The two recalls, in plain terms
Airbag clock spring. Model years 2019 to 2026, part of 23,313 Defender, Discovery and Range Rover SUVs. The clock spring is the coiled connection that keeps the airbag wired up as the steering wheel turns. Its connection may corrode, and the driver's airbag may then fail to deploy in a crash.
Idler pulley. Model years 2024 to 2026, part of 7,152 vehicles. The pulley on the front drive belt can over-rotate and damage the oil pressure and temperature sensor. That can mean an oil leak and a stall while driving.
CarsGuide reported both on 3 July 2026, and Jaguar Land Rover said no related incidents had been reported here. Contact a Land Rover dealer, who does this at no charge. On the new Defender, air suspension is standard on the 110, and the 90 came with coil springs or air. It's dealer work, so sort it before your next service.
Old Defender or new?
| Original Defender | New Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Years | Ended 29 January 2016 | Debuted September 2019 |
| Engines | 2.2-litre diesel from 2012, the first Defender with a diesel particulate filter | 2.0-litre four and 3.0-litre six Ingenium engines, plus the P400e plug-in hybrid |
| Who suits it | A mechanic at home with older 4WDs | A mechanic who works on current Land Rovers |
What's the Defender service schedule?
On a late-model Defender the car decides. Land Rover uses condition-based servicing, so its computer tells you when to visit a workshop. We don't quote months or kilometres here because the handbook and service portfolio set them for your model.
Land Rover's service plans run up to five years, to 102,000 km on most models and 130,000 km on some V8 and high-output versions. An authorised dealer must do plan services. Cars 7 years and older can have Land Rover's Essential Service, which includes an electronic health check and an oil and filter change.
What a Defender's work does to it
Most of a Defender's trouble comes from how it's used, which is why the job list changes after a season of towing, sand or river crossings. Salt and mud get into brakes, bearings and suspension, and tyres take a beating off the bitumen. Tell the mechanic what the Defender's been doing as well as the kilometres. See 4WD servicing.
A diesel particulate filter (the exhaust filter that traps soot) needs a decent run to clean itself. Short suburban trips can leave a late original Defender with a DPF warning light.
Your Defender's warranty
New Defenders carry a 5-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. If a qualified independent mechanic services one to Land Rover's schedule and specifications, that does not by itself void the new car warranty. Land Rover asks that materials meet its engineering specifications, so have them named on the invoice.
Tell us it's a Defender, old or new, the year, and what it's been doing. A local mechanic who specialises in your car.
What you can do between services
You can
- Rinse mud and salt off after a beach or river trip
- Check tyre pressures when they're cold
- Look for fresh oil spots where it parks
- Write down any warning message, with a photo
Leave to the mechanic
- Scan-tool work and service prompts on the new Defender
- Air suspension faults
- Brake inspection after sand or river driving
- Anything on the P400e's high-voltage side
What we'd do with a Defender
Clear the recalls first if it's 2019 or newer, then ask the dealer to confirm in writing that they're done. After that, match the mechanic to the vehicle: an original Defender wants someone who enjoys older 4WDs, and a new one wants someone who works on current Land Rovers and can read what the computer is asking for.