Land Rover Defender Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability Report
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported injuries, and worst problem areas. Data sourced from federal safety databases and updated daily.
Own a Land Rover Defender? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
Land Rover Defender — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Worst Component | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Best | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
| 2021Worst | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | Full report → |
Defender Years to Avoid
Best Defender Years to Buy
Land Rover Defender Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — Land Rover Defender Reliability
What year Defender has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Land Rover Defender had the highest combined complaint and recall count among recent model years — 0 complaints and 7 safety recalls. See the full 2021 report for details on specific defects.
Is the Land Rover Defender reliable?
The Land Rover Defender has accumulated 0 owner-filed complaints and 23 safety recalls across recent model years in NHTSA's national database. The 2026 model year stands out as having the fewest reported issues in recent data. Reliability varies significantly by year and individual vehicle history — always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Defender.
What are the most common Defender problems?
Owner complaints for the Land Rover Defender commonly cite issues with the engine, transmission, electrical systems, and brakes. Check the year-specific pages above for a detailed breakdown.
How do I check if my Defender has an open recall?
You can check for open recalls on any Land Rover Defender using the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with accident history, odometer records, and other key information. Recalls on this page are model-level — a VIN check will confirm whether your specific vehicle's recall was remedied.
Check a Specific Land Rover Defender VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, lien status, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Run a Free Land Rover Defender VIN Report →No account required · Instant results · Updated daily