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2023 Land Rover Defender

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 4 of 81 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 12 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

81 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

The Centre Cluster dims a dusk and is not visible to the driver

NHTSA ODI #11539578

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2023
Tires

Took the vehicle out of the garage, drove 3 miles to the highway, got on the highway, traveling 65MPH, within 15 minutes of leaving home and no more than 5-10 minutes on the highway, the passenger rear tire blew out without warning, I did not hit any debris in the road. The vehicle veered with the sudden loss of pressure, no ac…

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Took the vehicle out of the garage, drove 3 miles to the highway, got on the highway, traveling 65MPH, within 15 minutes of leaving home and no more than 5-10 minutes on the highway, the passenger rear tire blew out without warning, I did not hit any debris in the road. The vehicle veered with the sudden loss of pressure, no accident but occurred during rush hour. There were OEM on a 23.5yr Land Rover Defender. Continental CrossContact 275/45 R22

NHTSA ODI #11536610

Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2023
Visibility/wiper

Defective windshield. Windshield randomly cracked after no impact or visible damage.

NHTSA ODI #11519009

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2023
Visibility/wiper

Front windshield stress fractured after being parked in cold weather following a long drive with the windshield defroster on. It has been replaced and is not available for inspection. Safety was put at risk due to an obstruction in visibility Problem has not been reproduced or confirmed, but anecdotally seems to be a frequent …

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Front windshield stress fractured after being parked in cold weather following a long drive with the windshield defroster on. It has been replaced and is not available for inspection. Safety was put at risk due to an obstruction in visibility Problem has not been reproduced or confirmed, but anecdotally seems to be a frequent occurrence based on internet forum posts Vehicle has not been inspected No warnings or other indications of failure

NHTSA ODI #11517435

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2023
Visibility/wiper

I have had to replace my windshield 3 times in a matter of a few months. In the case of my last two windshields, I was able to drive for only 2 days before it cracked. In all cases they started as small rock chips, always within a few inches of the exterior edge. I have had rock chips in the past with other vehicles but typical…

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I have had to replace my windshield 3 times in a matter of a few months. In the case of my last two windshields, I was able to drive for only 2 days before it cracked. In all cases they started as small rock chips, always within a few inches of the exterior edge. I have had rock chips in the past with other vehicles but typically they would rarely crack. For some reason this vehicle can't take even the smallest of rock chips without cracking. Not sure if this is due to the shape of the windshield, the way it is installed or just bad glass. I wouldn't have made this complaint had I not noticed that there are several other Owners of this vehicle making similar complaints.

NHTSA ODI #11515849

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2023
Power Train

On several occasions my car has shifted from Drive into Neutral while I was at a light and the vehicle had shut itself off as part of the Intelligent Start Stop feature. I see that this same issue has been happening to several other Owners who have reported this to the NHTSA. Ironically it seems as though all these vehicles were…

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On several occasions my car has shifted from Drive into Neutral while I was at a light and the vehicle had shut itself off as part of the Intelligent Start Stop feature. I see that this same issue has been happening to several other Owners who have reported this to the NHTSA. Ironically it seems as though all these vehicles were purchased in Houston TX.

NHTSA ODI #11515844

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2023
Electrical System

The media screen will randomly go blank so you can not see your navigation map, radio information or any other data that the screen should show. The dealer told us to press the door lock twice and wait several minutes before restarting. Very unsafe if emergency is occurring and you do not have access to navigation system. This h…

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The media screen will randomly go blank so you can not see your navigation map, radio information or any other data that the screen should show. The dealer told us to press the door lock twice and wait several minutes before restarting. Very unsafe if emergency is occurring and you do not have access to navigation system. This has occurred several times since we purchased the vehicle new on March 18 at Buckhead Range Rover in Atlanta. the phone charger does not work and only heats up your phone after you lay the phone on it for a period of time.

