Land Rover Discovery 3 (2005-2009) Questions & Answers

Worst car I have ever owned constant problems with engine and driveline only had it 7months then got rid of it

Most reliable car I have ever owned ... 5 times around OZ towing 3 tonne van with plenty of rough stuff...still going as good as the day I bought it new in 2013 (SDV6) current odo 228000km

I would just recommend getting it inspected and just don’t use Land Rover dealerships. They are expensive to repair.

Chris, Sorry mate but I had a disco 5. I cannot help

Service auto trans and ensure it has the upgrade to replaceable filters. Don’t believe any manufacturer that states something is sealed for life. The ZF trans is brilliant.

Thank you we have done this and found a good transmission guy in Hervey Bay Qld

Hi There, if it the same as d4 remove the lower front cover/air scoop and you should see a recovery point in the center . good luck

I actually had 2 disco 3's, can't recall the difference if there was one. There were some with coil suspension vs air. I believe the air pump was upgraded some time back not sure when. A dealer would know. The second had the LSD. no problems with either. I then moved to a disco 4 HSE. The prime difference is a 3l motor with 8 speed box vs 2.7l,motor the same as in the Territory. These are good vehicles in my experience, ideal for towing. Dealer services can be more costly than after market, same as any brand. Find a good after market LR specialist, parts very available locally & ex UK at reasonable prices. Lots of info available esp UK web sites. The later models are very solid, bearing in mind any vehicle needs service & with electronics almost everything has a reset or limp home mode, its the way of the future. In recent travels around Aussie [ 3 times towing an off road van], everyone I met was very happy with their vehicle.

Thanks for the info. Very helpful, cheers!

Hi Mate, Your Discovery may have 18" Wheels which may give better mileage I'm not 100% sure.Your suspension maybe a bit worn by now as well.My Car has 19" Wheels and the original Goodyear tyres lasted only 37,000klms.I kept on top of the preasure and run 33-34 in them.They became noisey for the last 10,000. I replaced them with Toyo Open Country H/T.They feel better & are quieter then the originals.I have had Toyo's before and had great mileage from them. My neighbour had Coopers on his Pajero and was very gentle on his car they were shot at 45. he had the 70000 guarantee they came and inspected his car then gave some trivial excuse not to honor the warranty.So he did'nt and wont buy them again.

Cheers Tez

Hi Tez, thanks, yes it has 18 inch wheels and I've been running 36 in them. We had problems with the Coopers warranty on the blow out after only 2000 km, but they eventually agreed. I'll have a look at the Toyo's.

Cheers CB

It depends how much money you've been paying for the tyres - need to spend at least 200 to 250 dollars on each tyre though if you've got roughly 600 dollars to spend on each tyre plus some extra cash flow to properly fit, alignment and balance 5 new Michellen or pirelli tyres

Check out Hankook Dynapro ATM and see if they're available in a compatible size for your D3. Not as well marketed as other brands but also not the price for a good quality tyre - if you mix town driving with some off road.

A discovery 3.

They are the best 4wd seats known to man!!!!

Ask around, find a good reputable upholsterer that will work on cars. Talk to them about EXACTLY what it is about your seats that makes them uncomfortable. The upholsterer will generally suggest 3 options.

1) Get your seats re-padded, which can make the original seats softer or firmer as required to your taste. This usually retains the original seat covers and trims.

2) Get your seats re-padded AND re-bolstered, which can change the contour and shape of the seat to give support where you require it, usually re-uses the original covers and trim, sometimes with extra matching (or contrasting i.e. suede / leather / cloth) panels added in to fit the new shape of the original seat as needed.

3) If 1 or 2 scares you, get the upholsterer to make additional pad "inserts" that attach to your original seats with tie on straps. This works OK within limits, but is reversible by removable.

Of course, you could always purchase new, custom seats and have them fitted; there are lots of options, from moderately expensive to $$$$.

hi i dont know i have a 2002.........

Jared, if that is your only problem you are lucky! I sold mine after 2 years and over $20k in repairs and I still wasn't confident it would get me from A to B. Yours is probably a battery problem but the answer may be available on the Australian Landrover Owners website. Just google it and you will be enlightened as to how many other things are likely to go wrong.

The key is supposed to recharge in the ignition. I would say the key has come to the end of its life. I haven't replaced one but I know they aren't cheap. Does the key open the tailgate or any other doors? i would troubleshoot first could be electronic problem. Most locksmiths can do a quick check of the responder these days, they will tell you straight away if there is a fault with your keys, take the spare set it helps.

The solenoid which operates the catch is shot; a common problem. Simple to replace if you have the skills and available on line from "Rover Parts" a local Ballarat firm. Otherwise expect to pay up to $500 for a dealer fix.

The electronic component is cactus. Needs to be replaced. Be prepared to pay. Welcome to the big wide world of Land Rover.Just a thought.... what if this happened to you out in the bush and you have a flat tyre....how would you get to your spare? Unbelievably dumb engineering.

2008 Land Rover Discovery III XE Comm Dose it have turbo .

This happened to me i± took the car in to a repaiier, they could not tell me the reason. Next day another disco came in and when he looked at the back door noticed some marks it turned out it had the same problem as mine. they took the door apart and the cable from the lock to the solinoin hadd broken. Had to drill hole in the back panel inside to get to the cable replaced cable and panel all good.

Usually only some Aluminium oxide interfering with external door opener. You can still open tailgate by pressing lock and unlock simultaneously on dash above stereo head unit, or by programming it into your key. Replacement is simple for about $20 or just clean and WD40.

If it is a Disco 3, then it's a good car to buy. The V8 from memory has better fuel economy than the V6 just. Check service history and as a note I just had to replace compressor for my air suspension- cost about $1300. Otherwise expect some minor mechanical costs of a car 6 years old. Apparently the transmissions are pretty good.

In my opinion, no Discovery 3 is a good car to buy.

Only if you have a lot of money spare to pay for the many ongoing repairs the Disco requires!