Land Rover · NHTSA safety record

2026 Land Rover Defender

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

Owners have filed 6 safety complaints about the 2026 Land Rover Defender with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 2 complaints, 33% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers July 2026 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

6 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.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2 · 33% 2 33%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 · 33% 2 33%

AIR BAGS 1 · 17% 1 17%

ENGINE 1 · 17% 1 17%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 17% 1 17%

POWER TRAIN 1 · 17% 1 17%

SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 17% 1 17%

0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 6.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2026 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

3 on file

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

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

26V263000 · April 23, 2026

The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The fuel tank was improperly manufactured with walls that are too thin.
The risk: In the event of a crash, an improperly manufactured fuel tank may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 19, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D127.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 6 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

26V163000 · March 18, 2026

The defect: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket may have an insufficient weld stud.
The risk: A seat belt assembly with an insufficient weld may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket or the weld-stud on the bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 19, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D098 and D113.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · up to 582 vehicles across all model years covered

Compare

Other years of the Land Rover Defender

Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Deaths
2025	13	1	—
2024	25	7	—
2023	82	9	—
2022	74	6	—
2021	42	9	—
2020	55	7	—

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 June 12, 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