Guerami Lemon Law· Maryland & D.C.
Free Case Review

You don’t pay unless we win.

2025 Land Rover Defender Problems, Recalls & Complaints

NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints for the 2025 Land Rover Defender, and what to keep if your vehicle keeps going back to the shop.

Free Case Review Check if you qualify(240) 372-5225
Written by Amir Guerami, Attorney· Last reviewed

Recall campaigns

2

NHTSA owner complaints as of November 6, 2026, from NHTSA's complaint data files.

13

Data last refreshed (Eastern time)

November 6, 2026

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2025 Defender and 13 owner complaints; the most-reported component in owner complaints is visibility/wiper, with 7 reports.

Counts come from NHTSA records for this model year and refresh daily. Complaints are unverified owner reports; one complaint can name more than one component.

Top Reported Problems

Owner complaints grouped by NHTSA component (top 8). Linked components open a page comparing models for that problem.

  1. VISIBILITY/WIPER7
  2. POWER TRAIN3
  3. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
  4. FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
  5. UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
  6. ENGINE1
  7. STEERING1
  8. Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness1

2025 Defender Recall Records

Campaigns can apply only to specific configurations and production dates. Confirm whether your VIN is affected with NHTSA or the manufacturer.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · 26V389000

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.

Remedy: 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.

EQUIPMENT | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS · 24E102000

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.

Remedy: 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.

Check Your VIN at NHTSA

2025 Defender Service Bulletins

A service bulletin is a manufacturer's repair instruction to dealers. It is not a recall and does not by itself establish a defect or a claim.

Manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA for this model year, newest first. A bulletin may apply only to certain configurations. Source data refreshes daily.

NumberDateComponentSummaryNHTSA record
SSM76493 - 25SEP26Sep 25, 2026STRUCTURE:BODYAccessory Wheel Arch Protection - Gaps Present Between Protection And Vehicle Body11038293
D048 Defender 18SEP26Sep 18, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERJump Start Information Label Missing11038305
SSM76110 - 21AUG26Aug 22, 2026ELECTRICAL SYSTEMVehicles on display e.g. in a showroom whilst being supported by a showroom 12v support unit, these vehicles require an additional fuse to be removed to prevent the MHEV (48v) b…11037116
D048 Defender 21AUG26Aug 21, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERJump Start Information Label Missing11037130
SSM76492 - 20AUG26Aug 21, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERTCU Activation Failure And InControl App Inoperative After Software Update11037119
SSM76487 - 20AUG26Aug 21, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERAir Conditioning Inoperative / Intermittent Operation11037117
SSM76110 - 19AUG26Aug 20, 2026ELECTRICAL SYSTEMVehicles on display e.g. in a showroom whilst being supported by a showroom 12v support unit, these vehicles require an additional fuse to be removed to prevent the MHEV (48v) b…11037115
SSM76477 - 21JUL26Jul 22, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERIntermittent Passive Entry Operation 24MY Or With New Service Smart Key Fob.11035735
N961 Defender 17JUL26Jul 17, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERBlanking Connector - Install11035882
D048 Defender 17JUL26Jul 17, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERJump Start Information Label Missing11035859
E004v2 - 08JUL26Jul 8, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERA printed circuit board fault within the smart key may be present. The printed circuit board fault can cause a smart key battery drain which affects the functionality of the sma…11035677
SSM76463 - 06JUL26Jul 7, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERWireless Device Charger Inoperative Post Software Update11035730
SSM76324 - 06JUL26Jul 6, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERA low-speed ‘clonk’ type noise from the rear driveline, audible during low speed throttle inputs, often coupled with up/down gear changes. The noise is audible during normal…11035679
SSM76468 - 03JUL26Jul 4, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERUnable to select Navigation when pressing the navigation Tile on theTouchscreen.11035732
SSM76462 - 22JUN26Jun 22, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERSoftware Update11034860
N961 Defender 16JUN26Jun 16, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERA junction box blanking connector is missing.11034943
D048 Defender 16JUN26Jun 16, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERJump Start Information Label Missing11034873
SSM76457 - 26MAY26May 26, 2026POWER TRAINAmber MIL being displayed on the Instrument Panel Cluster on vehicles equipped with a Gen4 transmission.11033270
SSM76457 - 21MAY26May 21, 2026POWER TRAINAmber MIL being displayed on the Instrument Panel Cluster on vehicles equipped with a Gen4 transmission.11033267
N961 Defender 15MAY26May 16, 2026UNKNOWN OR OTHERJunction box blanking connector is missing. A new blanking connector needs to be installed.11033437
All 2025 Defender records at NHTSA

Get recall alerts for this vehicle

Privacy: we store your email address and the vehicle you enter. We use them only to send recall alerts for that vehicle, starting after you confirm by email. Every alert has an unsubscribe link, and one click stops them.

Build Your Defender Repair File

  • Dated repair orders with mileage and diagnosis
  • Whether the same symptom returned after the repair
  • Days unavailable, rental bills and dealer correspondence
  • Purchase or lease contract and warranty documents

Does My Land Rover Defender Qualify?

A model's recall history cannot answer that question. Your repair attempts, when the problem was first reported and the vehicle-coverage rules in Maryland or D.C. matter. A lawyer can review those facts rather than relying on a model-wide rating.

If Lemon Law does not cover your circumstances, federal warranty or other consumer claims may be worth discussing. No remedy is guaranteed.

Maryland Lemon Law guide D.C. Lemon Law guide Do I Qualify?

Other Defender Model Years

2026 Defender2024 Defender2023 Defender2022 Defender
All Land Rover Defender model years

Still Going Back to the Shop?

Get an individual review of your 2025 Land Rover Defender's repair history. Recall totals do not determine eligibility or guarantee an outcome.

You don’t pay unless we win.

Representation terms, including how costs are handled, are explained in your written agreement.

Review My Vehicle