Land Rover Defender Complaints (2023)

89 consumer complaints on file.

#11774183October 28, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving 67 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power, and all electrical features shut off. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was towed to another dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 43,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11774273October 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773369October 24, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The headlight-halo/daytime running has failed on the driver side headlight.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11773302October 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772095October 19, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Without warning, the driver's side front Daytime Running Light (DRL) signature halo ring suffered a complete electrical failure while driving. The low-beam projector and high-beam lamps continue to function, but the primary forward signature DRL element is completely inoperative due to what appears to be an internal circuit/LED driver board failure within the factory sealed headlamp housing. This malfunction compromises vehicle safety by significantly degrading front-end conspicuity and visibility to oncoming traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians during daylight hours, twilight, and inclement weather. It also creates an asymmetrical forward lighting profile that can confuse oncoming drivers regarding vehicle width and lane position. Prior to the failure, there were no warning chimes, cluster warning lamps, or diagnostic messages displayed on the instrument panel or infotainment screen indicating an exterior lighting malfunction. The failure was abrupt and total. The vehicle and headlamp component have been presented to an authorized franchised retailer for diagnostic verification and confirmation of the internal circuit failure. The vehicle and original headlamp assembly remain intact and are available for inspection upon request.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772156October 19, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
A warning sign appeared stating the battery was not charging (something like that). When I turned off the car, another warning said to keep the car turned on the battery was low. I kept the car on and began to drive home, very quickly more warnings appeared, power was diminished, so I pulled into a parking lot and the car completely stopped. Tried to turn engine back on to get it into a parking spot, It would not start. Could not put the care in neutral to push it out of the way. Tried to put my hazard lights on, but they would not turn on. Had it towed to a shop, they told me it was a recall, towed it to JLR (Flatirons), and there it sits. Called JLR USA, they told me not to drive it until the recall repair is made, and it looks like January 2027 is the date there will be a fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771590October 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
We purchased this vehicle new on 3/22/23. On 3/23/24 we started having "Charging System Fault" Red Warning Lights on the dash. Our first service to remedy this issue was on 3/23/24 with 288 miles on the vehicle. We have continued to have these issues, which has ultimately been determined to be related to the current open recall (NHTSA Recall Number 26V-248). We have been in the shop 5 times over the past 3 years for the same issue. Most recently, at 50,873 miles last week, the DC-DC converter failed and left us stranded. We had to have the vehicle towed to Land Rover Albany. Land Rover Corporate is stating that the issue is the DC-DC Converter per the open recall, but that because the vehicle is now out of warranty and they still dont have a remedy for the recall issue, that we have to pay out of pocket to have the vehicle repaired. This issue has been known specifically for us since March 2023 and the recall has officially been open with the NHTSA since April 2026. For them to not have a remedy to an issue that shuts the vehicle down and the driver loses control of the vehicle is absolutely dangerous and negligent, especially having known about it for this long. And then their unwillingness to cover the repairs just speaks to their lack of urgency to resolve the safety issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767551September 28, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
My 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 X Dynamic is less than four years old and recently passed its 50,000-mile new-vehicle warranty limit. A LED daytime running light (DRL) should not fail this early. The integrated front daytime running light "halo" LED module inside the sealed premium headlamp assembly failed and is completely dark. Low/ high beams and turn lights still work, but it's not a replaceable component; the LED module's built into the sealed housing, so repair at the dealer means replacing the entire headlamp, while 90% still functions, costing ~$3,000 USD. DRLs exist to make the vehicle more visible to other drivers in daylight, dusk, rain, and glare. A burned-out halo DRL makes the front of the vehicle look uneven and can be mistaken for a headlamp that is out. There is no dash warning or message when the DRL fails, so the condition can continue unnoticed. Other drivers may not see the vehicle as soon or may misjudge its position. Inoperable DRLs can also cause a failed state safety inspection. Reduced conspicuity increases crash risk for other road users. The local Land Rover dealership service center inspected the vehicle and confirmed the premature DRL/halo LED failure, and stated they have seen a surprisingly large number of these same premature burnouts require replacement. After reviewing NHTSA records, this matches a pattern already known to the agency and to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) NHTSA’s TSB/SSM database includes Jaguar Land Rover Special Service Message SSM 75479 (NHTSA document MC-10199802-0001), titled “Front Daytime Running Light(s) Are Not Working / Intermittent Operation.” This is not ordinary wear because LED DRLs should last far longer than 3.5yrs; that widespread pattern, plus JLR’s own internal SSM asking dealers to return failed headlamps for engineering analysis, indicates a recurring manufacturing or design problem in the sealed DRL LED module—not random bulb wear.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11761304September 1, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760333August 28, 2026
