2026 Land Rover Defender
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2026 Land Rover Defender is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 97 on record.
2026 Land Rover Defender at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2026 Land Rover Defender recalls 3
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Fix: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driver’s air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 3, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D120.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The fuel tank was improperly manufactured with walls that are too thin.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed June 19, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D127.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket may have an insufficient weld stud.
Fix: Dealers will replace the third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket or the weld-stud on the bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 19, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D098 and D113.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 14 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.
2026 Land Rover Defender MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 12 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2026 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 2026 Land Rover Defender — ranges cover the 4 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 60
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 60.
Diagnostic Trouble Code stored in the Powertrain Control Module(PCM). The DTC may be unable to be cleared and may return to a confirmed status after three drive cycles.
Bulletin SSM76508 - 11SEP26 · Power Train · Oct 2026Accessory Wheel Arch Protection - Gaps Present Between Protection And Vehicle Body
Bulletin SSM76493 - 25SEP26 · Structure · Sep 2026The engine coolant temperature amber warning is not enabled and not displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
Bulletin D089 Defender 18SEP26 · Engine · Sep 2026Jump Start Information Label Missing
Bulletin D048 Defender 18SEP26 · Sep 2026Engine coolant temperature amber warning is not enabled and not displayed on the instrument panel cluster. The engine coolant temperature amber warning gives the vehicle driver more warning and time to react to the engine getting hot. If the engine coolant tem…
Bulletin D089 Defender 21AUG26 · Aug 2026Jump Start Information Label Missing
Bulletin D048 Defender 21AUG26 · Aug 2026TCU Activation Failure And InControl App Inoperative After Software Update
Bulletin SSM76492 - 20AUG26 · Aug 2026Air Conditioning Inoperative / Intermittent Operation
Bulletin SSM76487 - 20AUG26 · Aug 2026Intermittent Passive Entry Operation 24MY Or With New Service Smart Key Fob.
Bulletin SSM76477 - 21JUL26 · Jul 2026Car Configuration File (CCF) Update
Bulletin D089 Defender 17JUL26 · Jul 2026Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the DEFENDER 90 MHEV 4WD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 3
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2026 Land Rover Defender. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the driver-front airbag in the steering wheel could corrode. As a result, the driver-front airbag may not inflate in a crash. Note: This problem would cause the airbag warning light to turn on. Safety Risk: An airbag that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Land Rover will notify o…
Transport Canada #2026292 · Jun 2026Fuel System
Issue: On a small number of vehicles, the fuel tank may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the wall of the fuel tank may be too thin and could leak fuel in a crash. Safety Risk: A fuel leak can create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Land Rover will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the fuel tank.
Transport Canada #2026206 · Apr 2026Seats And Restraints
Issue: On certain vehicles, the brackets that secure the third-row seat belt anchors may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the seat belt(s) could detach in a crash. Safety Risk: A seat belt that detaches in a crash could increase the risk of injury. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, Land Rover recommends that you shouldn't transport passengers in th…
Transport Canada #2026126 · Mar 2026Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
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.
2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles on record
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