2021 Land rover Defender problems
The Land Rover Defender (initially introduced as the Land Rover 110 / One Ten, and in 1984 joined by the Land Rover 90 / Ninety, plus the new, extra-length Land Rover 127 in 1985) is a series of British off-road cars and pickup trucks. They consistently have four-wheel drive, and were developed in the 1980s from the original Land Rover series which was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948. Following the 1989 introduction of the Land Rover Discovery, the term 'Land Rover' became the name of a broader marque, and thus no longer worked as the name of a specific model; thus in 1990 Land Rover renamed the 90 and 110 as Defender 90 and Defender 110 respectively. The 127 became the Defender 130.
The vehicle, a British equivalent of the Second World War derived (Willys) Jeep, gained a worldwide reputation for ruggedness and versatility. Using a steel ladder chassis and an aluminium alloy bodywork, the Land Rover originally used detuned versions of Rover engines. The original Defender is still being produced in developing countries despite the arrival of the Land Rover Defender (L663).
Though the Defender was not a new generation design, it incorporated significant changes, compared to the series Land Rovers, such as adopting coil springs front and rear, as opposed to all leaf springs on the previous; except for retaining rear leaf springs on high capacity (payload) models. Coil springs offered both better ride quality and improved axle articulation. Adding a lockable centre differential to the transfer case gave the Defender permanent (on-road) four-wheel-drive capability. Both changes were derived from the Range Rover, and the interiors were also modernised.
Externally, a full-length bonnet and full-width integrated grille and headlights, combined with (finally) a single-piece windscreen, plus widened wheel arches that covered new, wider-track axles were the most noticeable changes. Initially the engineering department conserved a part-time 4WD system, like on previous models, but it failed to sell, and this option was dropped in 1984. While the engine was carried over from the Series III, a new series of modern and more powerful engines was progressively introduced.
Even when ignoring the series Land Rovers and perhaps ongoing licence products, the 90/110 and Defender models' 33-year production run were ranked as the sixteenth longest single-generation car in history in 2020.
In 2020, Jaguar Land Rover introduced the first all new generation of Land Rover Defenders, switching from body on chassis to integrated bodywork and from live, rigid axles to all around independent suspension. While starting at a higher base price, the new model brought significant improvements to on road dynamics over the old model, air suspension is available on most trims. The range was originally limited to just two wheelbase lengths before a third, the Defender 130, was announced in 2022. The new Defender series is only available in closed, estate car bodies.
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Common 2021 Land rover Defender problems
The Land Rover Defender, known for its ruggedness and off-road capabilities, has been a popular choice among adventure seekers and off-road enthusiasts. This article examines common problems with the 2021 Land Rover Defender, focusing on complaints from owners and expert reviews.
Electrical Problems:
Land Rover Defenders can experience some common electrical issues, including faulty switches.
Another electrical issue reported with the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 is a clogged rear wiper sprayer, which was caused by a clogged washer jet.
Air Suspension Fault:
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110's air suspension system has been reported to have issues, with the height-adjustable and load-leveling feature causing intermittent "Suspension Fault" messages.
Overheating:
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 also experienced a brief "overheating" issue, where the vehicle displayed an overheating warning while driving down the highway.
Center-Rear Headrest Ripped:
The center-rear headrest of the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 was reported to have ripped, indicating a potential issue with the durability of the vehicle's interior materials.
Rear Windshield-Wiper Fluid Jet Clogged:
The rear windshield-wiper fluid jet of the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 was reported to have been clogged, leading to a malfunctioning rear wiper sprayer.
Stereo Glitch:
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110's stereo system experienced a glitch, where the front-left speaker randomly stopped working mid-song.
In conclusion, the 2021 Land Rover Defender has faced several reliability issues, including electrical problems, air suspension faults, overheating, and interior durability concerns. While some of these issues have been resolved through OTA updates, they highlight the importance of considering reliability when purchasing a vehicle, particularly for off-road use.
What is the common problem of Land Rover Defender?
Land Rover Defenders may encounter fuel system issues such as clogged fuel filters, fuel pump failures, or injector problems. These issues can lead to poor engine performance, stalling, or even complete engine failure if not resolved promptly.
Is the Land Rover Defender reliable?
- The car has remained completely reliable. My main grumble has been with the stainless steel wheels which have corroded consistently - a cosmetic rather than safety concern (I'm reassured by Land Rover). These have been dealt with under warranty - but why not just make steel wheels that don't corrode?
What is the recall on the Defender 2021?
Citing a potential fault with front seat sliding assembly, Land Rover recalled 48 examples of the short wheel-base off-roader. The affected vehicles were delivered between July and August, 2021 (stamped Model Year 2021).
Is Land Rover Defender expensive to maintain?
Land Rover Maintenance Costs
Land Rover models average around $18,569 for maintenance and repair costs during their first 10 years of service. This is more than the industry average for luxury brands by $6,525. There is also a 41.71% chance that a Land Rover will require a major repair during that time.
2021 Land rover Defender complaints
The NHTSA has received 0 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2021 Land rover Defender.
You can leave your car complaint via the special form below.
2021 Land rover Defender recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 6 recalls for different components of the 2021 Land rover Defender.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION
- Summary: 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.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
- Summary: 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.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
- Summary: 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.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: SEATS
- Summary: 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.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
- Summary: 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.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
- Summary: 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.
Negative 2021 Land rover Defender car reviews
Positive 2021 Land rover Defender car reviews
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I've had my 110 SE for 2 months and have driven 5500 miles for construction site visits. I've already used the roof rack to haul a farm gate. It's quick, smooth, and agile. However, I've encountered a couple of problems: the passenger door pillar made a lot of noise, but they fixed it. The audio went out for a while, but eventually came back. The DTE gauge stopped working. I also have to hold the remote key fob right at the door handle to unlock the door. Shifting into reverse from sport is very complex, as you must shift into drive from sport before you can reverse. Additionally, the audio, climate, and nav controls are very hard to operate and feel clumsy after driving a Mercedes-Benz. Overall, though, I'm enjoying my experience with the 110 SE so far!
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Your vehicle sounds amazing! It's great to hear that you've had such a positive experience with it. From what you've said, it seems like it's the perfect fit for your needs. It's always tough to decide between different models, but it sounds like you made the right choice. It's also great to hear that you're using it to its full potential. Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
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First 2021 90 in SF ... 5 days since I bought it. I'm absolutely delighted! It was worth my almost 2-year wait for the 90.
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undefinedThe ride is surprisingly smooth and quiet, even with the Wrangler off-road tires. I was initially concerned about the sound insulation due to the exposed metal on the doors, which is not present in other rovers, but it is as quiet inside as any other vehicle. Overall, the Defender feels very solid and capable of running over or through anything. The interior materials are durable and pleasant to the touch, with less plastic and more rubber. Although there is not a lot of leather, the seats are softer and more comfortable. I really appreciate not having carpet. All of the controls are intuitive and easy to use. The navigation system is particularly impressive, and I find it easy to follow the directions. Of course, the off-road capability is awesome, with the ability to sense the water wade depth ahead of you. The Defender is a really cool-looking truck that gets lots of attention everywhere we take it. I have only seen one other one on the road so far, so I guess not many made it to the states for the 2020 model year. If you are looking for a unique and fun-to-drive SUV with unlimited capability, the Defender is the perfect choice. Now, I am trying to convince my wife to trade her RR Sport for an x edition Defender next year...
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I've owned many Land Rovers and, strangely enough, I've had great luck with them - far better than my Jeep experiences. With 3000 miles so far, I can't find an excuse not to take it for a spin. It drives nimble, looks big, is comfortable, and has great visibility!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2021 Land rover Defender problems:
Everything That Went Wrong With Our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110
Oct 27, 2022 ... Everything That Went Wrong With Our 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 · Air Suspension Fault · "Overheating" · Center-Rear Headrest Ripped · Rear ...
Land Rover Defender Reliability : r/whatcarshouldIbuy
Apr 11, 2022 ... Land Rovers in my experience are.... interesting. Some, like the LR3 are really underrated. They have some known issues, like the timing chain..
Tracking Defender issues - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover ...
Oct 27, 2021 ... 2020 Defender - Tracking Defender issues - It would be very interesting to have a list of issues per Defender model and year. 2020, 2021 ...
New Defender - Did I Make A Mistake Buying A Land Rover? : r ...
Feb 27, 2022 ... I have a 2021 defender 110 with ... issue that I did not suffer any engine problems from. ... In general land rovers are not known for reliability.
2021 Land Rover Defender 90 First Edition D250 MHEV, Strange ...
Feb 14, 2022 ... Common (well actually they are very uncommon - but if you have trouble with the tires, these are common) - common problems is that the tire is ...
Other years of Land rover Defender
Are you having problems with your 2021 Land rover Defender?
Erling Rath 2025-07-14
The design of these cars is always great, and they have a lot of charm. We have had our Defender HSE P400 for about two months and have driven less than 2000 miles. The front and rear seats are very comfortable, and there is lots of space in the second row. However, the access to the trunk could be better, as the door is quite small if you need to load a long box or luggage. It could have been a bit more spacious without having to sacrifice the back seat leg space by sliding the bench forward. The visibility is not the best, as you are quite sunken in, and you would expect bigger windows from a Rover. The alpine windows are purely aesthetic. The third-row seat is very sacrificed, nothing like LR4... probably I wouldn't order them if I saw them before ordering it. The acceleration lag is close to two seconds delay, and then all of a sudden, power kicks in, and you are propelled forward abruptly. Passengers are not happy, but the driver can at least hold the steering wheel. Our car has several issues with adaptive cruise control, sat radio touch screen, lane keep adjust, energy-saving stop-start, and sunroof, all of which are either not working or working intermittently, which is very annoying. The brakes, if applied too sharply, have a bad noise and vibrate through the pedal, which is not a good feeling. The interior trim of one door fell off, and some trim in the trunk was installed halfway and is very cheap and light plastic, especially for a car that should be It may sound crazy, but this is my experience. I've been in this process for a month and a half now, and I'm not sure if I'm happy with this car. My 2004 Discovery had fewer problems, and at least the doors didn't squeak even after 100K miles. The doors in the Defender are quite loud. Although we would expect some issues with a new car, I can't say I'm a happy customer, so I can only give it 2 stars.
Lorenzo Dicki 2025-07-12
I purchased the car in June 2020, but unfortunately, I had to take it to the shop after just one week. It took 59 days to get it back, and I was disappointed to find out that the stereo, phone, and dash panel were not working. After two weeks, I had to take it back to the shop again because the wire harness needed to be replaced, along with the master panel and display. Although it was frustrating, I remained hopeful that the issues would be resolved. However, in November, I had to take it back to the shop again for an update and to have it forced. Unfortunately, the car still has some issues, such as the phone, cameras, and stereo working only when they want to. I love the car, but I am completely disappointed with the issues I have faced. In fact, the car has been in the shop for a total of 140 days, even though I have only had it for 8 months. I would not recommend buying this car, and I believe that the entire line should be recalled.
Jesus Ziemann 2025-07-03
Great looking vehicle and well designed. However, it is let down by poor materials and finish.
Alexandro Quitzon 2025-06-21
Looks great! However, it seems to have some typical Land Rover glitches. My beautiful white HSE had to go back twice, and I was without it for a week both times. Unfortunately, the engine warning light is still not fully resolved. I should have known better, having imported a 90 and driven that for years. But, I expected more with the price tag and promises of the new model. Some of my friends say I should buy a Toyota/Lexus instead, but I’m resisting!
Mario Christiansen 2025-06-16
I have had my car for 3 weeks and unfortunately, the check engine light has come on. Additionally, I have noticed some acceleration lag which could potentially lead to accidents and even fatalities. It is imperative that the engineers responsible for these issues are held accountable and take immediate action to rectify the situation.