Land Rover Defender Problems by Year
NHTSA has 306 owner complaints and 20 safety recalls on file for the Land Rover Defender, across 12 model years (1995–2026). The 2023 model year has the most complaints (82). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Land Rover Defender years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Defender year: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2023 Defender: 82 complaints, 9 recalls
- 2022 Defender: 75 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2020 Defender: 55 complaints, 7 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 1995 Defender: 1 complaint, 2 recalls
- 1999 Defender: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2001 Defender: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Land Rover Defender problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 102 | 7 | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 59 | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 53 | 6 | 0 |
| Engine | 34 | 8 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 6 | 0 |
| Power Train | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| Structure | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Air Bags | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Tires | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All Land Rover Defender model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Defender | 6 | 3 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2025 Defender | 13 | 1 | — | Visibility/wiper | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2024 Defender | 26 | 7 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2023 Defender | 82 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2022 Defender | 75 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2021 Defender | 42 | 9 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2020 Defender | 55 | 7 | — | Exterior Lighting | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 Defender | 1 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 2002 Defender | 3 | 0 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 2001 Defender | 1 | 0 | — | Visibility | |
| 1999 Defender | 1 | 0 | — | Tires | |
| 1995 Defender | 1 | 2 | — | Engine |
More from Land Rover: all Land Rover models · Land Rover VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Land Rover Defender years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2020 (55), 2021 (42), 2022 (75), 2023 (82), 2024 (26), 2025 (13) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Defender year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Land Rover Defender?
Electrical System, with 102 complaints across 7 model years.
How many recalls does the Land Rover Defender have?
20 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.