Land Rover Defender: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
321 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Land Rover Defender, model years 2001 to 2026. No model year stands out for the engine or transmission against the others. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 0 | |
| 2002 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 3 | — | 0 | |
| 2003 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 1 | — | 0 | |
| 2020 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 58 | — | 8 | |
| 2021 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 42 | — | 10 | |
| 2022 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 79 | — | 7 | |
| 2023 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 93 | — | 10 | |
| 2024 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 27 | — | 8 | |
| 2025 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 11 | — | 2 | |
| 2026 DefenderFEW REPORTS | 6 | — | 3 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
Check your Defender at your mileage
The verdict depends on where your mileage sits against the mileages owners reported. Pick your year and mileage: free, no sign-up.
Other Land Rover models
Land Rover Discovery · Land Rover Discovery II · Land Rover Discovery Sport · Land Rover Freelander · Land Rover LR2 · Land Rover LR3 · Land Rover Range Rover · Land Rover Range Rover Evoque · Land Rover Range Rover Sport. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: