2025 Land Rover Defender Problems
Compared with other Land Rover Defender years
Too new to compare
- Model years are compared once their first three years of complaints are in; the 2025 can be compared from 2028.
- Most reported part: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (7 complaints).
- 1 recall campaign on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with a typical complaint level and no open NHTSA investigation: 2022, 2023
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 13filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- —no mileage reported
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —no overall rating published
- EPA fuel economy
- 16 mpgcombined, 5.0L 8-cyl 4WD · 14 city / 18 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2025 Land Rover Defender (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 13 consumer complaints for the 2025 Land Rover Defender. The part named most often is visibility, with 7 complaints (54% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (3) and electrical system (2). Of all complaints, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 190 technical service bulletins for this model year. Visibility complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 21 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system2 15%
- Other or unknown2 15%
- Engine1 7.7%
- Fuel system1 7.7%
- Steering1 7.7%
Example complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “I am now on my 4th windshield on my 2025 Land Rover Defender 110. I have had 5 chips/cracks on these windshields. Only 1 crack was from a rock that you might expect glass breakage, the others were all caused by small pebble sized road gravel that was more like insect splatter. Safelite was repairing 1 very small chip and the windshield cracked during this common repair. Clearly the provided glass is substandard and should be upgraded for all Land Rover Defenders. I now never drive this car without the thought of another windshield break that’s about to occur.”
NHTSA complaint #11736331, filed 2026-05Transmission and drivetrain: “While driving on Back Rd in New Hampshire at approximately 30 mph on Saturday, Feb 14, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering assist and simultaneously shifted into neutral. I received warning messages and immediately lost propulsion. Luckily, there was no traffic on the road with me, but that is not always the case on this particular road. I had to manually steer the vehicle without power assist and muscle it to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was disabled in the road and required towing. …”
NHTSA complaint #11718508, filed 2026-02Electrical system: “The DC converter went bad and within 30 seconds while driving on the highway I got a battery warning and then the car went into neutral and stopped and went into park and the car turned off in the middle of the road and couldn’t be moved at all. Luckily some cops came and protected the car from behind until a tow truck came. The part needed is out of stock and may not be in stock for months!”
NHTSA complaint #11717995, filed 2026-02Other or unknown: “I had the car while driving loss of power then engine light came on. Dealer twice checked and stated no issue until they tested and found that the replacement of the Hybrid battery system was issue. I've found this same issue with Converter system showing up with others on the facebook 'The New Defender Owners' group. It seems to be a larger issue JLR is not telling people about that has been issue over a couple years.”
NHTSA complaint #11709570, filed 2026-01Complaints by year filed
This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2025 Land Rover Defender version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 110 4WD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 20 | 19 | $4,350 |
| Defender 110 4WD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 14 | 18 | 16 | $5,150 |
| Defender 130 4WD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 14 | 19 | 16 | $5,150 |
| Defender 90 4WD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 21 | 19 | $4,350 |
| Defender 90 4WD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 19 | 16 | $5,150 |
| Defender 110 MHEV 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 20 | 19 | $4,350 |
| Defender 110 MHEV 4WD | 4.4L 8-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 15 | 19 | 17 | $4,850 |
| Defender 130 Outbound 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 16 | 19 | 18 | $4,550 |
| Defender 130 P300 MHEV 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 17 | 20 | 18 | $4,550 |
| Defender 130 P400 MHEV 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 20 | 19 | $4,350 |
| Defender 90 MHEV 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl · hybrid | 8-speed automatic | 18 | 21 | 19 | $4,350 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 26V389000Jun 12, 2026Air bags › FrontalCovers: Land Rover Defender 2020–2026, Discovery 2021–2026, Range Rover 2022–2026
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…
Recall details for the 2025 Land Rover Defender → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 190 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11038293Sep 25, 2026Body and structure. Accessory Wheel Arch Protection - Gaps Present Between Protection And Vehicle Body
- 11038305Sep 18, 2026Other or unknown. Jump Start Information Label Missing
- 11037116Aug 22, 2026Electrical system. Vehicles on display e.g. in a showroom whilst being supported by a showroom 12v support unit, these vehicles require an additional fuse to be removed to prevent the MHEV (48v) battery draining and…
- 11037130Aug 21, 2026Other or unknown. Jump Start Information Label Missing
- 11037119Aug 21, 2026Other or unknown. TCU Activation Failure And InControl App Inoperative After Software Update
- 11037117Aug 21, 2026Other or unknown. Air Conditioning Inoperative / Intermittent Operation
- 11037115Aug 20, 2026Electrical system. Vehicles on display e.g. in a showroom whilst being supported by a showroom 12v support unit, these vehicles require an additional fuse to be removed to prevent the MHEV (48v) battery draining and…
- 11035735Jul 22, 2026Other or unknown. Intermittent Passive Entry Operation 24MY Or With New Service Smart Key Fob.
- 11035882Jul 17, 2026Other or unknown. Blanking Connector - Install
- 11035859Jul 17, 2026Other or unknown. Jump Start Information Label Missing
Other model years of the Land Rover Defender
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | — | 3 | — | 16 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 13 | — | 1 | — | 16 | — | Too new |
| 2024 | 27 | 18,250 | 7 | — | 19 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 87 | 50,500 | 9 | — | 18 | 49 · Typical | Too new |
| 2022 | 76 | 21,500 | 6 | — | 18 | 60 · Typical | Stable |
| 2021 | 42 | 35,000 | 9 | — | 19 | 26 · Fewer | Rising |
| 2020 | 58 | 2,041 | 7 | — | 19 | 51 · Typical | Falling |
All Land Rover Defender model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2025 Land Rover Defender have?
NHTSA recorded 13 consumer complaints for the 2025 Land Rover Defender as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2025 Land Rover Defender is reported most often?
Visibility is named most often, in 7 complaints (54% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 3.
Has the 2025 Land Rover Defender been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2025 Land Rover Defender get?
The EPA rates the 2025 Land Rover Defender (Defender 110, 5.0L 8-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 18 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.