What 50 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport (7 Seat)

My vehicle just turned 10 years old. It has a little more than 66,000 miles on it and very well maintained. It was operating fine with no issues up until the day I went to get into it last Friday. I started it up without issue, put it into drive and found that could not steer it. I actually had to have it put on a car carrier and taken to a foreign auto mechanic, who told me that I needed a completely new rack and pinion, my vehicle is not drivable. This should have been avoided had Land Rover checked the vehicle over when they were supposed to have done a complete service check on my vehicle in 2023 we combined two service checks into one as I live 2.5 hours from them. To me this is a poorly designed system made of aluminum that is highly corrosive and I am lucky not to have been killed had my vehicle done this while I was driving and had a bolt break off. This is definitely a high safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11725151

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.

NHTSA ODI 11710123

The steering was completely lost, and the car was not controllable. Land Rover is aware of the problem and a recall was made in the UK, but not the USA. Service Dept report: No power steering, no warning on dash. Found that power steering assist electric motor is no longer bolted to steering rack, all 3 ALUMINUM bolts holding motor to rack have sheared off. Can move motor side to side at rack will likely need completely new rack and programming. Estimated cost of $7500. The car is used on streets and highways, never on off road or adverse terrain. At 65 MPH and loss of steering, this is a life dangerous event for anyone/ other cars on the road. Land Rover knows of the problem, but because they do not have an official recall from your agency, they said they would not take any action until you direct them to do so. I encourage you to take immediate action to prevent possible deaths. [XXX] [XXX] cell: [XXX] home: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11631761

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH A BEEPING NOISE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO JAGUAR LAND ROVER WEST CHESTER (1568 WEST CHESTER PIKE, WEST CHESTER, PA, (610) 436-0600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TWICE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WHILE DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO AN ELECTRIC POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11189726

TWICE NOW, I HAVE COME OUT OF THE AUTO START/STOP MODE AFTER BEING IDLE. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO LAG ON ENGAGING AND BOTH TIMES MY STEERING HAS BEEN LOST. BOTH TIMES, MY SPEED WAS NOT MORE THAN 5 MPH AND IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS FOR THE CAR'S STEERING TO RETURN. ONCE I WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AFTER BEING STOPPED AND ONCE IT WAS AT A DRIVE THRU. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ONCE AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WILL BE ON IT'S WAY AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 10899538