Land Rover Defender Complaints (2023)

79 consumer complaints on file.

#11710060January 10, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The Defender is only 2 years old, with 59k miles. Outside of warranty. It is a mild hybrid. Received an emergency electrical fault issue. Car stalled out. Had to get it towed to dealership. Its been with the dealership for a month now, with another month anticipated for the part, a dc converter, which is on backorder with LR to be delivered. Battery is dead also. Total repair is estimated at $3100. I will be without the vehicle for atleast 2 months. Looking through the internet it appears this is an issue with LR. Filed a complaint with LR corporate. They are aware of this happening also to vehicles which would explain the backorder on the part. No recall yet however.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709828January 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
My car died on December 14, 2025 when I was pulling out of my driveway. It read “stop safely electrical fault detected.” And then shut down and would not turn on. Then it said “battery low. Please start engine.” But the car would not start. I had to get it towed to the dealer. They told me it was a the DC converter or the epic module. They said this is a company wide issue with the 2023 defenders and they do not have the part in stock and that it is on back order. Right now they are stating that the part may be in in mid February. Previous to this issue I also had issues two times with my car stating engine coolant issues and had to bring it to the dealer two times to get fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707096December 26, 2025
ENGINE
we had a coolant leak like the one reported on recall N785, I called the Land Rover USA office and they said that they only have a "voluntary" recall for this problem and I need to pay for them to fix it. It's not faire that they refuse to fix something that is happening in the same car and model but different engine type. They know they need to recall all the Defenders. What you can do to protect us?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693370October 14, 2025
ENGINE
1.) Coolant turbo lines leak coolant. Causing the engine to overheat. It is recommended by the dealer to replace the two(2) o-rings and bypass hose assembly. 2.) This is a high risk this can cause risk of an engine fire in addition to major damage to the engine. 3.)The Land Rover Dealer (Annapolis, MD) has confirmed that this is a known issue. Further research online confirms from other customers with dealers that this is a known issue. 4.) The dealer performed diagnosis on the vehicle and confirmed the parts that need replacing. 5.) As the engine gets close to overheating, you notice the temperature gauge moving to red and a warning message that the engine is overheating. Initially, you will notice messages that the engine coolant level is low and as the problem progresses, you will see the message more frequently. I have personally gone through two full bottles of antifreeze in a day. The cost of repair is over $2500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11679770August 11, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The door actuators are failing which is a very common problem on these vehicles. This fault makes it impossible to lock the doors and arm the vehicle. This is a significant safety issue. Based on the widespread complaints it seems reasonable that Land River should rectify the problem
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678957August 7, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Took my car to the dealership to have the windshield replaced due to a rock chip. Driving home on the freeway with the new windshield installed, I noticed a new crack moving across the windshield. I had on driven only 45 miles. Contacted Landrover and was told it was just an unfortunate chance event. I previously had a windshield replaced for the same reason. I now need my 3rd windshield in 1 1/2 years
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11658983May 5, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The windshield is very prone to splintering, chips and cracking from even small roadway impacts. I have had to replace the windshield twice in the last 6 months. This has been an ongoing problem with Defender 90 windshields from what I can read and the manufacturer is very aware of it. The windshields pose a danger to the driver at worst and an ongoing and expensive maintenance expense at best.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11599602July 7, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracked for no apparent reason. No rock chip. Crack at upper middle of the windshield and goes towards driver side about 16 inches long.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11589308May 17, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Windshield issue having to replace Windshield twice in 4 months if rock hit it spread . Wondering if their an issue with how the windshield are made overseas
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11585715April 28, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracks easily.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11585616April 27, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Vehicle windshield spontaneously cracked with large crack extending across most of passenger side. Vehicle has 10K miles. No offroad driving. No rock or foreign object struck vehicle. Driven on smooth roads. Weather was not issue. This is clearly a SAFETY issue. Crack will likely extend and I will need to replace windshield in vehicle less than 1 year old. I will take a picture of it. It needs to be replaced immediately..I've arranged service but am worried that vehicle-specific windshield is inherently flawed, regardless of who installs it. This was common knowledge (frequent cracks) in this model through 2022 but I don't know what has been done to address the problem. thank you
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11579564March 26, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH with no other vehicles or objects nearby, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated with the Automictic Emergency Braking function drastically slowing the vehicle nearly causing a crash. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11577756March 16, 2024
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Windshield cracks. Minor chips causes major cracks that go across the windshield and reduces visibility. While driving, I watched the crack spread across my sight line which impaired driving. This is the second windshield I have had to replace in two months. Service center states that are having to repair many windshields for this vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11566651January 20, 2024
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Steering wheel is locked and does not turn the wheels
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11564087January 8, 2024
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The steering column won't move. The car starts, you can drive forward and back but the steering column doesn't move. This has happened twice now and I am afraid if this happens while I'm driving unexpectedly, death or serious injuries are very possible.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11562181December 27, 2023
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Lane assistance and power steering failed. There was no warning light or alarm. The warning light in the dashboard came on reading “Lane assistance not available” and “power steering resistance reduced” immediately when both systems failed. We were able to safely park, no one was injured. The car has been at the service center at the dealership for 10 days.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11558909December 7, 2023
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Dec 6. Started vehicle and steering wheel would nor move. All functions of car worked. Fwd, rev, engine running , lights all worked. Turned off and restarted 3 times and steering wheel still not moving. All of a sudden wheel became free. I worry now if this could happen while driving. Light did come on saying "lain assist not available"
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11555087November 14, 2023
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The power steering failed and the car was not drive-able. The warning light for no lane assist available also turned on. The vehicle was in-operable and left us stranded. This would have been a much bigger issue in the winter time, or if I was not at my home. I contacted Land Rover, who had me call LandRover road side to have the car towed to the dealership, since this occurred on a Sunday. They confirmed the issue of power steering malfunction. There was no warning that his was going to happen. It first appeared when we tried to start the car and it was not drive-able. Once at the dealership, I was made aware there was a service bulletin-not a formal recall- regarding this malfunction. It required two code updates (that I was unable to complete with attempt to update software prior to tow) and a battery reset. With this being such a significant issue, making the car in-operable, it was frustrating to hear it was a known issue that was not a recall. The dealership told me there were others in the area that had the same issue and were fixed, with out recurrent of the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11553610November 4, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Infotainment screen randomly goes black while driving. Does not come back on. This screen displays and controls everything for the vehicle. Maps, system info, music, etc. Instructions to "reset" the system consists of reaching toward the passenger side of the dashboard to hold down a power button for about 30 seconds. I have done this multiple times, it's not safe. You are stretched out across your vehicle, trying to pay attention to indicator lights, while you also need to pay attention to the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11553592November 4, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Sitting in my car warming it up and the windshield pops and the is a 2 foot crack in the windshield
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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