2022 Land Rover Defender

Routine

Owners filed 73 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 6 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System21
100
Visibility/Wiper13
000
Exterior Lighting11
000
Unknown or Other7
000
Steering4
000
Service Brakes3
101
Structure › Body2
000
Power Train2
000
Engine2
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal26V389000
Filed Jun 12, 2026250,857 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. 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.

Risk. An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

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.

Electrical System › Propulsion System › Dc/Dc Converter26V248000
Filed Apr 17, 2026170,169 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. 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 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs.) The DC-DC converter can fail due to an internal fault in the boost control microchip. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.

Risk. A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy. The remedy for this recall is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D126 and H575.

Equipment24E102000
Filed Dec 6, 2024485 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. 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.

Risk. A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

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.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Oil/Lubrication23V044000
Filed Feb 2, 20236,724 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. 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.

Risk. An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

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. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N763.

Seat Belts › Pretensioner22V523000
Filed Jul 21, 20224,927 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.

Risk. Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N720.

Exterior Lighting › Turn Signal21V435000
Filed Jun 8, 20212,622 vehiclesJaguar Land Rover North America, Llc

Defect. 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.

Risk. Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 17, 2026MI

Halo lighting on front headlamps stopped working

Exterior Lighting
Filed Aug 24, 2026CO

DRL Halo failure/driver side: I own a business, and am on the road driving throughout the day. I have had at least 3 incidents where other drivers have pulled out in front of me, in which I believe was due to the DLR Halo failure. I was also stopped by a Traffic Officer because he thought it was a full 'headlight' failure. I had to explain to him that the DLR Halo failure is a KNOWN issue to Land Rover and that the core headlight still works. Safety Issues: Reduced Visibility: DRLs make your vehicle easier for oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists to see during daylight hours, especially in overcast weather or glare conditions. A daytime running light (DRL) failure on a vehicle like the Land Rover Defender primarily reduces your truck's daytime visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a collision. Stats: Daytime running lights (DRLs) reduce multi-vehicle daytime traffic accidents by about 5% to 15%, depending on the specific study and crash type.Key Reduction StatisticsGeneral Multi-Vehicle Crashes: A major meta-analysis shows a 10% to 15% reduction in multi-party daytime accidents for cars using DRLs. A Monash University study found an 8.8% reduction in non-nighttime multi-vehicle crashes.Head-On and Opposite-Direction Collisions: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that DRLs reduce opposite-direction daytime fatal and non-fatal crashes by 5%.Vulnerable Road Users: NHTSA data indicates a 12% reduction in daytime pedestrian and

Exterior Lighting
Filed Aug 17, 2026KS

The DRL a safety feature fails on the Defender L663 models 20-23 and LR will not fix. I have 40k miles on my 22. They want $3200 for a headlight but to me its a safety offering for daytime running lamps. Looks how many reporting it.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Aug 17, 2026NC

Component and System Failure: The front headlamp assembly's internal LED Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) circuit board failed prematurely. The component is not available for inspection upon request, as the failed headlamp assembly is currently still installed on the vehicle. Safety Risk: The sudden loss of the DRL severely reduces the vehicle's forward visibility (conspicuity) to oncoming traffic and pedestrians during daytime, overcast, and low-light conditions. This defect directly compromises federally mandated lighting safety standards, significantly increasing the risk of a front-end or intersection collision because other motorists cannot see the vehicle approaching. Confirmation and Inspection: The problem has been confirmed by a Land Rover dealership. The vehicle and component have been inspected by the manufacturer. The dealership technician confirmed the internal module burned out and stated the only remedy is a full headlamp replacement. Prior Symptoms and Warning Lamps: There were absolutely no warning lamps, error messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. The DRL went completely dark without warning on July 30, 2026 at approximately 41,476 miles.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Aug 14, 2026KS

Left front running light is not working. This type of issue prevents car from passing a State inspection. Issue is a halo DRLs failed. Issue is due to a failed LED module. The repair for this $40 module by the dealer is around $2,400. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms. A Police officer stopped me in a parking lot and pointed it out. It is not an infraction since it was daylight. However, car will not pass an inspection.

Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2026CA

1) Exhaust Manifold Studs are loosening and/or breaking on I6 engine causing potential CO2 exposure to passengers in the cabin and/or engine bay fire risk. 2) Potentailly yes via CO2. 3) Yes - out of factory warranty therefore had independent service center replace all studs 4) No 5) Not in my case but others on JLR Automotive Forums have heard rattling noises and found broken bolts that fell onto the skid plate directly below engine. *) In attached images below the final picture is of the repaired studs

Electrical System
Filed Jul 22, 2026CA

My vehicle is losing power from the battery showing battery needs to recharge and its full charged have to turn interior lights off

Equipment
Filed Jul 15, 202635,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2022 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the raised air intake partially detached from the vehicle. The contact believed that the VIN should be included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24E102000 (Equipment, Structure) after the failure. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall and would be an out-of-pocket expense. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 10, 2026FL

While driving my 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 (16,658 miles), the brake pedal suddenly went soft and sank to the floor. Braking became severely degraded and effectively useless. I was able to slow the vehicle using engine braking and bring it to a stop safely. Multiple warnings appeared simultaneously, including brake system warnings, amber ABS and DSC lamps, and a "stability control not available" message. There was no crash, fire, or injury, but the loss of braking created a serious risk to me and the surrounding traffic as I was making a left onto [XXX] against oncoming traffic on [XXX] The vehicle was not driven further and was taken to an authorized Land Rover dealership for diagnosis. The dealership's diagnostic scan confirmed DTC C055E-7A ("Brake Hydraulic Circuit A Leak – Fluid Leak or Seal Failure") logged on XXX, along with related code C055E-64. This confirms a hydraulic fluid leak or seal failure in the service brake system, consistent with the total loss of pedal pressure I experienced. The manufacturer has issued Special Service Message SSM 74988 addressing this exact DTC on this platform (Defender L663, 2020 model year onward), indicating awareness of this failure mode. There were no warning lamps or symptoms prior to the failure — it occurred suddenly with no advance indication. The vehicle and diagnostic records are available for inspection upon request. Root-cause diagnosis by the dealership is in progress; the suspected sources are a hydraulic line, caliper

Suspension
Filed May 14, 2026NJ

Bulletin 76096 should be recall. The suspension has failed. Both Upper arms, bushings,sway bars and links and after 3 weeks, multiple attempts to correct banging, the issue is a bulletin, but yet a recall, conveniently not under warranty. Only 50,000 miles. Please press for recall. Like the DC CONVERTER -impairing vehicle.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 26, 2026NJ

Alternator & DC/DC Converter failure or DC/DC Converter failure that also led to Alternator failure. I will attach letter correspondence sent to Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

Electrical SystemCrash
Filed Apr 14, 2026CA

On 4/2/2026, my DC to DC converter failed in my 2022 Landrover Defender (owned 3 months, purchased pre-owned from dealer), which short-circuited both my 12V battery and my telemetric safety battery (location services, and emergency calls). The vehicle lost all power, completely malfunctioned electrically losing ability to accelerate, power steering, and everything went dark in the vehicle while driving on a highway. I immediately tried to get it to the shoulder but it lost momentum and stopped in the lane, with cars and semis coming around a blind corner at speed. It was a harrowing experience, the car started to roll backwards (on a slight incline, as it was a mountain pass) and a semi truck had to assist in stopping the vehicle by skillfully, using his trailer to stop the vehicle. This created body damage to the entire side of my vehicle. The car then locked up completely, wheels were locked and tow truck had to drag it with a chain up on the bed. My son and I could have been killed, as traffic was coming around the bend at 60-65 mph and we were completely stopped and started rolling back towards the oncoming traffic. Several others could have been injured as my vehicle could have cause a major traffic collision. The issue has been reported to Jaguar Landrover customer service, reported to the dealership I bought the vehicle from and to the dealership who told me that it could help to drive the vehicle to charge the battery. The dealer where I towed the vehicle confirmed it

Exterior Lighting
Filed Apr 4, 2026TX

The LED DRLs failed in the first 28000 miles leaving no DRLs. Researching this issues shows it it a known defect but not considered a safety issue. I disagree as visibility is greatly diminished without the lights. Numerous online complaints and LRJ reuses to compensate owners out of warranty.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 13, 2026NY

