2020 Land Rover Defender problems
NHTSA has received 75 complaints about the 2020 Land Rover Defender, and 25% of them involve lighting. After that come electrical system (16%) and engine (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 75 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Lighting 25% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 2
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 3,000 miles 18 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 14 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 4 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 18 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 3,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 2 complaints mention a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2020 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 5 model years of the Land Rover Defender with enough data (59 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owns a 2020 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into two mailboxes but the vehicle kept driving down a curved road onto the left lane. The brakes had failed to engage. The contact did not receive medical attention on the scene but later went to the hospital for injuries sustained. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard then towed to a body shop where it remained. The vehicle was not repaired.
While using the heated steering wheel function on my 2020 Land Rover Defender, the steering wheel began to overheat significantly after being turned on for a short time. The surface temperature became so hot that it burned and discolored the leather, releasing a strong burnt smell. This overheating poses a serious fire hazard and could easily burn the driver’s hands during operation. This issue compromises driver safety because the steering wheel is an essential control part of the vehicle.
While driving our one-month old range rover defender 110se, the brakes failed with no warning. The dealership (patrick jaguar & land rover of naperville il) was non-responsive to my requests for assistance and information when called from roadside. Vehicle had to be flat-bedded from scene. It was terrifying not to have braking ability.
The contact owns a 2020 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The following day, the contact’s spouse started the vehicle, and the message “High Voltage Shutdown Not Possible – Live System” was displayed. The contact stated that after an inspection, DTC: P0A7B was retrieved. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System); however, the part was not yet available.