Discovery 2 (L318) – MY1999-2004

Land Rover Discovery II SE (L319)
Land Rover Discovery II S (L318) – photo by Rudolf Stricker

Land Rover Discovery II (L318)

Although nearly identical in appearance to the Series I Discovery, the Discovery II was a completely different car. Designed by BMW (who owned Land Rover at the time), the D2 featured more modern electronics and a more conventional axle setup, along with the latest iteration of the venerable Rover V8. Though still very capable off-road, the D2 lost some of its abilities thanks to an extended trunk and the deletion of the center differential lock (which returned for the final model year in 2004). However, it was superior on-road, with more comfortable suspension and better insulation.

Unfortunately, the Discovery II has not aged well. The “Bosch” variant of the Rover V8 used in the D2 is prone to catastrophic damage such as slipped cylinder liners and cracked engine blocks, and the car in general was subject to extreme cost-cutting by BMW – which means it was put together very poorly. The car is susceptible to an incredible amount of electrical problems, made worse by neglectful owners. When well-sorted, however, the D2 is a brilliant vehicle – it rides like a luxury sedan on the streets, and can go nearly anywhere off them.

Desirable Features

  • Locking center differential
    • MY99-01 cars, and some MY02-03 cars, had a locking center differential fitted, but did not have the linkage for it – this can be added through aftermarket solutions
    • Most MY02-03 cars did not have a locking center differential
    • MY04 cars had a locking center differential and a shifter installed from the factory which used a cable to control it, as opposed to the previous generation Discovery which used a mechanical linkage that is less smooth and prone to seizing up. This means that MY04 cars are very desirable for off-road enthusiasts.
  • Rear A/C (especially in hot climates)
  • Facelifted MY03-04 vehicles
  • Harman Kardon stereo
  • Third-row seats
  • Dual sunroofs (depending on your tolerance for electrical issues)
  • Self-leveling rear suspension (SLS) – Air suspension on the rear axle only. This is very nice for towing or hauling heavy loads, as the car doesn’t droop under the weight.
  • Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) – Reduces body roll in corners. It can be identified by the presence of a reservoir with two caps and an extra pulley on the serpentine belt. It significantly improves drivability.
  • Off-road gear:
    • Brush guard – especially one from ARB
    • Steel bumpers – these were not original equipment, but many cars have aftermarket ones as the factory plastic bumpers are easy to rip off while off-roading
    • Roof rack
    • Rock sliders
    • Off-road lights
    • Winch

Engines

Click the links below to see common problems specific to the engines available on this vehicle.

Problems

All Vehicles

Mechanical

  • Driveshafts
    • Front driveshaft “cardan” bearings get cooked by the catalytic converters and can fail, causing the driveshaft to swing around underneath the car and destroy things. It is highly recommended to replace the factory front driveshaft with an upgraded one from Tom Woods as a preventative measure.
    • Rear driveshaft has a “rotoflex” joint instead of a universal joint, which is a maintenance item. Once it starts to crack, it should be replaced. A lift kit can accelerate wear on the joint due to the change in geometry.
  • Low-range – linkage can seize if never used

Electrical

  • Three Amigos
    • Illumination of ABS, TC, and Hill Descent Control (HDC) warning lights usually caused by an ABS fault, most often a bad shuttle valve or wheel speed sensor
    • This problem is so prevalent that it is a running joke in the Land Rover community
    • It is usually fairly easy to fix and there is a bypass available for the shuttle valve. Fixing it is very important, as the car is essentially “one-wheel drive” with the traction control disabled, since all the differentials are fully open and there are no lockers.
  • Heater core – can be checked by running heater and feeling carpet around passenger-side footwell and transmission tunnel for moisture/dampness
  • Window regulators
  • Door lock actuators
  • Cruise control – the cruise control system is vacuum operated; a D2 with functioning cruise control is a unicorn
  • Ignition cylinder – it will probably be binding and require some fiddling to start the car or remove the key. Most cars have some special method to do the above, but eventually, the cylinder will fully bind and require replacement.
  • Power steering pump

Body & Cosmetic

  • Drooping headliner – requires removal of headliner panel and reupholstering of headliner; stapling the fabric down is only a temporary measure and won’t work long-term as the problem is due to degradation of the insulating foam
  • Clear coat is susceptible to peeling, especially if car was not washed often
  • Vehicles in warm climates may have warped dashboards
  • Broken sun visor clips – these get brittle with age, but they are cheap and easy to replace (part # EGP100340LUM)
  • Rust – D2’s are much less susceptible to rust than D1’s, but you should still check around the alpine windows and wheel wells

Certain Vehicles

  • Vehicles with Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE): Most owners don’t realize there is a filter that must be maintained. If the system is not maintained properly, it can be expensive to fix.
  • Vehicles with self-leveling rear suspension (SLS): Like all Land Rover air suspension, it can be problematic. If it has been replaced with coils already, then don’t worry about it. Otherwise, check the air springs for cracking and make sure to take care of any leaks in the hoses and seals before they prematurely burn out the compressor.
  • Vehicles with sunroofs:
    • The general rule of thumb is that if it works when you test them, then never use them again so they don’t have a chance to break. If you must use them, then lubricate them at least once a month.
    • If the headliner is stained around sunroofs, chances are that the seals leak. This is a huge job to fix because it requires removing the entire headliner and sunroof assembly to replace the seal.
  • Vehicles with vinyl or leather seats: The leather is susceptible to wear/cracking/tearing
  • Vehicles with seat heaters: The heating grid usually fails
  • Vehicles with heated windshields: Replacement is very expensive (especially for OEM-quality glass), so before buying a car, check that the windshield does not have any chips or cracks. Glass insurance coverage is highly recommended.
  • Vehicles with secondary air injection (SAI): The SAI system is prone to vacuum leaks and pump failures from age. It also makes spark plug changes more difficult due to the space it takes up in the engine bay.
    • To identify if your vehicle has SAI, read this page from Atlantic British
    • SAI cannot be deleted unless you swap the vehicle’s ECU with one from a car that does not have it
  • MY03-04: Headlamp assemblies for these vehicles are expensive due to their rarity. While cracking/breaking is not a common issue (generally, it is caused by hitting something while going off-road), checking for it is highly recommended.
  • VINs between 3A767790 and 4A851115: May develop an oil leak path down the threads of the sump front fixings – sealant should be applied to the threads
  • VINs between 3A771801 and 3A808362 with 4.6L engines: May suffer from oil pump failure – repair involves replacing the entire assembly including the front cover/oil pump

Not Problems

  • ABS warning lamp may illuminate on startup but disappear once vehicle starts moving – this is normal and does not indicate a fault in the system

Other Tips & Tricks

  • All vehicles with leather seats (only leather; vinyl does not qualify) are equipped with seat heaters, even if the switches are not present. To enable them, all you need is a window switch panel from a vehicle that had heated seats. Simply plug the connectors in, and voila!