2020 Land Rover Defender

On 10/22/26 me and my son were driving home from a football game. We were less than 5 minutes away when several warning lights flashed for a second. I was in the middles of an intersection when this happened. The car stopped and the engine reved. I tried to drive to the sode of the road away from traffic. The car would not go into drive, neutral, or park. Instead it put inself into reverse in the intersection. I had to hold the brake down as the car would not allow me to power off. After several minutes the car finally died. We had to have it towed to our home as it was late and dealships were closed. Gearbox malfunction light, check engine light, system malfunction, suspension warning, drive with caution lights are what appeared. This was very traumatic to me and my kiddo. Hope this doesn't happen to anyone else. We are so lucky that we wer not in any type of accident. Thornton PD did show up to help and direct traffic.

NHTSA ID

11773417

Incident

Oct 22, 2026

I am reporting a suspected systemic safety defect involving premature failure of the integrated LED daytime running lights (DRLs) on 2020–2026 Land Rover Defender (L663) vehicles. The DRLs reportedly fail at relatively low mileage, frequently around 50,000 miles, during normal vehicle operation. The suspected cause is overheating and premature deterioration of the integrated LED driver electronics due to inadequate thermal management. The precise cause requires investigation. This failure eliminates an important daytime vehicle conspicuity feature, reducing visibility to approaching motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, particularly during rain, overcast weather, and transitional lighting conditions. Some owners report no dashboard warning when the DRLs fail, potentially leaving drivers unaware of the malfunction. Jaguar Land Rover has known about this issue since at least 2021. Its Special Service Message SSM 75479 specifically acknowledges DRL failures on 2020–2021 Defenders and documents an engineering investigation. Similar failures have subsequently been reported by owners of later model years, suggesting a potentially unresolved design defect. Because the DRL electronics are integrated into the sealed headlamp assembly, dealerships generally require replacement of the entire assembly, costing approximately $3,000 per headlight or $6,000 for both. Land Rover reportedly provides goodwill replacements selectively while requiring other owners to pay out of pocket. I request that NHTSA investigate the entire 2020–2026 Defender population, examine JLR’s engineering records, warranty claims, component failure rates, and headlamp design revisions, and determine whether a safety recall and manufacturer-funded corrective action are warranted. This is a recurring failure of a factory-installed safety-related lighting system, not simply an ordinary maintenance or warranty concern.

NHTSA ID

11773374

Incident

Nov 15, 2025

My 2020 Land Rover Defender 110X with 33,835 miles displayed a red “charging system fault detected” warning upon startup. The outside temp was approx 39F, and I have just activated the heat seat and heated steering wheel. The vehicle was stationery when the warning appeared. The battery is relatively new having been replaced in 2026. I restarted the car and it went away. Then I got 4 miles from my house and the warning came back. This appears to be a failure of the DC-DC converter assoc. w/ NHTSA safety recall 26V248, then recall 26V599. The manufacturer acknowledges this is a defect that causes loss of 12-volt charging. My vehicle displayed “Charging system fault detected” rather than the “Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected” in JLR’s earlier technical documentation. I am concerned that the warning may not adequately communicate the severity of the potential safety hazard. I did drive the car 5 miles to a day care and back. With 2 dogs in the car. The voltage on my radar detector display got as low as 10.x volts so I returned home and parked the car instead of taking the ferry. What makes this particularly unacceptable is the manufacturer’s documented history of this defect. In LR’s April 2026 filing, the company reviewed increasing DC-DC converter warranty claims in Sept 2024 but determined initially that the issue idd not present an unreasonable safety risk. The recall was initiated after JLR finally agreed with NHTSA about the safety concerns in April 2026. Despite this recall, owners like me continue to experience failures of a critical component while awaiting an actual recall remedy/repair. This vehicle is used to transport my family. A failure like this would progress to complete loss of lighting, power and all systems: putting my family, passengers & others at risk. Sudden immobilization is concerning as we live on an Island, where travel regularly involves the ferry, rural roads, dark roads & no mobile connectivity. Where’s the remedy JLR?

