RoadVitals

1993 Land Rover Defender

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Jul 19, 2006
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jun 20, 1996
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Land Rover Defender, most frequently naming the engine category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 5 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine2100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
96V108000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

Jun 20, 1996
4,254 units potentially affected
The defect: THE "HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE LABEL" WARNING WAS NOT INSTALLED ON THE BATTERIES IN THESE VEHICLES.
The risk: PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR IF THESE BATTERIES ARE HANDLED INCORRECTLY.
The remedy: OWNERS WILL BE MAILED A BATTERY WARNING LABEL WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PLACEMENT OF SUCH LABELS AND A LETTER INFORMING THEM THAT THEY CAN ALSO BRING THE VEHICLE TO ANY DEALER AND HAVE THE LABEL INSTALLED FOR THEM FREE OF CHARGE.
RANGE ROVER NA., INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jul 19, 2006
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING MY 1993 LAND ROVER NAS DEFENDER 110 TO AN APPOINTMENT, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COMPLETELY FILLED UP WITH SMOKE MAKING VISIBILITY POSSIBLE ONLY OUT THE OPEN DRIVER'S WINDOW. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, FLAMES POURED OUT. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ABLAZE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, DESPITE THE IGNITION HAVING BEEN SHUT OFF AND THE KEY HAVING BEEN REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE FIRE WAS BURNING THE AC EQUIPMENT AND ENCLOSURE, VEHICLE WIRING AND HOOD, FENDERS, ETC. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED DESTROYED WIRING HARNESSES, THE ENGINE, THE ENTIRE AC UNIT, HOOD AND VARIOUS OTHER BODY PARTS, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS. SOME PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A PIN HOLE LEAK IN ONE OF THE OIL COOLER LINES. THE LEAK SPRAYS A FINE MIST OF HOT ENGINE OIL DIRECTLY ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE RESULT IS AN OIL-FUELED ENGINE FIRE. NOT BEING ABLE TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF KEEPS OIL SPRAYING ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CONTINUING THE FIRE. I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT A LARGE NUMBER OF DEFENDER 110'S HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE LINES RUPTURE, THE EFFECT IS SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC IS NO WARNING. LAND ROVER OFFERS NO RECOMMENDED SCHEDULE FOR CHECKING OR REPLACING THESE LINES. IN FACT, LAND ROVER WILL NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE SAYING THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. LAND ROVER'S ONLY ASSISTANCE WAS TO POINT ME TO A THIRD-PARTY THAT SELLS LAND ROVER PARTS. THE SAME CATASTROPHIC PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH IN LESSER NUMBERS, HAS OCCURRED ON DEFENDER 90'S AS WELL. LAND ROVER DISCOVERY'S, MANUFACTURED IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS, ALSO UTILIZE THE SAME ENGINE. AS THE VEHICLES AGE, AND WITHOUT ANY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR CHECKING/REPLACING THESE LINES, COULD IT BE ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THESE FIRES BECOME MUCH MORE COMMON? CONDITIONS: SUNNY, WARM SUMMER DAY; AC OFF; DRIVER'S WINDOW OPEN; RADIO ON; NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10162882
Incident
Jul 10, 2006
Mileage
76,893 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 14, 2006

THIS IS MORE OF A GENERAL COMPLAINT REGARDING A MODEL TYPE, AS IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THAT ARE NOT BEING ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE THE 1993 LAND ROVER DEFENDER-110, AND THE 1994-95 LAND ROVER DEFENDER-90. IT HAS BEEN FILTERING AROUND MOST ENTHUSIAST GROUPS THAT THESE TRUCKS ARE SUFFERING SOME TYPE OF EQUIPMENT FAILURE THAT IS CAUSING ENGINE BAY FIRES WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THESE ALL SEEM TO OCCUR ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE BAY, SPREAD RAPIDLY, AND ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAME. NO COLLISIONS ARE INVOLVED IN THESE FIRES, THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THE FIRES ARE MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY FAILING PRESSURIZED HOSES THAT ARE PART OF THE OIL COOLING SYSTEM. THE HOSES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO SPLIT WITHOUT WARNING AND BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION WILL SPRAY FINELY MISTED ENGINE OIL ONTO THE RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ANOTHER SUSPECTED CAUSE IS FROM THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM, WHICH IS ALSO LOCATED IN THE SAME AREA. THERE APPEARS TO BE ISSUES WITH THE MATERIALS USED IN THE OIL COOLER HOSES, AS A NUMBER OF LOW MILEAGE REPLACEMENTS HAVE ALSO FAILED WITH NO PRIOR SIGNS OF WEAKNESS OR DEGRADATION. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND NO RECORD OF ANY RECALL ON THESE PARTS, AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS APPARENTLY NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE IN ANY WAY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10162393
Incident
Jul 12, 2006

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SFCC-14SEP17

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call

190198NAS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

PROVIDED INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN DIAGNOSING IGNITION LEAD FAULTS AND IGNITION RELATED ISSUES. *TT

190198NAS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

PROVIDED INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN DIAGNOSING IGNITION LEAD FAULTS AND SUMMARIZES. *YC

51/04/96US

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

NEW TORQUE SETTING - HUB NUT. *TW

19/07/96

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

PRIDE - 14CUX COIL CONNECTIONS. *TW

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Land Rover Defender by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026330—
2025122056.3
2024236160.4
2023789056.8
2022686058.8
2021369054.0
2020527057.0
2019000—
2004000—
2003100—
2002300—
2001100—
2000000—
1999100—
1998000—
1997000—
1996000—
1995120—
1994010—
1993Viewing210—
1992010—
1990100—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.