AIR BAGS
Airbag warning light is ON. Dealer states that this is caused by the wire harness under the seat getting caught when seat moves and breaks the wire continuity. Dealer states that several of these incidents have been observed in many vehicles as the harness design is prone to being trapped in the seat movement mechanism. Dealer states that the passenger side Airbag will NOT deploy if harness not replaced. Dealer states that this Airbag fault is not currently part of the known Airbag recall as that recall is for the driver side Airbag fault due to corroded terminals.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758371August 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
My 2023 Land Rover Defender is subject to manufacturer recall D126 / NHTSA Recall 26V-248 concerning potential failure of the DC/DC converter due to an internal fault in the boost control microchip. The recall remains incomplete and Jaguar Land Rover has advised that a remedy is not yet available. I have contacted Jaguar Land Rover and my authorized Land Rover retailer, but there is currently no repair that I can have performed to remedy the safety defect. This has created a significant problem because I recently relocated from Canada to the United States and need to import my Canadian-market Defender. Jaguar Land Rover will not provide the manufacturer compliance documentation required for the normal U.S. importation process while this recall remains outstanding. However, I cannot have the recall completed because Jaguar Land Rover has not yet developed or made a remedy available. I am therefore effectively unable to remedy the safety recall through no action available to me as the vehicle owner, while the unresolved recall is simultaneously preventing me from importing the vehicle into the United States. I have asked Jaguar Land Rover for assistance and am currently discussing a potential manufacturer buyback because there is no available recall remedy. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether Jaguar Land Rover is providing an appropriate and timely remedy for Recall 26V-248 and advise what recourse is available to an owner whose vehicle cannot be remedied because the manufacturer has not yet made a repair available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753125July 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Three days before leaving for a trip from [XXX] to [XXX] my Land Rover Defender gave me a Low Battery warning. There was no time to take it to the dealership so I bought a new battery and put it in myself, then drove the 700 miles to [XXX]. My family and I were traveling in a remote area 6 miles from our vacation rental, with no cellular service, when our Defender suddenly threw an electrical fault warning on the dashboard asking us to pull over safely, on XXX. We made it to the vacation rental, then I borrowed a family member's car and went into [XXX] to buy tools to see if the battery was charging and if I could safely drive it to the nearest dealer or even home. It was not charging. So I called the dealership (Land Rover Rocklin) and had the car towed to it, then rented a truck to finish my vacation and get the family and our gear home. At the dealership, Rocklin required a brand-new factory battery to run tests on the failed DC-DC converter. They confirmed the converter failed under Recall 26V-248 and replaced the unit with the same recalled part. To get through this ordeal, I incurred $3,036.13 in direct out-of-pocket costs (towing, rentals, batteries, tools). Despite written confirmation from Jaguar Land Rover Corporate Customer Care agreeing to reimburse these recall expenses, Jaguar Land Rover has since passed me between departments, applied arbitrary roadside assistance caps, and ultimately refused to issue a refund, imposing an illegal financial burden on me to remedy a federal safety defect. I can supply all receipts. Specific Incident Details Component / System Failure: The DC-DC Converter failed internally (NHTSA Recall 26V-248 / JLR Campaign D126), causing a complete loss of 12V charging. Safety Risk: The failure occurred on remote mountain roads without cell service. A complete loss of 12V power threatens power steering, braking assistance, and vehicle propulsion while driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752192July 22, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The Halo/daylight running light has burned out. I have found on the internet that this is a know issue. Mine burned out at 57,000 miles. The dealer wants over $3000 to fix it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751772July 21, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
Front windshield is extremely fragile. The smallest rock will create a chip which will spider across the windshield within a couple days. I have an older Land Rover and there have been more rocks with only a few small chips and no spider. Cheap glass installed on the new Land Rovers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744833June 17, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Defender. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System) however the parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the vehicle was a hazard and unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced any failure regarding the unrepaired recall repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744806June 17, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE
