2023 Land Rover Defender Recalls & Complaints

Incident: October 28, 2026 · Filed: October 28, 2026

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.

Incident: October 5, 2026 · Filed: October 28, 2026

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.

Incident: October 16, 2026 · Filed: October 24, 2026

The headlight-halo/daytime running has failed on the driver side headlight.

Incident: October 23, 2026 · Filed: October 23, 2026

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.

Incident: October 2, 2026 · Filed: October 19, 2026

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.

Incident: October 10, 2026 · Filed: October 19, 2026

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.

Incident: October 7, 2026 · Filed: October 16, 2026

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.

Incident: August 17, 2026 · Filed: September 28, 2026

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.

Incident: September 1, 2026 · Filed: September 1, 2026

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

Incident: July 23, 2026 · Filed: August 28, 2026

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.