injector test/replacement and good filtration; use quality diesel.

From 150k+ km · ~$1500-4000

5.0L V8 petrol

Engine

5.0L DOHC naturally aspirated direct-injection V8 (Jaguar AJ133)

Config

V8 NA

Displacement

5000cc

Power

276kW @ 6500rpm

Torque

510Nm @ 3500rpm

Drivetrain

Full-time 4WD (lockable centre diff, dual-range)

Economy

14-18 L/100km real world

Tow (braked)

3500kg

Tow (unbraked)

750kg

Transmission

6AT

Timing chain / belt / gear

Chain-driven (twin chains)

Pros

Smooth, strong, chain-driven V8 - no timing-belt anxiety
No diesel DPF/EGR-cooler complexity
Very rare here, so often well-kept
Fast and effortless for a big 7-seater

Cons

Extremely thirsty - rarely chosen in Australia
Very low volumes mean parts/specialists scarcer
Higher running costs than the diesels
Weak resale relative to the diesels

Known problems

low

Fuel thirst / running cost

Real-world 14-18 L/100km (worse loaded/towing). Not a fault but the main reason almost nobody bought it here.

Fix: Accept the fuel bill; it is a touring/luxury choice, not an economy one.

From Any · ~Running cost

medium

Cooling and ancillary maintenance at higher km

Like most performance V8s, water pump, thermostat, coil packs and other ancillaries need attention with age and km.

Fix: Preventive cooling-system and ignition maintenance; use a marque specialist.

From 120k+ km · ~$800-3000

Common problems (all variants)

high

Air suspension fault / compressor failure

The EAS air suspension can throw faults from a weak/failed compressor, leaking air springs/bags or perished valve-block O-rings, leaving the car sitting low or in limp height. Compressors overheat when chasing leaks.

Fix: Replace leaking air springs and reseal/replace the valve block; fit the upgraded AMK compressor (with software update) when the original fails.

From 100k+ km (any with leaks) · ~$800-3500

medium

Electronic park brake (EPB) failure

The rear-mounted electronic park brake module/actuator can fail, throwing a park-brake fault; worn rear brake shoes and cable resistance are often the real root cause, so a replacement module can fail again if shoes/cables aren't done.

Fix: Replace the EPB module/actuator AND service the rear park-brake shoes and cables to prevent repeat failure.

From Any · ~$1700-3000

medium

Heavy brake wear

A heavy 2.5-tonne 7-seater chews through brake pads and rotors, especially when towing or in the city.

Fix: Quality pads and rotors; towing-spec pads if used for towing. Budget for it as routine.

From 40k+ km · ~$600-1500

medium

Front lower control-arm bushes / front-end wear

Front suspension control-arm bushes wear, giving uneven (edge-worn) tyres, clunks and vague steering.

Fix: Replace worn control arms/bushes and do a wheel alignment.

From 100k+ km · ~$600-2000

medium

Electrical / engine-management gremlins

Being a feature-rich European vehicle, it can suffer sensor faults, reluctant hot-starts, stalling in traffic and assorted electrical niggles - more failures the more options fitted.

Fix: Proper diagnostic scan by a Land Rover specialist; address faults early rather than clearing codes.

From Any · ~$200-2000

low

Coastal / underbody rust

Beach and coastal examples can develop underbody and fitting rust over time.

Fix: Underbody inspection pre-purchase; wash down after beach/saltwater use.

From Any · ~Varies