2023 Land Rover Defender
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Land Rover › Defender › 2023
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2023 Land Rover Defender. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
10 recalls name the 2023 Land Rover Defender. Newest first.
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…
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
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.
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.
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
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 (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…
A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
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.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will update the touchscreen software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N972.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured properly, which can allow the intake to detach from the vehicle.
A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, remove and reinstall the RAI accessory, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 20, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N964.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the filter housing, oil filter, and o-rings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N908.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles modified for the TRek Off-Road Competition. The brake calipers may not be reinstalled properly, allowing the brake calipers to detach.
Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will reinstall the brake calipers, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 18, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N848.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.
A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.
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.
An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.
Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N720.
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.
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.
The headlight-halo/daytime running has failed on the driver side headlight.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete electrical failure while driving, related to the DC converter. Warning lights did appear prior to the failure; however, I was driving down a mountainous road and do not recall the exact messages. Shortly after, the vehicle shut down and lost power, causing it to roll to a stop in active traffic. At the time of the incident, I was partially in the roadway and unable to safely move the vehicle out of traffic. The vehicle became inoperable and could not be restarted. I had two children and two dogs in the vehicle at the time. The vehicle had to be towed approximately two hours back home. The required part was on backorder for approximately two months due to so many vehicles having the issue, leaving my vehicle unusable for an extended period. This issue creates a serious safety hazard due to the sudden loss of propulsion and inability to move the vehicle out of traffic. Based on my research, this appears to be a known issue affecting multiple Land Rover Defenders. In attempting to locate the part sooner, we contacted several Land Rover dealerships, all of which indicated they had numerous Defenders awaiting the same repair due to part availability.
DC-DC converter failure. Received dashboard message “Stop safely Electrical fault detected”
Received a stop vehicle, "Electrical Fault". Diagnosed by certified mechanic to be DC to DC Converter fault needing replacement. Estimated 1-2 month backorder due to high demand for parts.
While driving the dashboard suddenly showed a message saying Battery Charging Fault error” a few minutes later the car stopped driving while I was on a busy freeway. It had no power and it displayed several messages saying suspension system is disabled, battery issue, cameras disabled. I had try to navigate my rolling car to a side lane to call roadside assistance. It was a very dangerous incident and needs to be addressed. Land Rover in White Plains NY, diagnosed my vehicle saying the Dc to Dc converter needs to be replaced and they don’t have any in stock. They also mentioned they have 30 customer cars all waiting for the same part. This was scary and I’m grateful my children were not in the vehicle at the time.
DC-DC Converter failed, battery light came on mid-drive and I continued to drive to try and make it to my destination. Car systems started one by one shutting down, first my seat heater then eventually my steering and gas petal. The Vehicle then died and left me stranded in the middle of the road while cars were passing me leaving me unsafe and blocking the road for more than an hour untill a tow truck could arrive. I could have easily been in an accident if I was on a different road do to the steering assist and gas pedal not continuing to work. Making it unsafe for me and many people on the road. The car would also not turn on or go into neutral so I could push it off to the side. Making it a hazard blocking a major road. I took it to Land Rover dealer and they mentioned that this is currently a common issue among Defenders, they have a bunch of them sitting on the lot waiting for this part and it is currently back ordered for several months. Leading me to believe this isn't an isolated incident and that Land Rover should address it before someone gets hurt on the road.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.