Manufacturer-recommended service intervals for the Service Interval Indicator and open recall alerts for your 2021 Land Rover Defender.
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Land Rover schedules service annually: oil and inspection every 12 months or roughly 16,000 miles, whichever comes first, with the interval message shown in the instrument cluster. The published intervals assume on-road use — Land Rover halves oil and driveline intervals for sustained off-road driving, deep wading, or heavy towing. On air-suspension models (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery), have the compressor, struts, and ride-height sensors inspected at every service; it's far cheaper as a check than as a failure.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
Campaign #21V435000 · Aug 6, 2021
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals, brake lights, and tail lights to fail.
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.
Fix: 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.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
Campaign #21V668000 · Aug 26, 2021
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Risk: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 20, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N630.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Campaign #21V584000 · Jul 29, 2021
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Risk: Incorrect child restraint information may result in a child seat being improperly secured, which can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: 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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Campaign #21V424000 · Mar 6, 2021
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an engine stall with no warning.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
SEATS
Campaign #21V499000 · Jan 7, 2021
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Defender 90 vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable front seats. The front seat track end-stop bracket may become deformed, which could prevent the seat from locking into place.
Risk: A seat that is not properly locked into place can move unintentionally during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front seat tracks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N609.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION
Campaign #23V044000 · Feb 2, 2023
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
EQUIPMENT
Campaign #24E102000 · Jun 12, 2024
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured properly, which can allow the intake to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, remove and reinstall the RAI accessory, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 20, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N964.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:DC/DC CONVERTER
Campaign #26V248000 · Apr 17, 2026
Issue: Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Jaguar F-Pace, and 2021-2022 Jaguar E-Pace mild-hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs.) The DC-DC converter can fail due to an internal fault in the boost control microchip. A failure of the DC-DC converter will result in a loss of 12-Volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: The remedy for this recall is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 17, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the 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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Campaign #26V389000 · Dec 6, 2026
Issue: 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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driver’s air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed August 7, 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 D120.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace oil and filter every 12 months or about 16,000 miles, whichever comes first, using the JLR-spec oil grade for your engine. Off-road use, wading, or towing: halve the interval per Land Rover's own severe-service guidance.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 8,000 miles. Full-time AWD punishes mismatched tread depth — replace tires in sets of four on Range Rover and Discovery models.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and wear sensors at every annual service. Heavy curb weight means Range Rover Sport pads wear faster than sedan owners expect.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 4 fluid every 2 years regardless of mileage — sooner if the vehicle wades regularly, since moisture ingress is the failure mode.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
At every annual service: check air springs for cracking, compressor operation, ride-height calibration, and underbody/driveline condition. Off-road-driven vehicles: also inspect skid plates and breather lines.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free with any paid service. A flashlight and 10 minutes covers the basics yourself.
Replace transfer case fluid around 60,000 miles — sooner with regular towing or off-road use. The active transfer case on Range Rover Sport and Discovery is sensitive to degraded fluid.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$105–$140
Shop
~$75–$100
DIY
~$15–$40
AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.
Replace front and rear differential fluid around 60,000 miles; halve that for wading or towing. Models with the active rear locking differential use a specific fluid — no substitutes.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.
The ZF 8-speed is marketed as lifetime fill; ZF itself recommends fluid and pan service around 60,000-100,000 miles. Independent JLR specialists lean toward 60,000 for towing and off-road vehicles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Replace every 30,000 miles on-road; inspect at every service if the vehicle sees dust, gravel, or trail use.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace at every annual service. Most JLR models locate it behind the glovebox; some Range Rover models have twin filters.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
JLR long-life coolant is scheduled for roughly 10 years; independent specialists suggest refreshing around 100,000 miles, using only JLR-spec coolant.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2021 Land Rover Defender.
No common issues reported to NHTSA for the 2021 Land Rover Defender. That doesn't mean nothing can go wrong — just that the federal complaint database doesn't flag a pattern.
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Jul 21, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Jul 21, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2021 Land Rover Defender reflects Land Rover's published service intervals and the Service Interval Indicator system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.