1997 Land Rover Defender
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1997 Land Rover Defender is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 7 on record.
1997 Land Rover Defender at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
1997 Land Rover Defender recalls 0
No NHTSA safety-recall campaigns are on record for the 1997 Land Rover Defender.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
1997 Land Rover Defender MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 1997 Land Rover Defender costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1997 Land Rover Defender. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 14
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 14.
Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
Bulletin SFCC-14SEP17 · Equipment · Sep 2017Technical Bulletin: Squeaks & Rattles Kit Availability
Bulletin LTB00389NAS3 · Equipment · Nov 2013"ISSUE: THIS SSM HAS BEEN RELEASED TO ADDRESS THE HIGH NUMBER OF SPEAKER ASSEMBLIES RETURNED, MANY OF WHICH ARE DEEMED AS NO FAULT FOUND. CAUSE: INCORRECT DIAGNOSIS."
Bulletin SSM68378 · Equipment · Sep 2013TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON MULTI-FUNCTIONING UNIT WIRING. *YC
Bulletin 860498NAS · Electrical System · Oct 1998FRONT SWIVEL SEAL REPLACEMENT AND GREASE FILL. *YC
Bulletin 600197 · Structure · Aug 1998SITUATION WITH INCORRECT BOLT USED IN ASSEMBLY. *TT
Bulletin H472 · Aug 1997SUBJECT PERTAINING TO AIR INTAKE HOSE IMPROVEMENTS. *TT
Bulletin 19/05/97/NAS · Fuel System, Gasoline · Jul 1997TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON IMPROVING AIR CONDITIONER RELIABILITY. *TT
Bulletin 80/02/97/NAS · Equipment · Jul 1997TRANSFER GEARBOX OUTPUT SEAL REPLACEMENT. *TW
Bulletin 41/01/97NAS · Power Train · Mar 1997PRIDE - FRONT STUB AXLE SEAL: NEW PART INTRODUCTION. *TW
Bulletin 54/02/96 · Suspension · Dec 1996Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the DEFENDER. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
About the Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is a series of British off-road cars and pickup trucks. They have four-wheel drive, and were developed in the 1980s from the Land Rover series which was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948. Following the 1989 introduction of the Land Rover Discovery, "Land Rover" became the name of a broader marque, no longer the name of a specific model; thus, in 1990, Land Rover renamed them Defender 90, Defender 110 and Defender 130 respectively.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.