2021 Land Rover DEFENDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
38 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
35,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 38 complaints (31.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 10.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 5.3% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 2.6% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 12 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 12 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Structure:Body | 2 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | 1 |
| Engine | 1 |
Exterior Lighting: 12; Visibility/Wiper: 12; Electrical System: 5; Unknown Or Other: 4; Structure:Body: 2; Back Over Prevention: 1; Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera: 1; Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 35 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 8 |
2021: 5; 2022: 8; 2023: 7; 2024: 3; 2025: 7; 2026: 8
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11438618 · 2021-10-29 (October 29, 2021)
The contact owns a 2021 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that the windshield cracked without impact, causing electrical issues. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11438618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11682718 · 2025-08-24 (August 24, 2025)
On or about August 7 or 8, my wife was driving our vehicle when it suddenly stalled and stopped running. Prior to this incident, we received a warning that the battery was low and that the vehicle needed to be started immediately. On August 9, I replaced the battery. That same day, we contacted the dealership where we purchased the vehicle and reported the issue. We were advised not to drive the car and instead have it towed to the dealership for inspection. In researching the problem, I found information about recall N599, which involves veh…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11682718 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11649892 · 2025-03-22 (March 22, 2025)
Vehicle suspension fault detected light turned on. Vehicle keeps adjusting on its own while on the freeway in traffic. Feels like it stalls. Hear popping noise. Vehicle only had 14k miles and was never used for off roading.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11649892 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11424416 · 2021-07-12 (July 12, 2021)
We have two 2021 Defender 110 SE North American Specification models and these do not have the smoked tail lights as are on another recall. When subjected to a bright light, the entire assembly of tail, brake and turn signals fails on one side of the vehicle. This is also repeatable on the rear lights on both left and right sides of both vehicles. Since the current recall only appears to cover those vehicles with smoked tail lights the recall needs to be extended to all models.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11424416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11567000 · 2024-01-22 (January 22, 2024)
It happened after being parked at work for 9hrs. The lane assist not available! warning came on when I started the car. I noticed the steering wheel was VERY hard to turn. You have to use both hands and lean with body weight to turn the wheel a few inches which when the car is at a stand-still. It did get a little easier if the car was moving. The screen didnt dim but now I recall, just for a few seconds, part of the cameras on the display screen were grayed out when I put it in reverse. This only happened once for a short time during the mu…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11567000 at NHTSA ↗