RoadVitals

2021 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.
36
+2 complaints in 30 days
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.
9
Latest Jun 12, 2026
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 36 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Land Rover Defender, most frequently naming the visibility, exterior lighting and electrical categories. 9 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 511 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

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

9 campaigns cover this model year

View all 9

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
26V389000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Jun 12, 2026
250,857 units potentially affected
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driver’s air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 3, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D120.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLCManufacturer number D120View on NHTSA.gov
26V248000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER

Apr 17, 2026
170,169 units potentially affected
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs.) The DC-DC converter can fail due to an internal fault in the boost control microchip. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
The risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: The remedy for this recall is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D126 and H575.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLCManufacturer number D126 H575View on NHTSA.gov
24E102000

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Dec 6, 2024
485 units potentially affected
The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured properly, which can allow the intake to detach from the vehicle.
The risk: A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, remove and reinstall the RAI accessory, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 20, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N964.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLCManufacturer number N964View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

View all 36
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 5, 2026

The left headlight daytime running light has died due to a defective chip in the light itself. It may cause a higher chance of a daytime wreck because of reduced visibility. Also, more chance of me getting pulled over for my headlight not working. Apparently it’s a common issue that JLR know about, but won’t do anything. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Special Service Message (SSM) 75479 relates to the premature failure or dimming of the Daytime Running Light (DRL) halo on premium LED headlights, most notably affecting vehicles like the 2020-2023 Land Rover Defender. SSM 75479 acknowledges the internal awareness of this condition for technicians, though it is designated as an informational service message rather than a formal recall.

NHTSA ID
11755150
Incident
Aug 5, 2026
Electrical
Filed Aug 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11754833
Incident
Aug 4, 2026
Body & structure
Filed Jul 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the driver-side windshield exterior A-pillar trim detached from the vehicle and blocked the driver-side rearview mirror, obstructing rear visibility. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the highway, and the detached A-Pillar trim was completely removed from the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had previously occurred on two occasions, resulting in the replacement of both the driver-side and passenger-side A-pillar trims. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 35,000.

NHTSA ID
11748533
Incident
Jan 2, 2025
Mileage
35,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 27, 2026

Headlight DRL Failure - it's safety issue. this is known issue with defenders but when I contacted local dealer in Atlanta area, they refused to replace it without me paying $3200.

NHTSA ID
11734105
Incident
Dec 12, 2025
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 17, 2026

Both daytime running lights failed simultaneously. Not covered by warranty and told that they would cost >$5,000 to repair. There have been hundreds of these reported and it should be a recall

NHTSA ID
11718497
Incident
Feb 2, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jan 8, 2026

DC/DC converter failure

NHTSA ID
11709561
Incident
Dec 1, 2025
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 26, 2025

The daytime running lights (DRL) have failed in the passenger side. After some quick research, it's apparent that this is a widespread issue with the "Signature" halo lights in the Defender headlamp assembly. Reddit discussion: [XXX] ) Here is a Youtube video showing the issue and "fix". So many people have had this same issue that this guy figured out the problem: [XXX] ) The original warranty would have covered it but my warranty just expired earlier this year and the extended warranty will not cover it. The dealership is telling me that the entire headlamp assembly will need trashed and replaced all because this small "chip" within the unit has failed. The cost to repair is close to $3,000. Seeing that the issue causes the DRL's to fail which could lead to a failed vehicle inspection, the issue should be reported more widely and a recall should be issued. Thank you for your time! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11701653
Incident
Nov 19, 2025
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 9, 2025

The halo headlight went out, and I have an extended warranty that supposedly doesn't cover it. After researching, this seems to be a national event. The headlights need to be recalled and the manufacturer needs to be held accountable.

NHTSA ID
11692392
Incident
Oct 6, 2025

Manufacturer communications

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

SSM76477 - 21JUL26

Intermittent Passive Entry Operation 24MY Or With New Service Smart Key Fob.

E002 - 20JUL26

Exhaust System Oxygen (O2) Sensors - Extended Warranty

SSM76324 - 06JUL26

A low-speed ‘clonk’ type noise from the rear driveline, audible during low speed throttle inputs, often coupled with up/down gear changes. The noise is audible during normal road driving conditions.

N869 Defender 16JUN26

Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates are failing to complete. Specifically Vehicle Domain Controller (VDC) PIVI and Gateway Module A (GWM). These vehicles have now been stopped from further SOTA attempts and require a wired intervention.

N869 Defender 15MAY26

Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates are failing to complete. Specifically Vehicle Domain Controller (VDC) PIVI and Gateway Module A (GWM). These vehicles have now been stopped from further SOTA attempts and require a wired intervention.

N811 Defender 15MAY26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Door Zone Module - Quiescent Drain

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
2021Viewing369054.0
2020527057.0
2019000—
2004000—
2003100—
2002300—
2001100—
2000000—
1999100—
1998000—
1997000—
1996000—
1995120—
1994010—
1993210—
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.