Land Rover Defender years to avoid (and the best years)
286 NHTSA owner complaints and 17 recalls across 6 model years, 2020 to 2025. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.
- 286complaints
- 17recalls
- 3reported crashes
- 3reported fires
- 2reported injuries
Which Land Rover Defender years should you avoid?
No Land Rover Defender model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Land Rover Defender year has 47 complaints on file. The busiest years are the 2023 (81) and 2022 (73).
What are the best Land Rover Defender years?
The Land Rover Defender years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2021 (39) and 2020 (55). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.
NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | vs typical year | Recalls | Crashes | Injuries | Our read | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | 0.3× | 2 | 0 | 0 | Few red flags | Wipers and visibility |
| 2024 | 25 | 0.5× | 8 | 0 | 0 | Few red flags | Electrical system |
| 2023 | 81 | 1.7× | 10 | 0 | 0 | Some concerns to check | Electrical system |
| 2022 | 73 | 1.6× | 7 | 2 | 1 | Some concerns to check | Electrical system |
| 2021 | 39 | 0.8× | 10 | 0 | 0 | Few red flags | Exterior lighting |
| 2020 | 55 | 1.2× | 8 | 1 | 1 | Few red flags | Exterior lighting |
Most reported problem areas
Share of the 286 complaints sorted by system, all years together.
- Electrical & infotainment144 (50%)
- Structure & body75 (26%)
- Engine & powertrain25 (9%)
- Steering, suspension & tires23 (8%)
- Brakes8 (3%)
Recalls (17)
Seat belts · 26V615000 · Sep 2026 · model year 2024
An improperly stitched seat belt may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Electrical system · 26V599000 · Sep 2026 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 26V389000 · Jun 2026 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Electrical system · 26V248000 · Apr 2026 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Safety · 25V016000 · Jan 2025 · model years 2023, 2024
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 24E102000 · Dec 2024 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 24V678000 · Sep 2024 · model year 2024
A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Engine · 24V450000 · Jun 2024 · model years 2023, 2024
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Brakes · 23V789000 · Nov 2023 · model year 2023
Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 23V137000 · Mar 2023 · model year 2023
A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Engine · 23V044000 · Feb 2023 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Seat belts · 22V523000 · Jul 2022 · model years 2022, 2023
Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
Seat belts · 21V668000 · Aug 2021 · model year 2021
An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Safety · 21V584000 · Jul 2021 · model years 2020, 2021
Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Safety · 21V499000 · Jul 2021 · model year 2021
A seat that is not properly locked into place can move unintentionally during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Exterior lighting · 21V435000 · Jun 2021 · model years 2020, 2021, 2022
Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Transmission · 21V424000 · Jun 2021 · model years 2020, 2021
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.