Used car guide

2017 Land Rover Discovery: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Land Rover Discovery first registered in 2017: we looked at the 29,265 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

29,265MOTs of 2017 cars, done in 2023–2025
83%pass first time (all 2017 cars: 80%)
9,600typical miles a year
7.8×the usual rate for ball joint dust cover

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2017 Land Rover Discovery?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery than on all cars registered in 2017.

  • Ball joint dust cover7.8× usual
    Land Rover Discovery
    7% All 2017 cars
    0.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.6%, against 0.4% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Rigid brake pipes5× usual
    Land Rover Discovery
    5% All 2017 cars
    1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0.1% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints1.8× usual
    Land Rover Discovery
    6.8% All 2017 cars
    3.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.7% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Common 2017 Land Rover Discovery MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2017 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    23% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    22% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    13% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Lights and electrics
    5% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Known faults on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2017 Land Rover Discovery

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has the engine had any major work or been replaced?
  2. Any recent work on the ball joint dust cover? (Flagged at MOT 7.8× as often on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the rigid brake pipes? (Flagged at MOT 5× as often on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Land Rover Discovery?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Land Rover Discovery compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023248Tyres 12%
20226,744Tyres 23%
202119,311Tyres 22%
202018,465Tyres 21%
201923,542Tyres 21%
201825,246Tyres 21%
201629,067Brakes 25%
201527,481Brakes 27%
201422,214Brakes 30%
201318,962Brakes 32%
201220,297Brakes 33%
201117,976Brakes 35%
201019,004Brakes 34%
200915,399Brakes 37%
200814,637Suspension 40%
200719,711Suspension 42%
200622,865Suspension 46%
200523,157Suspension 45%
200419,033Suspension 45%
200316,818Suspension 44%
200213,570Suspension 45%
200110,667Suspension 45%
20006,850Suspension 45%
19996,091Suspension 42%
19983,454Lights and electrics 40%
19973,182Lights and electrics 37%
19962,746Lights and electrics 37%
19952,413Lights and electrics 38%
19941,867Suspension 34%
19931,024Lights and electrics 34%
1992454Lights and electrics 34%
1991321Lights and electrics 36%
1990265Lights and electrics 26%
1989–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Land Rover Discovery cars first registered in 2017. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score