Worst years for a Land Rover Defender
Owners have filed 391 complaints about the Land Rover Defender with NHTSA across model years 1990 to 2026. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.
Cleanest on record
2025 Land Rover Defender16 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.
Every Land Rover Defender year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | Other & Unspecified |
| 2025 | A | 16 | 0 | 1 | — | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2024 | B | 42 | 0 | 3 | — | Electrical System |
| 2023 | C | 106 | 0 | 0 | 40,000 | Electrical System |
| 2022 | C | 92 | 3 | 0 | — | Electrical System |
| 2021 | A | 44 | 0 | 0 | — | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 2020 | D | 72 | 2 | 2 | 2,041 | Lights |
| 2003 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 2002 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 2001 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
| 1999 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Tires |
| 1995 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 1993 | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | Engine & Cooling |
| 1990 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | Windows, Mirrors & Wipers |
What breaks on a Land Rover Defender
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Worst in 2023
Worst in 2020
Worst in 2020
Worst in 2023
Worst in 2022
Worst in 1999
Worst in 2021
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Land Rover Defender, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Compare the Land Rover Defender
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.