Land Rover Defender complaints by model year
308 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2025 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| 2023 | 82 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2022 | 75 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 2021 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 2020 | 55 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2001–2026. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 27 | 39 | 14 | 2 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown or other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Power train | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Land Rover Defender recalls (20)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Defender model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26V615000 | Sep 24, 2026 | Seat Belt May Be Improperly Stitched | 2024 | — |
| 26V599000 | Sep 17, 2026 | Loss of Drive Power from DC-DC Converter Failure | 2020–2024 | — |
| 26V389000 | Jun 12, 2026 | Driver's Air Bag May Not Deploy in a Crash | 2020–2026 | — |
| 26V263000 | Apr 23, 2026 | Fuel Tank May Leak | 2026 | 16.7% |
| 26V248000 | Apr 17, 2026 | Loss of Drive Power from DC-DC Converter Failure | 2020–2024 | — |
| 26V163000 | Mar 18, 2026 | Insufficiently Welded Seat Belt Anchorage Bracket | 2026 | 60.1% |
| 25V016000 | Jan 16, 2025 | Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111 | 2023, 2024 | 86.2% |
| 24V678000 | Sep 12, 2024 | Rearview Camera Image May Not Display | 2024 | 92.8% |
| 24V450000 | Jun 17, 2024 | Engine Compartment Fire from Oil Leak | 2023, 2024 | 98.2% |
| 23V789000 | Nov 22, 2023 | Improperly Reinstalled Brake Calipers May Detach | 2023 | 100% |
| 23V137000 | Mar 2, 2023 | Third-Row Child Seat May Have Reduced Strength | 2023 | 95.8% |
| 23V044000 | Feb 2, 2023 | Engine Cam Carrier May Leak Oil | 2020–2023 | 98.4% |
| 22V523000 | Jul 21, 2022 | Seat Belt Pretensioners May Not Restrain Properly | 2022, 2023 | 95.8% |
| 21V668000 | Aug 26, 2021 | Seat Belt Automatic Locking Retractor Malfunction | 2021 | 91.7% |
| 21V584000 | Jul 29, 2021 | Incorrect Child Restraint Information/FMVSS 225 | 2020, 2021 | 99.9% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Land Rover Defender FAQ
How many recalls has the Land Rover Defender had?
NHTSA lists 20 recall campaigns that cover at least one Land Rover Defender model year from 1990 to 2026. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Land Rover Defender year has the most complaints?
Among the last 9 model years with settled counts, the 2020 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (55) and the 1990 the fewest (1). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Land Rover Defender problems?
Across the 2001–2026 model years, owners most often name the electrical system, exterior lighting, visibility/wiper in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Land Rover Defender get?
EPA rates the 2026 Land Rover Defender at 16 to 20 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.