2021 Land Rover Defender
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Visibility & Lighting
Visibility & Lighting leads by volume: 25 of 38 complaints (66%) mention it.
Complaints filed fell from 54 in 2020 to 38 in 2021.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | vs. 2021 Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 4,100–4,300 | 4,100–4,300 | 4,100–4,850 | 3,900–4,850 | |
| Combined MPG | 18–19 | 18–19 | 16–19 | 16–20 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 17–18 / 20–22 | 17–18 / 20–22 | 14–18 / 19–22 | 14–18 / 19–23 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 462–492 | 462–492 | 462–563 | 444–563 | |
| Complaints filed | 54 | 38 | 72 | 81 | |
| Recalls issued | 7 | 9 | 6 | 9 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2021 Land Rover Defender have?
9 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Land Rover Defender?
Visibility & Lighting: 25 of 38 NHTSA complaints (66%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Land Rover Defender get?
EPA rates it 18–19 MPG combined across 4 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Land Rover Defender?
EPA estimates $4,100–$4,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (4)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 22 mpg (high) | 19 mpg (high) | $4,100 (low) | 462 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 22 mpg (high) | 19 mpg (high) | $4,100 (low) | 462 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg (low) | 20 mpg (low) | 18 mpg (low) | $4,300 (high) | 492 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 21 mpg | 19 mpg (high) | $4,100 (low) | 466 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (9)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · Campaign 26V389000 · Jun 15, 2026
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.
Consequence: 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 CONVERTER · Campaign 26V248000 · Apr 20, 2026
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.
Consequence: 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS; EQUIPMENT · Campaign 24E102000 · Dec 6, 2024
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.
Consequence: 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/LUBRICATION · Campaign 23V044000 · Feb 2, 2023
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.
Consequence: 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:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR; SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR · Campaign 21V668000 · Aug 27, 2021
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
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. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR · Campaign 21V584000 · Jul 30, 2021
Defect: 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."
Consequence: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
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. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N601.
SEATS · Campaign 21V499000 · Jul 2, 2021
Defect: 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.
Consequence: A seat that is not properly locked into place can move unintentionally during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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. Land Rover's number for this recall is N609.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL · Campaign 21V435000 · Jun 9, 2021
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.
Consequence: 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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · Campaign 21V424000 · Jun 7, 2021
Defect: 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.
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
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. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N599.