NHTSA // SAFETY RECORD
2020 Land Rover Defender Safety Record
The 2020 Land Rover Defender has not been crash-tested by NHTSA, so it carries no Safety Index. Its federal safety record shows 7 recalls and 48 owner complaints on file.
Updated Oct 1, 2026 from NHTSA data · Reviewed by Ivanna Verstliar
CRASH
DATANot crash-tested
The 2020 Land Rover Defender lacks any NHTSA crash-test ratings, leaving its frontal, side, and rollover protection unassessed by federal standards. This absence means the vehicle carries no Safety Index score. The administrative record, however, indicates a Moderate burden band for recalls and complaints. Six distinct recall campaigns have been issued for this model year, addressing components ranging from frontal airbags to engine oil lubrication and general equipment. Additionally, owners have submitted 48 complaints to NHTSA. This data, while not speaking to crash performance, outlines a tangible record of post-purchase issues for potential buyers to consider.
The 2020 Land Rover Defender was not crash-tested by NHTSA, carries a Moderate recall and complaint burden band, and has six federal recall campaigns on record according to NHTSA data.
MotorCaliber Safety Desk // NHTSA data, verified Oct 1, 2026
- shoppers who want the full federal safety picture in one place
| NHTSA crash test | Not crash-tested |
|---|---|
| Recall and complaint burden | Moderate |
| Recalls on file | 7 |
| Owner complaints | 48 (unverified allegations) |
| Data verified | Oct 1, 2026 |
ANALYSISHow safe is the 2020 Land Rover Defender?
A notably broad recall record defines the 2020 Land Rover Defender. Six federal recall campaigns address passive safety hardware in the frontal air bag system, powertrain electrical components within the DC/DC converter, an equipment issue with the raised air intake, engine lubrication, and a documentation error in the owner's manual. This recall activity, combined with 48 consumer-reported complaints, places the model year in a Moderate recall and complaint burden band. The complaints themselves detail a pattern of alleged exterior lighting and electrical system concerns, which together constitute over half of all filings. The record for this model year remains active, with the most recent complaint filed in mid-2026. Without NHTSA-tested sibling years, no supplemental crash-safety reference is available.
NHTSA // RECALLSDoes the 2020 Land Rover Defender have any recalls?
The 2020 Defender's six recall campaigns cover frontal air bags, the electrical propulsion system's DC/DC converter, equipment including the raised air intake, engine oil and lubrication, and an owner's manual that allegedly contained incorrect information. No park-outside or do-not-drive advisory is specified in the data provided, but owners should confirm current remedy status for each campaign through the NHTSA VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER26V599000
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed November 13, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is E008. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 26V248.
Reported 2026-09-17
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL26V389000
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Reported 2026-06-12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER26V248000
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the central software, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's numbers for this recall are D126 and H575.
Reported 2026-04-17
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION23V044000
Risk: 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.
Reported 2023-02-02
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL21V584000
Risk: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Land Rover will mail owners the correct information to insert into the owner's manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 23, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N601.
Reported 2021-07-29
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS21V435000
Risk: Turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility to other drivers and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear light assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 27, 2021. Owners can contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N598.
Reported 2021-06-08
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)21V424000
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The Connected Diagnostic Services (CDS) and the Over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics functionality will be disabled, either by a dealer or through an OTA update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N599.
Reported 2021-06-03
NHTSA // COMPLAINTSWhat do owners report about the 2020 Land Rover Defender?
Forty-eight owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA against the 2020 Land Rover Defender. These are unverified consumer allegations, not established facts. The most frequently alleged problem areas are exterior lighting with 16 reports, followed by the electrical system with 9, engine and steering each with 7, visibility and wipers with 6, and structure with 5. One reported crash, one reported fire, and one reported injury appear in the dataset.
48 owner complaints on file. These are unverified allegations reported to NHTSA.
USED BUYERWhat should used buyers know about the 2020 Land Rover Defender?
Six recall campaigns have been issued for the 2020 Land Rover Defender. Purchasers should verify that all recall-related repairs have been completed on any individual unit before acquisition, using the VIN to confirm recall status at nhtsa.gov.
- The 2020 Land Rover Defender has no NHTSA crash-test score of any kind, meaning shoppers cannot use federal star ratings to evaluate its structural crash performance for this model year.
- Six recall campaigns are on record for this model year, covering frontal air bags, DC/DC converter electrical components, raised air intake equipment, engine oil lubrication, and an owner's manual documentation error, making a VIN-specific recall check at nhtsa.gov essential.
- Exterior lighting accounts for 16 of the 48 unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the single largest complaint category for this model year, followed by electrical system concerns with 9 reports.
- The complaint record for the 2020 Defender includes one alleged crash, one alleged fire, and one alleged injury among the 48 total filings, and the most recent complaint was submitted in 2026, indicating the record for this model year is still receiving new entries.
FAQ2020 Land Rover Defender safety questions
Was the 2020 Land Rover Defender crash-tested by NHTSA?
No. NHTSA has not run a New Car Assessment Program crash test on this configuration, so it carries no Safety Index. Its safety record here is built from 7 recalls and 48 owner complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2020 Land Rover Defender have?
According to NHTSA recall data, 7 vehicle recalls are on file for the 2020 Land Rover Defender. Confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov to see which apply to your car.
How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Land Rover Defender?
According to NHTSA's complaint database, 48 owner complaints are on file for the 2020 Land Rover Defender. These are unverified allegations submitted by owners, not confirmed defects, and include reports involving a crash or a fire.
Cross-check this record against independent expert reviews and the live NHTSA database before you buy.
- DATA Pulled directly from NHTSA: the recallsByVehicle and complaintsByVehicle records for the Land Rover Defender 2020.
- SCORE This configuration was not crash-tested by NHTSA, so it carries no Safety Index. We report its recall and complaint record only.
- EDITED Written by the MotorCaliber Safety Desk and reviewed for accuracy and plain-language clarity by Ivanna Verstliar, Editor, against the source figures on this page.
- VERIFIED Data last synced Oct 1, 2026. Recalls change; confirm your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. See our corrections policy and disclosure.