RoadVitals

2022 Land Rover Defender Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints 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.
14
Latest Nov 2, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
21%
of 68 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2022 Land Rover Defender submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Nov 2, 2024

The windshield on my Land Rover Defender cracked from a tiny pebble. I sealed the crack but I'm just waiting for it to crack again. My friend [XXX] has the same car and he's on his fourth windshield. When I purchased the car, the sales person recommended the extended warranty because "the windshield is $3000 and you'll use it". INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11623228
Incident
Mar 26, 2023
Visibility
Filed Jun 27, 2024

Subject vehicle was parked outside in the driveway of my home for ~1 week and wasn't driven. During that time daily temperatures reached into the low-to-mid 90s with plenty of sun. With no impact damage whatsoever the windshield developed a crack starting on the driver's side outer edge and propagating inward approximately 18" toward the center of the vehicle. Vertically, the crack is located approximately midway between the bottom and top of the windshield.

NHTSA ID
11597345
Incident
Jun 27, 2024
Visibility
Filed Mar 11, 2024

Windshield glass started to crack without any impact or driving. Potentially due to temperature change in standard California Bay Area climate.

NHTSA ID
11576594
Incident
Feb 15, 2024
Visibility
Filed Oct 3, 2023

Crack in windshield appeared without any impact. Crack began at top middle of windshield, in a perfectly straight ling for about 5 inches, then continued as an irregular line across the driver's viewing area, impairing visibility. Crack occurred after washing the vehicle on a hot day. There was no impact to the glass. Just water.

NHTSA ID
11548095
Incident
Sep 26, 2023
Visibility
Filed Jul 2, 2023

Windshield cracked spontaneously. No rock strike or evidence of chipping. Appears to originate upper right windshield cross to driver side. No accidents, impacts, or other damage. Heat stress (very hot sunny day) and spontaneous fracture. This impedes optimal visibility.

NHTSA ID
11530032
Incident
Jul 2, 2023
Visibility
Filed May 25, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the front windshield cracked without impact. The crack had formed underneath the camera location. Additionally, while driving at undisclosed speeds, the roof rack was moving. Additionally, the decal on the inside of the front window was vibrating while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.

NHTSA ID
11523857
Incident
May 11, 2023
Mileage
8,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 28, 2023

Got into vehicle and noticed a crack on the lower part of the windshield stemming from below the wiper. No impact to any the windshield itself. Crack seems to have spontaneously occurred.

NHTSA ID
11514232
Incident
Mar 28, 2023
Visibility
Filed Jan 2, 2023

The Windshield cracked for no apparent reason. The crack starts from the bottom of the windshield and spreading upwards. I have been reading that this is a common problem with all land rover defenders. I filed an insurance claim to replace the windshield through Safelight which is going to cost me $500 deductible. I do not understand why this problem is not being addressed by Land Rover and why there has not been a major recall for this issue. I'm sure that this is going to happen again after replacement. It is very sad to purchase such an expensive vehicle and the windshield breaks after just a couple weeks of ownership. I know I have to get it replaced because it will only spread and I won't be able to see the road when I'm driving.

NHTSA ID
11499841
Incident
Dec 31, 2022
Visibility
Filed Nov 15, 2022

I Have a 2022 Land Rover defender 110 and it had 8,000 miles on it. One day I was driving and the windshield just cracked, nothing had hit it and no visible chips were present. I have yet to receive a replacement windshield.

NHTSA ID
11493632
Incident
Sep 23, 2022
Visibility
Filed Jun 21, 2022

My land Rover Defender is 5 months old with 5,765 miles on it. Driving through the car wash today the windshield "popped" and a large crack started in the top center and spread out both directions in what looks like a mustache. No chip, vehicle was not moving and the windshield failed. Unacceptable.

NHTSA ID
11470350
Incident
Jun 21, 2022
Visibility
Filed Jun 16, 2022

My windshield crack on its own when it was not even being driven. It appears to be a stress crack as it is a small V at the top center comes down the middle and across the passenger side. Only owned the car a few months and barely driven. I took to the dealer and they said they wouldn't chance covering by warranty out of fear corporate would deny the claim. Spoke with corporate and after a month they finally responded and said they wouldn't cover or have anyone further inspect as they rely on their dealers only and if I was satisfied I should go through arbitration. This appears to be a known issue now and concerning that they wouldn't want to investigate further. My windshield is heated and I wonder if there is a design flaw in the filament put inside the glass? Upsetting to deal with and shocked by lack or responsiveness from Land Rover.

NHTSA ID
11469526
Incident
May 22, 2022
Visibility
Filed Apr 29, 2022

Windshield cracked spontaneously while washing. No chips, no damage and hand washed vehicle. Crack is blocking visibility and starts at top of windshield and spiders into 3 cracks.

NHTSA ID
11462763
Incident
Apr 29, 2022
Visibility
Filed Feb 21, 2022

Easily cracked windshield. Less than 30 days owned and a small pebble cracked my windshield.

NHTSA ID
11453301
Incident
Feb 17, 2022
Visibility
Filed Feb 11, 2022

Windshield spontaneously cracked while parked (no impact). Crack was near top center and runs across the safety camera system. Crack was also instantaneously 1.5 foot long and partially obstructs driver's view. Scheduled for inspection by dealership - police, insurance has not been involved. No warning lamps or messages have appeared before or after the crack formed.

NHTSA ID
11451600
Incident
Feb 10, 2022

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .