CarRecallWatchThe 2021 Land Rover Defender has 9 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA.
The most-reported problem area is Exterior Lighting (16 reports).
2021 Land Rover Defender recalls
DC-DC converter can fail, causing loss of drive power
The DC-DC converter, which charges the 12-volt system, may malfunction after an electrical overload during high power demand.
Driver Air Bag May Not Deploy Properly in a Crash
A corroded connector in the driver's air bag clockspring can keep the front air bag from deploying as designed.
Loss of Drive Power and Lighting Risk
Certain mild-hybrid vehicles can experience a fault in the DC-DC converter when electrical demand is high.
Blocked Oil Channel Can Cause Leak and Fire Risk
A blocked oil channel in the engine cam carrier can cause oil to leak from the engine.
Seat Belt Retractors May Fail to Secure Child Seats
The automatic locking retractors in some seat belts may deactivate early, so a child restraint system may not stay properly secured in the vehicle.
Manual Wrongly Lists Child Seat Anchors in Third Row
The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seats have LATCH child seat anchors with top tethers.
Front seat may not lock, risking injury in a crash
Certain manually adjustable front seats may have a deformed track end-stop bracket, which can stop the seat from locking into place.
Rear lights can fail, raising crash risk
Certain Land Rover Defender vehicles from model years 2020 to 2022 have smoked rear light assemblies.
Engine may stall while driving, raising crash risk
Certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles with 6-cylinder engines may have a Powertrain Control Module (PCM) that unexpectedly switches off while the vehicle is moving.
Most common 2021 Land Rover Defender problems
Problem areas named in the 42 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 16 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 12 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Structure | 3 |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 |
| Visibility | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
| Lane Departure | 1 |
What owners report
The failure of the Daytime running light on Defenders is a known issue caused by a design flaw. It is not covered by warranty and costs over $3000 to replace.
The signature halo LED ring on the front headlight stopped working and has now failed completely, impairing headlight performance. Land Rover previously replaced one of these units when under warranty, but now refuse to fix the second one unless privately paid for (I am now out of warranty). This is a known and common issue and is clearly a safety concern and a consequence of a Land Rover design flaw. In my opinion, this should be a safety recall.
On my 2021 Land Rover Defender 110, the front Daytime Running Light (DRL) halo unit experienced a complete illumination failure due to an internal component defect. Because the LED DRL system is permanently sealed inside the headlamp assembly, replacing the failed light required a complete headlamp replacement costing nearly $3,000 out of pocket. Shortly after this initial repair, the DRL halo unit on the remaining original headlamp assembly experienced the exact same total failure. This is a known pattern defect across 2020â2023 Land Rover Defender models caused by internal heat degradation of the LED components (referenced in JLR Special Service Message SSM 75479). The failure of exterio
I am reporting a severe and known thermal design defect regarding the factory LED headlight assemblies on the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110.The integrated Daytime Running Light (DRL) LED module has completely failed and burned out prematurely on my vehicle (Current mileage: 66,800). This is a well-documented engineering failure across the L663 Defender community, tracked internally by Land Rover under Special Service Message SSM 75479. The internal LED driver chip consistently overheats and destroys itself within the sealed headlight unit.Because this is a sealed component, Land Rover does not offer a replacement bulb or individual electronic module repair. Instead, consumers are forced to re
Driver Side Daytime running lamp illumination failed at 45 thousand miles. There is no internal notification of the failure and it failed prematurely. Its outside of the JLR warranty and they are not supporting any repair nor is the dealer who wants to replace both lamps at the cost of $6,000.
2021 Land Rover Defender questions
Does the 2021 Land Rover Defender have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls for the 2021 Land Rover Defender: DC-DC converter can fail, causing loss of drive power; Driver Air Bag May Not Deploy Properly in a Crash; Loss of Drive Power and Lighting Risk; Blocked Oil Channel Can Cause Leak and Fire Risk; Seat Belt Retractors May Fail to Secure Child Seats. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Land Rover Defender?
Based on 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Exterior Lighting (16), Visibility/Wiper (12), Electrical System (5).
How do I check if a recall on my 2021 Land Rover Defender has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.