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Land Rover Defender VIN Number Check

A free NHTSA vPIC decode tells you which Land Rover Defender you are looking at. Then check its model year against 20 NHTSA recall campaigns and what owners have reported.

VIN prefixSAL

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

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Land Rover Defender

About the Land Rover Defender

Land Rover has sold the Defender in the US since the 1993 model year. Across those years NHTSA lists 20 vehicle recall campaigns and 315 owner complaints. The 2023 has the most complaints of any model year (82). EPA rates it at 10–20 mpg combined. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years1993–2026
EPA classStandard Sport Utility Vehicle
NHTSA recall campaigns20
Owner complaints315 at NHTSA
Land Rover Defender photographed at a US vehicle auction
Auction lot photo, for illustration
Generations

Land Rover Defender at a glance

One generation in the data, 1993–2026: 20 NHTSA recall campaigns and 315 owner complaints.

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Defender
1993–2026Standard Sport Utility Vehicle
Land Rover Defender (1993–2026)

Photo: OSX, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

1993200020052010201520202025
1993–2026

Land Rover Defender

EPA classStandard Sport Utility Vehicle
EPA combined mpg10–20
NHTSA recalls20

Engines (EPA)

  • 3.9 L 8-cyl · 1993–1995
  • 4.0 L 8-cyl · 1997
  • 2.0 L 4-cyl (turbo) · 2020–2026
  • 3.0 L 6-cyl (turbo, mild hybrid) · 2020–2021
  • 3.0 L 6-cyl (turbo, supercharged, mild hybrid) · 2022–2026
  • 5.0 L 8-cyl (supercharged) · 2022–2026
  • 4.4 L 8-cyl (turbo, mild hybrid) · 2025–2026

Drive & transmission (EPA)

  • AWD/4WD
  • manual (1993–1995), automatic (1997, 2020–2026)

Known issues to check

Electrical system (103)Exterior lighting (60)Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (57)3 high-risk recall campaigns

Mentions in 315 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · DefenderSALEP7RU?N2······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 SE, built in Nitra, Slovakia
Check a Defender VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which Defender model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 20 campaigns on file for Defender model years 1993–2026, and the 2021 and 2023 show up in the most (9 each). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

2023
Air bag inflator, fire risk or do-not-drive/park-outside advisorySafety recallCanada only
Pick a row
What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Land Rover Defender owners report

NHTSA data

Between them, the 2023 and 2022 hold 157 of the 315 complaints, or 50%. Tap any bar or generation.

315NHTSA complaints, 1993–2026
3mention a crash
5mention a fire
2injuries reported
Owner complaints by model yearDefender: 315 complaints · most for the 2023 (82)

Top complaint areas · Defender

Mentions in 315 complaints, 1993–2026.

Electrical system103
Exterior lighting60
Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)57
Engine and cooling41
Steering26
Powertrain (transmission, driveline)22
Crashes 3Fires 5Injuries 2

1993–2026

NHTSA data summary

The 2023 is the outlier. On its own it has 82 of the ’s 315 complaints (26%), more than any other Defender model year, and owners across the generation name electrical system most often (103 mentions), then exterior lighting (60).

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner complaints · by model year

Defender complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Hybrid Defender versions count alongside gas ones. Tap a year to see its top systems.

315complaints, 1993–2026
3mention a crash
5mention a fire
2injuries reported
Most complaints: 2023 (82), 2022 (75), 2020 (55)
’9555’2075’2282’23’25

2023 · 82 complaints

Crashes 0 · fires 0 · injuries 0

Electrical system39
Visibility/wiper14
Engine12
Exterior lighting7
Power train7

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

Defender CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 58 Defender versions for model years 1993–2026 (gas and hybrid). The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 444 g/mi, for the 2023 hybrid. Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

Defender1993–2026

10–20 mpg · CO₂ 444–889 g/mi

2025
19combined MPG
465CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)
$4,350EPA yearly fuel cost
6/10Smog rating
1 = worst · 10 = cleanest
4/10Greenhouse gas rating
California LEV-III SULEV30 · Federal Tier 3 Bin 30Emission standard
Cleanest gas version of 2025: 90 · Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo — 19 MPG · 465 g/mi
Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year
35050065080095019952000200520102015202020251993 · Gas: 8891994 · Gas: 6841995 · Gas: 6841997 · Gas: 6842020 · Gas: 4662021 · Gas: 4662022 · Gas: 4662023 · Gas: 4652024 · Gas: 4652025 · Gas: 4652026 · Gas: 4522020 · Hybrid: 4622021 · Hybrid: 4622022 · Hybrid: 4622023 · Hybrid: 4442024 · Hybrid: 4532025 · Hybrid: 4682026 · Hybrid: 448
GasHybrid

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

Defender vs Jeep Wrangler vs Ford Bronco

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 1993–2026. NHTSA lists 20 recall campaigns for the Defender, against 89 for the Jeep Wrangler and 56 for the Ford Bronco. Pick a range to compare.

Land Rover Defender

Model years 1993–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns
20
NHTSA owner complaints
315
EPA combined mpg
10–20
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.0 L · 8-cyl 3.9–5.0 L
Also listed
turbo, mild hybrid, supercharged
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Electrical system 103
  2. Exterior lighting 60
  3. Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) 57

Jeep Wrangler

Model years 1993–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns
89
NHTSA owner complaints
18,347
EPA combined mpg
14–25
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0, 2.4, 2.5 L · 6-cyl 3.0–4.0 L · 8-cyl 6.4 L
Also listed
turbo, mild hybrid, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Steering 3,900
  2. Electrical system 3,549
  3. Fuel system 3,266

Ford Bronco

Model years 1993–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns
56
NHTSA owner complaints
1,286
EPA combined mpg
12–21
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.3 L · 6-cyl 2.7, 3.0 L · 8-cyl 5.0, 5.8 L
Also listed
turbo
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Brakes 207
  2. Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) 201
  3. Engine and cooling 175

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Land Rover Defender VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on a Defender

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Silver Land Rover Defender (second generation) SUV, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The Defender's body-on-frame construction places the VIN at the lower driver's windshield, on the door jamb sticker, and on the chassis frame near the front crossmember. The engine bay firewall also carries a stamp. Modern Defender (2020+) is vastly different from prior-generation models, the VIN decode will confirm the chassis generation. Pre-2020 Defender imports from the UK or Africa sometimes carry non-US VIN formats that don't decode in standard American databases.

  1. Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
    Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
  2. Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
    Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge
The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.
FAQ

Common Land Rover Defender VIN questions

Which Land Rover Defender model years have the most owner complaints?

The 2023 leads with 82, ahead of the 2022 (75) and 2020 (55). Those first two alone make up 50% of the 315 Defender complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Land Rover Defender had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 20 vehicle campaigns for model years 1993–2026, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns.

Which Land Rover Defender recalls are high risk?

NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 23V-044, 24V-450 and 26V-263. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.

What fuel economy does the Land Rover Defender get?

It varies. EPA rates the 1993–2026 Defender at 10–20 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Land Rover Defender compare with the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco on recalls?

For 1993–2026 models the Defender has 20 NHTSA recall campaigns. The Jeep Wrangler has 89, the Ford Bronco 56. Complaints run 315, 18,347 and 1,286 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

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