NHTSA ODI #11514256

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2023
Lane DepartureSteeringVehicle Speed Control

When driving the new 2023 vehicle with 956 miles we got a lane keep malfunction dialogue box pop up on digital instrument cluster. At the same time the power steering ceased to work or the lane keep fought to keep it centered even when trying to make maneuvers to stay in lane of traffic, navigate turns or avoid other vehicle. It…

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When driving the new 2023 vehicle with 956 miles we got a lane keep malfunction dialogue box pop up on digital instrument cluster. At the same time the power steering ceased to work or the lane keep fought to keep it centered even when trying to make maneuvers to stay in lane of traffic, navigate turns or avoid other vehicle. It endangered the lives of my wife, 3 young daughters and lives of other drivers/passengers on the road. The vehicle was parked about a mile from it occurring and roadside assistance called. It was taken to Jaguar Land Rover Hunt Valley to be repaired. Where they duplicated same issue. They could not get the computer to flag any codes that something was wrong but witnessed it not being able to be steered properly. They proceeded to do a hard reset on the steering module as they could not communicate with it, they then downloaded new software and said it fixed the problem. We drove 3.5 hours round trip to go pick it up. It drove just like is should for trips but then at 1145 miles the exact same issue with dialogue box saying lane keep malfunction and power steering or it fighting my wife to stay straight and fighting her to navigate road turns, obstacles or other vehicles. This again put my family and other families on the road at extreme risk. It was then towed again. This time it went to Jaguar Land Rover Harrisburg. They too witnessed the same issue and I told them of what happened before and what they did to fix. It has been in the dealership service centers care for a week and they can’t figure out why it’s doing it. They contacted Land Rover corporate for help and have open ticket with Engineer. The service managers words to me where that they can’t do anything until LandRover engineer figures out why this is happening to Defenders. I said there is more, he said yes. I called corporate to request they take the vehicle back as it is unsafe for my family and other families in the road. They said it has to happen 3 times! Not Safe At All.

NHTSA ODI #11512581

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2022
Power Train

Stopped on an uphill grade, start stop on vehicle activated, engine stopped. Upon brake release, engine started, vehicle made uncommanded shift from drive to neutral, rolled backward several feet before brake could be reapplied. Land Rover has been aware of the uncommanded shift to neutral issue for sometime. Local dealer has a …

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Stopped on an uphill grade, start stop on vehicle activated, engine stopped. Upon brake release, engine started, vehicle made uncommanded shift from drive to neutral, rolled backward several feet before brake could be reapplied. Land Rover has been aware of the uncommanded shift to neutral issue for sometime. Local dealer has a bulletin on this issue, but Land Rover has no fix, instead advising to manually disengage auto start stop every time vehicle is driven. Unfortunately, sometimes I forget to do this. It’s a problem.

NHTSA ODI #11476748

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2022
Engine

When stopped at stoplight engine gear slips to neutral without warning. When applying gas it becomes apparent it’s no longer in drive. Has happened 8 plus times and I’ve had this new car less than 2weeks. Reported to dealer who tells me 2 other customers have reported this as well. No one is sure why it happens.

NHTSA ODI #11473927

Official recalls

8

26V389000 · 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.

25V016000 · Back Over Prevention:software; Equipment:electrical:infotainment:video (touch)screen/monitor/unit

Jan 16, 2025

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the touchscreen software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N972.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment:electrical:infotainment:video (touch)screen/monitor/unit

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the touchscreen software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N972.

Back Over Prevention:software

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the touchscreen software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N972.

24V450000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:filter/screen

Jun 17, 2024

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the filter housing, oil filter, and o-rings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N908.

23V789000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:critical Fasteners

Nov 22, 2023

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles modified for the TRek Off-Road Competition. The brake calipers may not be reinstalled properly, allowing the brake calipers to detach.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the brake calipers, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 18, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N848.

23V137000 · Child Seat:vehicle Tether Anchor; Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Mar 2, 2023

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Child Seat:vehicle Tether Anchor

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.

Consequence: A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.

Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.

Consequence: A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.

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.

22V523000 · Seat Belts:pretensioner

Jul 21, 2022

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N720.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.