Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2020 Land Rover Defender
NHTSA data on file today
The 2020 Land Rover Defender has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns and 58 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #26V599000 Loss of Drive Power from DC-DC Converter Failure NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V389000 Driver's Air Bag May Not Deploy in a Crash NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #26V248000 Loss of Drive Power from DC-DC Converter Failure NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #24E102000 Raised Air Intake May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V044000 Engine Cam Carrier May Leak Oil NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V584000 Incorrect Child Restraint Information/FMVSS 225 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V435000 Rear Taillight Assembly May Fail NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V424000 PCM May Switch Off and Cause Engine Stall NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Exterior Lighting 21 complaints
- Electrical System 14 complaints
- Engine 9 complaints
- Steering 8 complaints
- Visibility/Wiper 6 complaints
- Structure 5 complaints
Of the 58 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash and 1 a fire; across all 58 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $12,000–$20,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2020 Land Rover Defender has notable recurrent issues, especially with exterior lighting and electrical systems. Multiple recalls highlight significant safety and mechanical concerns, with frequent owner complaints in these areas, leading to below-average reliability.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| exterior lighting | 30,000–60,000 miles | $300–$600 | very common |
| electrical system | 40,000–70,000 miles | $400–$1,000 | common |
| engine | 50,000–80,000 miles | $1,000–$3,000 | occasional |
| transmission | 70,000–100,000 miles | $1,500–$4,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil change every 7,500 miles
- brake fluid every 2 years
- replace air filters annually
- coolant flush every 5 years
- inspect suspension annually
- rotate tires every 10,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- flickering dashboard lights
- difficulty starting engine
- unresponsive transmission
- delayed brake response
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2020 Land Rover Defender at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.