Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Land Rover Defender, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
143 first registered in 2002 are on Dutch roads; 57% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen81
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde60
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld46
- Gordel beschadigd34
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht29
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af28
- Remleiding door corrosie aangetast27
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm20
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
731 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 190 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 3,838 of these cars first registered in 2002 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2002 the figure was 58%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 17.2% | 20.8% |
| Suspension | 12.4% | 15.8% |
| Steering | 11.2% | 4.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.5% | 9.7% |
| Brakes | 10.4% | 13.6% |
| Visibility | 8.4% | 7.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
48 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 25% arrived as used imports, 67% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2002 Land Rover Defender.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Land Rover told its dealers about the 2002 Land Rover Defender: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10206635 | Software Update. |
| 10125267 | Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)