Land Rover · NHTSA safety record

2024 Land Rover Defender

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 25 safety complaints about the 2024 Land Rover Defender with the US government. Of those, 1 mentions a fire and no death is recorded. 7 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 14 complaints, 56% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2023 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

25 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 · 56% 14 56%

STEERING 5 · 20% 5 20%

BACK OVER PREVENTION 4 · 16% 4 16%

ENGINE 4 · 16% 4 16%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 · 12% 3 12%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 · 8% 2 8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 8% 2 8%

POWER TRAIN 2 · 8% 2 8%

AIR BAGS 1 · 4% 1 4%

EQUIPMENT 1 · 4% 1 4%

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 · 4% 1 4%

SEAT BELTS 1 · 4% 1 4%

0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 25.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 14.

16 12 8 4

23 2023 24 2024 25 2025 26 2026

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2023 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2024 Land Rover Defender. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

7 on file

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:WEBBING:STITCHING

26V615000 · September 24, 2026

The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2024 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The second-row seat belt may be improperly stitched.
The risk: An improperly stitched seat belt may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat belt serial number, and replace the seat belt, as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 20, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D130.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 371 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER

26V599000 · September 17, 2026

The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload that can occur during high power demand. Additionally, a software error can cause the DC-DC converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up under certain circumstances. Failure of the DC-DC converter will result in the 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: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is E008. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V248.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 23,677 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

26V389000 · June 12, 2026

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, LLC · up to 250,857 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER

26V248000 · April 17, 2026

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, LLC · up to 170,169 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V016000 · January 16, 2025

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

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 28,370 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

24V678000 · September 12, 2024

The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2024 Defender, Discovery Sport, Range Rover, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, and Range Rover Sport vehicles. The Near Field Sensing Module (NFSM) may overheat and cause the 3D surround camera images, including the rearview camera image, not to display.
The risk: A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the NFSM, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 24, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N927.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 180 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:FILTER/SCREEN

24V450000 · June 17, 2024

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

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 2,013 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Rear Seat Belt Stitching Failure and Detachment

PE25019

Still open preliminary evaluation · opened December 11, 2025 · led to recall 26V615

the seat belts

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1 complaint stating that a rear row seat belt became detached in a model year (MY) 2024 Land Rover Defender.Photos of the seat belt received with the complaint show that the stitching of the webbing of the seat belt appears to have not been properly formed. An improperly stitched seat belt can become detached during a collision. Detachment of the seat belt increases the risk and severity of injury in a collision. This is especially concerning for children and children in child seats. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. To review the ODI report cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING Filed January 29, 2026

fire

Yes, my car caught fire. It's at an impound currently. My clothes caught fire when I tried putting it out. The car could have been parked in my garage or been in NYC, with a full tank of gas, that would have caused serious damage. My insurance company is sending an investigator to look into it today. No, warning lamps, messages or symptoms.

NHTSA complaint 11714170. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN Filed July 31, 2026

towed · 32,000 miles

The contact owns a 2024 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(N), with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power. The contact swerved to the shoulder, and an object struck the windshield, causing the windshield to crack. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was

NHTSA complaint 11753957, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed August 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11759455. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS Filed August 14, 2026

On August 14, 2026, at approximately 12:15 p.m., I arrived at Land Rover Mission Viejo for a scheduled appointment to complete Safety Recall D120, Driver's Airbag Potential Non-Deployment. No service attendant greeted or checked me in. When I approached an attendant, the attendant said they could not help because they were going to lunch. An employee attempted to obtain assistance from others; one said they were too busy, and another said, "I can't rescue everybody." I waited in the reception area, but no one assisted me and no manager or supervisor was available. I left without the recall repair being performed. The driver's-airbag safety defect remains unrepaired, leaving the vehicle with

NHTSA complaint 11757007, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed August 11, 2026

Vehicle: 2024 Land Rover Defender, VIN [XXX] Related recall: NHTSA campaign 26V248 (JLR internal D126 / H575) This complaint concerns the unavailability of a remedy for a defect that can cause complete loss of drive power while the vehicle is in motion. Timeline: - April 17, 2026: Jaguar Land Rover North America filed Part 573 report for campaign 26V248, covering 170,169 mild-hybrid vehicles including 53,644 2020-2024 Defenders. JLR's filing describes the defect as an internal fault in the boost control microchip of the DC-DC converter, and states that failure results in loss of 12-volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting. - June 20, 2026: I

NHTSA complaint 11756154, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Filed June 28, 2026

The recent DCDC converter recall has left me feeling unsafe driving my Defender on anything except the slowest local roads. It's an extremely frustrating inconvenience, especially during this summer season with plans for road trips and travels being put on hold or cancelled due to not having a safe vehicle. Also, the JLR dealership is not offering loaner vehicles because the recall remedy is not available yet. There is no timeline for when the remedy will be developed, which is the cherry on top. That means I have to pay out of pocket, indefinitely, for a rental car on top of paying the car note for the Defender. Did I mention that JLR "conveniently" waited almost 60 days from the time they

NHTSA complaint 11747068, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE Filed June 17, 2026

The manufacturer became aware of this issue approximately six months ago. At this time, no repair is available. I am driving to a remote location without consistent phone service and the manufacturer and dealer will not offer a loaner vehicle. I believe that Land Rover should offer a trade in for a new vehicle without this issue.

NHTSA complaint 11744695. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Land Rover Defender

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2026	6	3	—
2025	13	1	—
2023	82	9	—
2022	74	6	—
2021	42	9	—
2020	55	7	—

Other 2024 Land Rover models

Range Rover Sport 17 Range Rover 10

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Land Rover on this site — 74 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed September 24, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst