2023 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 2023 Land rover Defender problems
The 2023 Land Rover Defender has been reported to have several common problems, primarily related to software and electronics. These issues have led to concerns about reliability and safety, with some owners experiencing multiple problems within the first few months of ownership.
One of the most common issues reported is the Check Engine light coming on, which has been attributed to software problems rather than mechanical faults. In some cases, this issue has caused the car to go into a reduced power mode or even stall while driving. This can be a significant safety concern, especially if it occurs in heavy traffic or at high speeds.
Another issue reported by several owners is problems with the infotainment system, including issues with sound, touchscreen responsiveness, and software updates. These problems can affect the car's usability and safety, particularly when using features such as rearview cameras and navigation.
Some owners have also reported issues with the car's safety systems, including emergency steering and braking systems, airbags, and coolant levels. These issues can be particularly concerning, as they can directly impact the car's safety and the safety of its occupants.
In addition to these issues, some owners have reported problems with the car's doors, including issues with seals and locks. These problems can affect the car's comfort and usability, as well as its safety in the event of a crash.
Finally, some owners have reported issues with the car's engine and powertrain, including problems with the fuel system, transmission, and drivetrain. These problems can affect the car's performance and fuel efficiency, as well as its safety and reliability.
In summary, the 2023 Land Rover Defender has been reported to have several common problems, primarily related to software and electronics. These issues can affect the car's safety, reliability, and usability, and can be particularly concerning for owners who have experienced multiple problems within the first few months of ownership. It is important for Land Rover to address these issues promptly and effectively to ensure the safety and satisfaction of its customers.
Are the 2023 defenders reliable?
Is the 2023 Land Rover Defender Reliable? The 2023 Defender has a predicted reliability score of 80 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.
Does the new defender have issues?
The New Defender is a very large, heavy vehicle with a lot of power, because of this, it is very heavy on brakes and can wear out a set of discs within 32,000 miles. It can wear out brake discs much faster than that too if brake pads are worn down enough to score the discs with their metal backing.
What is the safety rating of the Land Rover Defender 2023?
However, the 20202 model, which formed the basis of the 2023 model, was given a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP, the European agency in charge of researching insurance and safety ratings for vehicles. It also received a five-star rating from ANCAP in Australasia.
Where is the 2023 Land Rover Defender built?
The Defender replaces the original Land Rover Defender (1983-2016). The cars are built in Slovakia at Jaguar Land Rover's Nitra plant, a manufacturing facility which opened on 25 October 2018. The plant covers an area of about 300,000 m2 (3,200,000 square feet).
2023 Land rover Defender complaints
The NHTSA has received 0 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2023 Land rover Defender.
You can leave your car complaint via the special form below.
2023 Land rover Defender recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 5 recalls for different components of the 2023 Land rover Defender.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:FILTER/SCREEN
- Summary: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.
- Consequence: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy: Dealers will replace the filter housing, oil filter, and o-rings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N908.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:CRITICAL FASTENERS
- Summary: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles modified for the TRek Off-Road Competition. The brake calipers may not be reinstalled properly, allowing the brake calipers to detach.
- Consequence: Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the brake calipers, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 18, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N848.
- Manufacturer: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC
- Components: CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE TETHER ANCHOR
- Summary: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.
- Consequence: A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.
- 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:PRETENSIONER
- Summary: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.
- Consequence: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N720.
Negative 2023 Land rover Defender car reviews
Positive 2023 Land rover Defender car reviews
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The vehicles I tested drove smoothly, looked great and caught my attention. The deal went well and off we were. A quarter of the way home, error messages for emergency braking and cruise control went off, and unfortunately, the cruise control was inoperable. This issue has been going on intermittently. The dealer has had the car for several days, but there is no news on how to fix it. They also discovered an oil leak while it was there. I'm quickly losing confidence in my new vehicle. However, after two separate one-week visits with the dealer and several failed efforts, they were finally able to iron out the issues, and the car is now working perfectly. After 2000 miles, the Defender is a beast. We've had tons of snow and horrible cold here in WI, but I'm pleased to say that the snappy engine performance, snow and ice performance, and sublime camera system make up for the wind noise when traveling at 70 and above.
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I've owned the car for just over a year and put almost 12,000 miles on it. Fortunately, I haven't encountered any major problems. I did get a windshield crack from a rock, and occasionally the audio system is slow to start up when I turn the car on, but those issues are rare and have also happened on my wife's X7 and on my Tahoe. The Defender is my favorite car I've ever owned. It's comfortable, cool, great for the family, and perfect to load up and take to the mountains. I would absolutely buy this car again!
