Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Land Rover Defender, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting16
- Visibility/wiper12
- Electrical system5
- Unknown or other4
- Structure3
- Steering1
- Back over prevention1
- Suspension1
- Visibility1
- Engine1
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
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Land Rover Defender failed the safety check 0.43% of the time — 54% less often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 24,057 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2021
7,417 new Land Rover Defender cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2021; the largest markets were Germany (2,745), Italy (1,850), France (677).
- Average mass
- 2,494 kg
- Average CO₂
- 214 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 204 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 65% · Petrol/electric 17% · Petrol 17%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
2,611 Land Rover Defender cars first registered in Europe in 2021 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Diesel versions use 10.2 l/100 km on the road against 9.0 in the WLTP test (+14%).
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 219 | 14.3 | 12.3 | +17% |
| Diesel | 1,467 | 10.2 | 9.0 | +14% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 925 | 10.3 | 3.5 | +197% |
Litres per 100 km from the cars' own fuel meters (OBFCM), collected in 2024; the year is the year of first registration. All years together · European Environment Agency · CC BY 4.0
Engines
The most common engines in 2021 Land Rover Defender cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 hybrid (221 kW, 296 hp) and 3.0 hybrid (294 kW, 394 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 hybrid | 221 kW 296 hp | 435 |
| 3.0 hybrid | 294 kW 394 hp | 78 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
578 first registered in 2021 are on Dutch roads; 54% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €106,208.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde112
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld49
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht27
- Band onvoldoende profiel24
- Mistlicht voor onjuist afgesteld18
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm13
- Band beschadigd13
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage6
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
6,113 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 209 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, 257 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 96% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.6% | 2.9% |
| Tyres | 0.8% | 3.3% |
| Visibility | 0.8% | 1.6% |
| Brakes | 0.4% | 1.3% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.4% | 0.4% |
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
486 2021 cars are on the New Zealand register; 17% arrived as used imports, 83% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
9 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Land Rover Defender.
| 2026442 17 Sept 2026 | High Voltage Issue: On certain vehicles, the DC/DC converter could fail. As a result, the 12 V battery would not charge and a red "Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected" w… |
| 2026292 12 Jun 2026 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the driver-front airbag in the steering wheel could corrode. As a result, the driver-front airbag may not inflat… |
| 2026196 17 Apr 2026 | High Voltage Issue: On certain vehicles, the DC/DC converter could fail. As a result, the 12 V battery would not charge and a red "Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected" w… |
| 2024739 5 Dec 2024 | Accessories Issue: This recall is for raised air intakes installed on new vehicles or sold as a dealer accessory. On certain vehicles, the raised air intake may not … |
| 2024599 10 Oct 2024 | Engine Issue: This recall is for certain replacement engines. The oil filter housing may not have been manufactured properly. Over time, the housing could crack and … |
| 2021533 26 Aug 2021 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the passenger seat belt assemblies may contain defective automatic locking retractors (ALR). As a result, the seat belts may not p… |
| 2021408 1 Jul 2021 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the seat track end-stops could bend. If this happens, the seat track may not lock properly in place and the seat could move in a c… |
| 2021355 8 Jun 2021 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain Defender X models, the brake lights, turn signals and/or tail lights may suddenly turn off if a bright light shines directly on them. Sa… |
| 2021353 3 Jun 2021 | Engine Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a 6-cylinder engine, a software problem in the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) could cause the engine to turn off sud… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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. The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload that can occur during high power demand. Additionally, a software error can cause the DC-DC converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up under certain circumstances. Failure of the DC-DC converter will result in the loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
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.
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). Insufficient electrical load balancing during times of high demand can lead to a current overload condition and malfunction of the DCDC converter. 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.
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.
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. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
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. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
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.
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.
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.
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 2021 Land Rover Defender: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011722 | Gasoline Catalytic Converter Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) |
| 11011721 | Engine Oil and Filter Change |
| 11011496 | Near Field Sensing Module (NFSM) Wired Updates |
| 11011495 | Customer could be left with a vehicle that can not be unlocked or the engine started as a result of a depleted battery State of Charge. |
| 11011050 | Diagnostic Trouble Code Stored In The Powertrain Control Module |
| 11011049 | Diagnostic Trouble Code Stored In The Powertrain Control Module |
| 11011048 | Roof Opening Panel Not Operating as Expected |
| 11011035 | Front / Rear Door Latch - Silicon Contamination Causing Doors To Not Operate As Expected |
| 11011026 | MIL lamp on the instrument cluster. FUEL PUMP DRIVER MODULE INOPERATIVE |
| 11010371 | Engine Oil and Filter Change |
| 11010319 | NEAR FIELD SENSING MODULE (NFSM) WIRED UPDATES |
| 11010316 | Door Zone Module - Quiescent Drain |
| 11010313 | Steering Gear Noisy - Request For Information |
| 11010312 | Steering Gear Noisy - Request For Information |
| 11010268 | Fuel Pump Driver Module Inoperative |
| 11010266 | Customer may report a concern with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto function after recent updates to their mobile device. |
| 11010198 | MIL lamp on the instrument cluster |
| 11010197 | Oil filter housings installed on Ingenium I6 3.0L Diesel and Ingenium I6 3.0L Petrol engine variants, manufactured during a specific period, may crack causing a possible high pressure oil leak. |
| 11010181 | Gasoline Catalytic Converter Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) |
| 11008692 | Clicking Ticking Noise from Front Axle While Turning Left or Right and Full Lock at Low Speeds |
| 11008691 | Fuel Pump Driver Module Inoperative |
| 11008650 | Engine Oil and Filter Change |
| 11008643 | Near Field Sensing Module (NFSM) Wired Updates |
| 11008641 | Door Zone Module - Quiescent Drain |
| 11008625 | A customer may report that the windshield wipers stop up on the windshield when turned off. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)