Home · 2020 Land Rover Defender · Complaints
These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.
5 of 48 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters
2020 Land Rover Defender with air intake snorkel was detached from the vehicle driving down the highway during a windy day. I see that Land Rover has recalled the snorkel for 2023 and 2024 models for that very reason. The recall should include 2020 models as well! I've noticed that there are many Land Rover Defender owners talking about this same issue online.
NHTSA ODI 11634573
Driver's side A Pillar trim came loose at 75 mph on freeway and blew off the side of the car. Also pulled out mounting bolt for A Pillar Trim.
NHTSA ODI 11484723
My front windshield cracked to the point of requiring replacement with neither notice nor reasonable cause (no impact, no crack starting point, besides the bottom edge, no temperature gradients, no pressure applied to the windshield).
NHTSA ODI 11434894
ON THE 2020 LAND ROVER DEFENDER, A KNOWN PROBLEM IS A RATTLING SOUND OF THE PASSENGER SIDE A-PILLAR. LAND ROVER POSTED A BULLETIN ON HOW TO FIX THE ISSUE AND I BROUGHT IT FOR A FIX IN NOVEMBER, BUT THE SOUND PERSISTED. YESTERDAY WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WERE HEAVY CROSS WINDS AND THE A-PILLAR FLEW OFF THE VEHICLE INTO TRAFFIC BUT DID NOT HIT ANYONE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE ENGINEERS NEED TO FIX THIS.
NHTSA ODI 11384926
ON AUGUST 3RD, WHILE DRIVING WEST-SOUTHWEST AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH ON INTERSTATE 90 IN MONTANA, THE A-PILLAR COVER BECAME LOOSE AND THE SMALL COVER AT THE BASE OF THE A PILLAR FLEW FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE MOVING. THE TWO REMAINING PIECES REMAINED ON THE VEHICLE, ONE PIECE BARELY HELD ON BY A SCREW AT THE BASE, THE OTHER HELD ON WITH ABOUT 50% OF THE ADHESIVE STILL INTACT. BOTH WOULD HAVE FLOWN OFF HAD WE NOT IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND REMOVED EACH WITH THE TOOLS I HAD IN THE CAR (PERSONAL TOOLS I HAPPENED TO HAVE WITH ME). THE TWO PIECES THAT REMAINED ON THE CAR WERE APPROXIMATELY 26 INCHES LONG, ONE 5 INCHES WIDE, THE OTHER 3 INCHES WIDE. THE EVENT STARTLED MY WIFE BUT COULD HAVE REALLY IMPACTED A CAR BEHIND US HAD THE TWO PIECES COME OFF. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, I HEARD A LOT OF 'FLUTTERING' NOISE COMING FROM THE A AND / OR B PILLARS. BEING THAT IT WAS A NEW VEHICLE I DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT (ASSUMED IT WAS PART OF NATURAL ROAD NOISE). I WAS PLANNING ADDRESSING IT WITH THE DEALER UPON MY RETURN FROM MY TRIP. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 3.5K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY RISK TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER PASSENGER CARS AROUND THE VEHICLE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT APPEARS THAT THE DESIGN ALLOWS AIR TO GET UNDER THE A PILLAR COVER WHICH CREATES VIBRATION AND ULTIMATELY BREAKS IT LOOSE FROM THE PIECE UNDERNEATH ATTACHED BY ADHESIVE.
NHTSA ODI 11348990
Working with the data? Download all 48 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 20, 2026