IllustrationHeadlamps are faulty. Replaced the drivers side at almost the end of the 49k miles and after about another 900 miles, the passenger side went out. There is a defect with these lights and they’re back ordered through the UK. Police have told me that I have a headlight out and there is nothing I can do about this.
2021 Land Rover Defender
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Defender years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 39 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
39 reportsEver since I purchased my Defender back in 2021, the instrument cluster automatically dims. Usually when at dusk or dawn, the cluster dims so much, it is impossible to read with sunglasses, and very poorly lit without sunglasses. I have the dimmer switch set to the brightest setting, but it still automatically dims despite being…
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Ever since I purchased my Defender back in 2021, the instrument cluster automatically dims. Usually when at dusk or dawn, the cluster dims so much, it is impossible to read with sunglasses, and very poorly lit without sunglasses. I have the dimmer switch set to the brightest setting, but it still automatically dims despite being set to the brightest.
This vehicle has been at the dealership for six weeks waiting on both headlamp replacements. Daytime running lights do not function. Intermittent headlamp function.
Since I got Certified Pre-Owned 2021 Defender 90 First Edition exactly a month ago I noticed at speeds higher than 65mph a crackling noise that sounded like sand hitting my windshield and assumed it was coming from the windshield wipers being "loose" since the noise came from both front sides. Today while driving on the highwa…
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Since I got Certified Pre-Owned 2021 Defender 90 First Edition exactly a month ago I noticed at speeds higher than 65mph a crackling noise that sounded like sand hitting my windshield and assumed it was coming from the windshield wipers being "loose" since the noise came from both front sides. Today while driving on the highway at about 70mph I heard a loud noise coming from the front right side of the car and when I looked the right windshield pillar molding had broken off and was hanging by the bottom. I had to pull over immediately and saw that the molding had broken off from the pillar and the plastic plugs were broken and therefore not able to be re-attached. Luckily I had Duct Tape on the car and had to use it to be able to continue my trip home. When it broke off, the molding also made scratches on the pain of the surrounding side panel and hood, plus the black door molding. During the remainder of the trip, I noticed that the crackling noise had stopped coming from the right side (since I had taped it with duct tape on all sides) however it was still coming from the left side, which led to the obvious conclusion that the moldings were not properly sealed and when in higher speeds the wind was coming in and causing the noise, and eventually led to the right side breaking. I inspected the left side molding and noticed at close look scratches on the hood pain at the base of the molding, which indicates that it had either previously broken off like what just happened to me on the right side, or had been previously assessed for the noise and the scratches happened during the process. Now that I arrived home I did a Google search and found that this is a frequent issue that many other owners experienced, I am surprised a factory recall wasn't issued for this problem, as it is dangerous since it could lead to accidents, and that the inspection for Certified cars also didn't catch the issued and addressed it.
Bought a used 2021 defender with 5k miles and at 12k miles my windshield while driving makes a huge popping sound and i look to see that it cracked right down the middle, startling me while driving at night. There was ABSOLUTELY nothing that hit the windshield. It was a clear night driving with no other drivers on the road nor a…
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Bought a used 2021 defender with 5k miles and at 12k miles my windshield while driving makes a huge popping sound and i look to see that it cracked right down the middle, startling me while driving at night. There was ABSOLUTELY nothing that hit the windshield. It was a clear night driving with no other drivers on the road nor anything above me that could have fallen out of the sky. Land rover wouldn't take responsibility had to pay 2k out of pocket to fix this at 12k miles only having the car 2 months.
6" hairline crack in windshield, no impact detected.. just appeared one morning.
Windshield has hairline and becomes 2 differnt hairlines after a small peeble hit it Now on my 3rd windshield it happened again another hailine crack that keeps growing Land rover does not want to be responsible
The windshield spontaneously cracked from the middle of the pillar on the driver's side to the center of the windshield. No rock strikes.
2 complete windshield replacements needed since taking delivery June 2021. This incident was a small chip from a rock on the road that then spread across bottom half of drivers side windshield. These incidents are not isolated, seems other owners are reporting the same thing on this vehicle.
Windshield crack from no none source, appears to be pressure related. Happened at highway speed. Reading Defender forums this has happened to many customers, some 2-3 times
Official recalls
826V389000 · Air Bags:frontal
Jun 12, 2026
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
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.
26V248000 · Electrical System:propulsion System:dc/dc Converter
Apr 17, 2026
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
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.
23V044000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication
Feb 2, 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine cam carrier and related components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N763.
21V668000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor; Seat Belts:rear/other:retractor
Aug 26, 2021
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seat Belts:rear/other:retractor
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
Seat Belts:front:retractor
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
21V584000 · Child Seat:vehicle Latch Anchor; Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Jul 29, 2021
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will mail owners the correct information to insert into the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 23, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N601.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Child Seat:vehicle Latch Anchor
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will mail owners the correct information to insert into the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 23, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N601.
Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will mail owners the correct information to insert into the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 23, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N601.
21V499000 · Seats
Jul 1, 2021
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Defender 90 vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable front seats. The front seat track end-stop bracket may become deformed, which could prevent the seat from locking into place.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A seat that is not properly locked into place can move unintentionally during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front seat tracks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N609.
21V435000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:tail Lights; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
Jun 8, 2021
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
Consequence: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
Consequence: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
Consequence: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
21V424000 · Electrical System:software; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Jun 3, 2021
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an engine stall with no warning.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Connected Diagnostic Services (CDS) and the Over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics functionality will be disabled, either by a dealer or through an OTA update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N599.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electrical System:software
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an engine stall with no warning.
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Connected Diagnostic Services (CDS) and the Over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics functionality will be disabled, either by a dealer or through an OTA update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N599.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an engine stall with no warning.
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Connected Diagnostic Services (CDS) and the Over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics functionality will be disabled, either by a dealer or through an OTA update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N599.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.