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Seems like the negative reviews dominate here, maybe because all the other Defender owners are out exploring in their vehicles. I’ve put some hard miles on ours, some off road, thousands of miles of towing, harsh winter storms, beaches, etc and not one problem. On road manners are better than any other 4wd I’ve ever driven by far, and off road, this thing is a beast. If you want refined off roading British style, this is the best thing ever.
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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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Gas mileage isn't any worse than my F-pace, but the ride is surprisingly smooth!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2023 Land rover Defender problems:
2023 Defender 90 Issues after 3 months : r/NewDefender
Oct 28, 2023 ... I do know that a lot of the manufacturers that Land Rover uses for its parts are the same ones that a lot of other manufacturers use, Toyota ...
Brand New 2023 Defender S 110 Issues - Land Rover Forums ...
My sound issue is more frequent, but still annoying. I have a feeling the dealer won't be able to fix it. So my next thought is can this ...
new defender reliability - Land Rover Forums - Land Rover ...
Mar 22, 2022 ... ... Defender - new defender reliability ... Land Rover reliability… So I've put a deposit on a 2023 defender ... What are some known common problems? 3.
Most Common Problems in Land Rover Defender Engine | by ...
Jul 5, 2023 ... The cooling system in Land Rover Defenders is critical for preventing engine overheating. Common problems include radiator leaks, water pump ...
Other years of Land rover Defender
Are you having problems with your 2023 Land rover Defender?
Hudson Turcotte 2025-03-20
I purchased my 2020 Defender HSE in September, and I've already put 3500 miles on it. The car is a joy to drive, with plenty of power, great visibility, and exceptional comfort. However, I have experienced a few issues, including noise from the right front pillar at speeds over 60 mph, a radio system failure, and frequent warning messages about emergency braking and steering, as well as occasional messages about cruise control. Additionally, the auto-dimming feature is not working, even after a visit to the dealer for repair. While I understand that some issues are to be expected with a new generation car, I expected more from LR and RR. My dealer has informed me that they are seeing similar issues from other customers, which is concerning. Overall, I am still very happy with my purchase and look forward to seeing these issues resolved soon.
Adelbert Frami 2025-03-19
We purchased our car on June 8th and unfortunately, after only 8 days, the Check Engine light came on. We took it to the Land Rover dealer who had the car for 9 days. They discovered that the light was caused by a software issue, rather than any mechanical faults. The dealer, in consultation with engineers from Land Rover USA and Land Rover England, cleared the Check Engine light, but unfortunately, they were unable to determine the root cause of the software issue. After we received the car back, we experienced another issue with Sirius, which we have an appointment to have fixed at the end of July. Unfortunately, while waiting for that appointment, the Check Engine light came on again. We are anticipating another long stint with a loaner. Despite these issues, we still love the car, but we are concerned that these reliability issues may lead us into Lemon Law territory.
Constantin Kautzer 2025-02-23
I was really looking forward to the launch of the new LR Defender. I ended up purchasing a 2020 Defender S with lots of added features. The car itself is quite impressive, with its jaw-dropping size, impressive technology, and cool interior. However, after driving the car for a few thousand miles, I started to notice some issues. It's too big to fit into many parking garages, the heated windshield doesn't work, the fabric material on the seats was losing its color, and the pivi pro system is constantly showing imperfections. At first, the ride seemed impressive, but then I started to notice some clunkiness around corners. It also gets a low 10-12mpg city and the best I ever got on the highway was 20mph, but I'd say the average was 17-18mph. Unfortunately, the car itself wasn't the only problem. LR service centers are quite difficult to deal with. Although I was aware of their reputation, I decided to take a chance and buy the car anyway. They scratched my car several times when it went to the shop and had to send it to detailing. They also took days to resolve issues that should have taken only an hour or two. They don't have any loaners, so you have to pay for a rental car if they have your car for over 24 hours. Overall, I would not recommend Land Rover/Range Rover to anyone. I suggest staying away from the Defender until they get the kinks figured out (which may be never considering the amount of issues I'm seeing on forums). If you're interested in buying this car, please do yourself a favor and join forums on Facebook - you will see just how poorly made this car is by all the problems people are reporting.
Bobby Thiel 2025-02-19
This vehicle has some areas that require improvement, such as the engineering and infotainment system. Wind noise is also an issue. Additionally, there are errors present in the infotainment system and low coolant levels on the main console. Some door rattling has also been reported. The build quality could be improved and the ride is stiff. However, it is important to note that these issues can be addressed and should not necessarily deter potential buyers from considering this vehicle.
Cooper Cremin 2025-01-22
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.