Most common 2021 Land Rover Defender problems
Share of the 42 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Land Rover Defender complaints by model year
2021 Land Rover Defender recalls (9)
Electrical system › Propulsion system › DC/DC converter
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace, F-Pace, and Land Rover Discovery vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 13, 2026.
Air bags › Frontal
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.
Electrical system › Propulsion system › DC/DC converter
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024…
Remedy: Dealers will update the central software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available.
Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Oil/lubrication
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine cam carrier and related components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2023.
Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837.
Child seat › Vehicle latch anchor
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers.
Remedy: Land Rover will mail owners the correct information to insert into the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 23, 2021.
Show 3 more recalls
Seats
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Defender 90 vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable front seats. The front seat track end-stop bracket may become deformed, which could prevent the seat from locking into place.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front seat tracks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837.
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
Electrical system › Software
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an engine stall with no warning.
Remedy: The Connected Diagnostic Services (CDS) and the Over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics functionality will be disabled, either by a dealer or through an OTA update, free of charge.
What 2021 Land Rover Defender owners say
Lights
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 replace the entire headlight assembly at a cost of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket, as the vehicle is past its standard factory warranty.This is a critical safety issue. …
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 2020-2023 Land Rover Defender models caused by internal heat degradation of the LED components (referenced in JLR Special Service Message SSM 75479). The failure of exterior daytime running lights significantly reduces daytime vehicle visibility to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, creating an unexpected safety hazard. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof
The contact owns a 2021 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that the windshield cracked without impact, causing electrical issues. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.
Shortly after buying the car a small people hit the windshield while driving on the highway and broke the windshield right in the eyesight of the driver side. It was a little larger than a quarter in size and took 3 months for replacement due to back order. 2 weeks after the replacement the windshield spontaneously cracked while driving from the middle base of the windshield up and towards the passenger side about 20 inches long. Nothing hit the car, it just cracked. No heater or defrost was on. It took 6 months for replacement due to Land Rover ordering the wrong windshield and back orders. During this time the windshield got 3 more chips from pebbles/small rocks while driving. 2 weeks after this replacement a small rock hit the windshield on the driver side and chipped it about the size of a nickel. I am getting this filled tomorrow. …
Electrical system
On or about August 7 or 8, my wife was driving our vehicle when it suddenly stalled and stopped running. Prior to this incident, we received a warning that the battery was low and that the vehicle needed to be started immediately. On August 9, I replaced the battery. That same day, we contacted the dealership where we purchased the vehicle and reported the issue. We were advised not to drive the car and instead have it towed to the dealership for inspection. In researching the problem, I found information about recall N599, which involves vehicles of this model year suddenly stalling. However, when I entered my VIN, no active recalls were shown for my vehicle. Given the similarity of the issue we experienced to the recall description, I believe my vehicle should be included. …
The daytime running lights (DRL) have failed in the passenger side. After some quick research, it's apparent that this is a widespread issue with the "Signature" halo lights in the Defender headlamp assembly. Reddit discussion: [redacted] ) Here is a Youtube video showing the issue and "fix". So many people have had this same issue that this guy figured out the problem: [redacted] ) The original warranty would have covered it but my warranty just expired earlier this year and the extended warranty will not cover it. The dealership is telling me that the entire headlamp assembly will need trashed and replaced all because this small "chip" within the unit has failed. The cost to repair is close to $3,000. Seeing that the issue causes the DRL's to fail which could lead to a failed vehicle inspection, the issue should be reported more widely and a recall should be issued. …
2021 Land Rover Defender engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 18 / 21 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Land Rover Defender a good car?
Based on 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Defender rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Defender at the same age. It is one of the Defender years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Land Rover Defender?
The lights — 16 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (13) and electrical system (5).
How many recalls does the 2021 Land Rover Defender have?
There are 9 recalls for the 2021 Land Rover Defender, the most recent from September 17, 2026 (dc/dc converter). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Land Rover Defender?
Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2022 and 2021. See the full Land Rover Defender years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Land Rover Defender problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 67% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.