I believe there is an issue with the DC to DC converter. Had an incident when the vehicle was idling for at 30 mins while cleaning snow in driveway after a storm. I received an warning battery low. As thought this was odd I turned it off. waited a few hours returned and the warning was gone. I had JLR dealer look at the issue. I was told the main battery was faulty and replaced, this was in end of DEC 2025. Then weeks later [around Jan 18th 2026] when it was really cold out and driving to JFK airport. while in route i received an very generic electrical system fault warning. As i was leaving 1 of the terminals at JFK. on the exit ramp of the terminal I had complete electrical failure was lucky enough to be able to be able to pull to shoulder, but was coasting about 1-2 mph, and stop. It took 3 attempts to restart the vehicle, when it started normally and all electrical was acting normal. if this happened while on the highway it would have caused an accident and i believe injuries. i will say the hazard warning lights were still working. I have also been noticing that the digital dashboard display brightness will fade in and out anytime of the day and weather randomly. Today this happened and received a low coolant warning and a tire low warning at the same time. I check the coolant level and it is normal. I check the tire pressures and they are normal.

Power Train
Filed Mar 4, 2026MA

While driving on a busy road. My car gave a message saying electrical failure and transmission failure. Within 20 seconds shut the car down before I could safely pull over and it was unable to start. Hazard lights didn’t work and I was stuck in the middle of the road until a tow truck came. The dealer diagnosed the problem as a failure of the dc to dc converter. It has been replaced but took two weeks to repair

Electrical System
Filed Mar 4, 2026VA

The vehicle lost power after a warning that the battery was not recharging. I have a portable jump start battery. Tried to jump start it -- the battery would not hold a charge once cables disconnected. Had the vehicle towed to the dealer. I was told this is a DC-to-DC converter problem that is widespread across Defenders 20222-present. parts are unavailable.Being stuck in a vehicle with no power, absolutely dead, is scary and would have been a major problem if the electrics had gone out while driving.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Mar 2, 2026CA

Daytime running lights has failed on the front headlights and follows pattern similar to known Special Service Message 75479. This reduces safety due to lower visibility since the DRLs should operate during normal driving conditions. I have reached out to the dealer and the Land Rover Corporate, both of which refuse to fix the issue unless I pay for parts and labor (est cost $5000+). This issue is dangerous since there is no indication on the dashboard or other warning unless the headlights are manually inspected while the vehicle is operating.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 26, 2026MA

The DC converter on our 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 failed. We received some electrical fault notices that would come and go inconsistently a few days before the incident. Land Rover told us to drive the car to the dealer to get repaired, even when we asked whether that was safe. On the way to the dealer, the car completely turned off in the middle of traffic and became a brick and had to be towed in negative degree weather to the dealer where it has sat for a month today. The car shutdown/lost control on Rt 1 in Massachusetts and was fortunately able to steer off the road into a parking lot before it became a brick in the middle of a parking lot, not in a spot or anything. The dealer expects this is a DC converter problem but the car is a complete brick and cannot turn on or be moved around at the dealer until the part arrives. We've been told the part is on back order for months and there is no timeline for when it will be repaired.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 26, 2026VA

The vehicle experienced an electrical issue regarding a DC/DC converter that went bad after the manufacturer software update. The vehicle displayed warnings that the vehicle needed to come to a stop and that the electrical system, in regards to the safety systems were not functioning. This includes the airbag systems, charging systems, and SOS systems.

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 23, 2026NM

DC -DC power converter part # LR131043. My vehicle is unusable due to the failure of this part. I have not been able to use my vehicle for over a month and the part is still on indefinite back order.

20 of 73 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2023
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20264300Routine
202513210Routine
202425610Routine
202381900Routine
2022 — this page73600Routine
202139900Routine
202055710Routine
20031000Routine
20023000Routine
20011000Routine
19991000Routine
19951210Routine
19940100Routine
19932110Routine
19920100Routine
19901000Routine

Compare every Defender year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jun 12, 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.