- Land Rover is recalling the Defender, Discovery, and Range Rover.
- The SUVs have an issue that could prevent airbag deployment.
- Over 250,000 vehicles are impacted and the solution is lubricant gel.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has formally announced the recall that has plunged Land Rover into crisis thanks to a stop sale order. It impacts 250,857 vehicles including the 2020-2026 Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover.
According to the government, the vehicles have a driver’s airbag clockspring connector that can corrode. This can cause the airbag to deploy improperly or not at all.
More: Land Rover Defender Facelift Will Usher In New Four-Seat Version
In August of 2025, Land Rover noticed an increase in warranty claims related to airbag warning lights. This sparked an investigation, which eventually found oxides on the pins of some returned clockspring connectors. The company also found fretting corrosion and determined this can “lead to an increased resistance in the driver’s airbag circuit, potentially resulting in the airbag failing to deploy when requested to do so.”
The company hasn’t received any reports of non-deployment in the United States and an engineering analysis suggests the airbag warning light will illuminate at least 300 – 400 miles (483 – 644 km) before a potential non-deployment. That’s a sizable heads up and drivers should heed that warning.
Interestingly, the fix is a dab of lubricant gel that will protect the airbag connector terminals. Despite sounding simple, there’s no dealer-level remedy at the moment so owners will receive an initial notification letter in August. When the lube is available, another letter will go out.