NHTSA ID

11773339

Incident

Oct 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The following day, the contact’s spouse started the vehicle, and the message “High Voltage Shutdown Not Possible – Live System” was displayed. The contact stated that after an inspection, DTC: P0A7B was retrieved. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000.

NHTSA ID

11763592

Incident

Sep 11, 2026

Mileage

48,000 mi

The dealership is not able to perform the recall in a timely manner.

NHTSA ID

11763083

Incident

Sep 1, 2025

Our 2020 Defender's halo light on the driver's side has become inoperable & poses a safety hazard. After researching this issue, it appears that this has been reported widely online. This malfunctioning halo light renders overall lighting very dim at night, creating a safety hazard for my vehicle & other drivers on the road. While looking online this is a rampant problem with this model, with the dealers wanting to charge & exorbitant cost of $4K+ I am writing to request that the manufacturer assume full responsibility & costs for repairing this safety related lighting defect at a local dealership. Properly functioning exterior lighting is an essential safety feature of any vehicle. This malfunction affects my visibility. We purchased this vehicle with the reasonable expectation that critical safety equipment would function properly & that the manufacturer would stand behind defects involving safety issues. I believe it is unreasonable for me to be expected to bear the cost of diagnosis, parts or repair as this is an inherent lighting system issue. I am therefore requesting that the manufacturer cover 100% of all costs. This is a safety issue, not a cosmetic concern & I strongly urge the manufacturer to treat it accordingly. The halo light has been out for a few weeks; there were no warnings that the light was out just noticed dim lighting & neighbor while passing on the road mentioned it.

NHTSA ID

11759119

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

I own a 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 HSE, and both of the vehicle’s daytime running lights (DRLs) have failed. The first DRL failed at approximately 63,000 miles, and the second DRL failed at approximately 68,000 miles. This appears to be a known and recurring issue with the DRL/signature lighting system on 2020 Land Rover Defenders, yet these failures commonly occur outside of the vehicle’s original warranty period, leaving owners responsible for extremely expensive repairs or replacement of an entire headlight assembly for what appears to be a failure of a small electronic component. This is a safety concern, not simply an aesthetic or convenience issue. When one of the signature DRLs fails, the lighting appearance of the vehicle can make it appear as though a headlight or other required exterior light is not functioning properly. This can make the vehicle less conspicuous to other drivers and can also result in confusion or concern from law enforcement. A vehicle with one side of its DRL signature illuminated and the other side completely dark can appear to have a lighting malfunction, potentially resulting in the driver being pulled over or cited. The fact that both DRLs on my vehicle have now failed independently at approximately 63,000 and 68,000 miles is particularly concerning and suggests a recurring component or design defect rather than an isolated failure. Owners should not be expected to replace an entire headlight assembly at significant expense because of a predictable failure of the DRL electronics. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the frequency and cause of DRL failures on 2020 Land Rover Defenders and determine whether a safety-related defect exists and whether Land Rover should be required to provide a permanent remedy, particularly given that these failures can occur after the original warranty has expired. I am also concerned about the potential impact of this recurring failure on vehicle inspection and registration requirements.

NHTSA ID

11756348

Incident

Jun 14, 2026

Driving and the steering assistance warning goes off cuts off my cruise control and my lane keep assistance causing my car deceleration on highway promptly while going 70 mph.

NHTSA ID

11755796

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

The air conditioning system is not cooling properly

Interference from external WiFi sources could disrupt wireless CarPlay or Android Auto connection. Reconnection to the vehicle may also be inhibited while in the area of localized interference.

Retailers may not be following the installation instructions correctlywhen installing accessory wheel arch protection kits.

Accessory Wheel Arch Protection - Gaps Present Between Protection And Vehicle Body

Air Conditioning Inoperative / Intermittent Operation

TCU Activation Failure And InControl App Inoperative After Software Update