The DC/DC converter failed and caused the vehicle to immediately lose all power at a main intersection. My wife was driving the vehicle when this happened with out two children in the vehicle as well (ages [XXX] and [XXX]. Luckily, she was able to somewhat get out of intersection of a very busy road. The vehicle had to be towed to the Land Rover dealership. The part was covered by a factory extended warranty. There is an active recall for this part; however, this vehicle does not show to be in the recall. Since this part did fail, I wanted to file a complaint since it is not in the recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743158June 10, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The front light **What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** The front passenger-side (right) headlight failed completely on my Land Rover Defender. The headlight assembly, including the bulb and/or associated electrical components, ceased functioning without any prior indication of a problem. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. **How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** The sudden loss of a front headlight significantly reduced visibility while driving at night, creating a serious safety hazard for myself, passengers, and other road users. Reduced lighting also diminishes the vehicle's visibility to oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists, increasing the risk of a collision. **Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** Yes. The failure was confirmed by an authorized Land Rover dealership, which inspected the vehicle and verified that the front passenger-side headlight had failed. **Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others?** The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Land Rover dealership, which confirmed the headlight failure. No inspection has been conducted by police or insurance representatives at this time. **Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** There were no warning lamps, dashboard messages, flickering, dimming, or any other symptoms prior to the failure. The headlight failed suddenly and without any advance warning, providing no opportunity to anticipate or respond to the malfunction before it occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11739874May 25, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Daytime running lights have both failed within the last 79 days. Passenger side failed at ~32660 miles o/a 05 Mar 26. It was replaced under warranty. Driver side failed around 36234 miles on 22 May 26 (5-days out of warranty). It is pending a shop appointment for replacement. This is not a “wear and tear” issue, it is a product quality control issue. It is not a simple plug and play repair. It is a costly repair due to the design of the headlamp assembly. I have owned vehicles since 1988 and last changed a headlamp or taillight bulb in the early 2000’s and that was on a MY93 vehicle. I have also owned two other Land Rovers MY07 LR3 from 2008-2011 and MY14 LR4 from 2014-2022 and did not have to replace a single bulb in the vehicle. Point is that technology and quality have improved over the years and these headlamp/DRL assemblies should not fail with less than 36500 miles on the vehicle. This is a known issue that warrants further investigation. Jaguar Land Rover has issued a Special Service Message 75479 concerning the known issue with the Defender DRL. My DRLs failed in similar fashion described in the SSM. Inoperable DRL reduces safety due to lower visibility since they should operate during normal driving conditions. This issue is dangerous since there is no indication on the dashboard or other warning unless the headlights are manually inspected while the vehicle is operating. Additionally, inoperable DRL leads to a failed State vehicle safety inspections.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733338April 23, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
SUPPLEMENTAL TO NHTSA COMPLAINT #11728718 (RECALL 26V248000) On March 2, 2026, my 2023 Land Rover Defender was at a dealership for approximately 3.5 hours for key fob programming. At that time, Jaguar Land Rover had an active service message (SSM76173) related to DC-DC converter failures. Within 24 hours of leaving the dealership, the DC-DC converter failed. The vehicle displayed a “Charging System Fault” warning and became inoperable, consistent with the failure described in my original complaint #11728718. I contacted the dealership immediately with information about the issue. They told me that what I experienced aligned with the DC Converter failures that have been reported. I asked if I could get my Defender picked up or if they could at least provide a loaner car if I could somehow get my Defender to them. The dealership declined towing assistance and did not provide a loaner vehicle, citing that I was beyond the mileage limit of the warranty. I was also told that loaner vehicles were reserved for customers who purchased their vehicle at that location. Because I live approximately 4 hours from the dealership and the vehicle was not safely operable, I arranged my own repair. Due to a national backorder, the vehicle was unusable for an extended period (about a month). I purchased a genuine replacement DC-DC converter and paid for expedited shipping. Total out-of-pocket cost exceeded $970. On April 23, 2026, Jaguar Land Rover issued Recall 26V248000 for this defect. Communication with JLR about this incident started on April 7, 2026. On April 23, 2026 at 8:05 am EST (following the announcement of the recall), I was offered a final settlement off of a $458 retailer credit. However, I was instructed that I needed to return to the dealership (4 hours away) for inspection of a vehicle that has already been repaired using an OEM part. I am submitting this update to document the failure, the repair, and the manufacturer’s response following the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728718April 2, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 P400 (MHEV) Component Failure: Failure of the 48V DC-DC converter module (L8B2-14B227-AD), which converts 48V to 12V and maintains the vehicle’s 12V electrical system. The component is available for inspection. What Happened: Vehicle displayed “Charging System Fault” and red battery warning. Shortly after, the vehicle became inoperable and left driver stranded. Diagnostics showed: 48V battery retained voltage (~45V) No current output from the 48V system No 12V charging DTC: P065B-16 (Generator Control Circuit Voltage Below Threshold) The DC-DC converter reported “Failure / Standby” and would not initialize. High-voltage contactors did not close, preventing power delivery from the 48V system. Safety Risk: Failure disables 12V charging and can render the vehicle inoperable without warning. This creates a risk of being stranded and loss of essential vehicle functions. Inspection / Confirmation: Issue was confirmed through diagnostic tools (GAP IIDTool). Failure condition and DTC are consistent with DC-DC converter malfunction. Warnings Prior to Failure: “Charging System Fault” message and red battery warning appeared immediately prior to loss of function. No earlier warning. Additional Information: Similar failures involving the DC-DC converter and 48V MHEV system have been reported by other owners. Failures outside of warranty result in significant repair costs.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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