2021 Land Rover Defender recalls and problems
The 2021 Land Rover Defender has 9 safety recalls and 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Land Rover dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2021 Land Rover Defender recalls
Recall 26V-599: Electrical System
Problem: 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.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 26V-389: Air Bags
Problem: 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 driverâs air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driverâs 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.
Recall 26V-248: Electrical System
Problem: 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). Insufficient electrical load balancing during times of high demand can lead to a current overload condition and malfunction of the DCDC converter. 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.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the central software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 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 numbers for this recall are D126 and H575.
Recall 23V-044: Engine and Engine Cooling
Problem: 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.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
Recall 21V-668: Seat Belts
Problem: 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.
Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 21V-584: Child Seat, Equipment
Problem: 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."
Risk: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 21V-499: Seats
Problem: 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.
Risk: A seat that is not properly locked into place can move unintentionally during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Recall 21V-435: Exterior Lighting
Problem: 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.
Risk: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Recall 21V-424: Electrical System, Power Train
Problem: 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.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
2021 Land Rover Defender problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 16 | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 12 | |
| Electrical System | 5 | |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | |
| Structure | 3 | |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | |
| Visibility | 1 | |
| Steering | 1 | |
| Suspension | 1 | |
| Lane Departure | 1 | |
| Engine | 1 | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
Most reported parts
- Structure › Body — 2
- Visibility › Windshield — 1
- Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera — 1
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 35,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2021 Land Rover Defender complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Other Land Rover Defender years
Compare all Land Rover Defender years · All Land Rover models
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2021 Land Rover Defender have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2021 Land Rover Defender: 26V-599 (electrical system), 26V-389 (air bags), 26V-248 (electrical system), 23V-044 (engine and engine cooling), 21V-668 (seat belts) and more. Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Land Rover Defender?
Owners report exterior lighting problems most often (16 reports), followed by visibility/wiper (12). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 35,000 miles.
Are Land Rover recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Land Rover dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.