Land Rover Class Action Summary
- Who filed it: Robert Sumrell v. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, filed July 9, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- Case number: 2:26-cv-08452
- Who is affected: 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2019-2024 Range Rover Sport, 2021-2024 Range Rover Velar, 2020-2023 Range Rover Evoque, 2021-2024 Discovery, 2020-2024 Defender, and 2020 Discovery Sport owners and lessees nationwide, with an alternative Illinois subclass
- What is the defect/issue: A defective DC-DC converter, the component that steps down power from the vehicle’s 48-volt mild-hybrid battery to the conventional 12-volt electrical system, can fail and cause a complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting while driving
- Litigation status: Newly filed complaint as of July 9, 2026. No class certification or settlement yet, and no claim deadline exists.
- Think you have this issue? Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation | California owners: your individual claim may be worth more than a class payout
What does the lawsuit claim?
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, the U.S. distributor of Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles (referred to as “Land Rover” throughout the complaint), is the defendant in a new class action lawsuit filed by Illinois resident Robert Sumrell. According to the complaint, Land Rover sold or leased mild-hybrid electric vehicles equipped with a defective DC-DC converter, the component that steps down power from the vehicle’s 48-volt mild-hybrid battery system to the conventional 12-volt system that runs the headlights, infotainment screen, power steering assist and other essential electronics.
The lawsuit alleges an internal fault in the converter’s boost control microchip (the circuitry that regulates how the converter switches between voltage levels) can cause the converter to fail. When that happens, the complaint says, the 12-volt battery drains rapidly, which can trigger a complete loss of drive power and the failure of the vehicle’s exterior lighting while it is being driven.
The complaint alleges Land Rover knew about the defect for years, pointing to internal complaints and warranty claims dating back to 2019, before the company issued a recall in April 2026. Even with the recall underway, the lawsuit claims Land Rover has not offered a repair, telling owners only that a fix is “currently under development.”
Plaintiff Sumrell alleges he purchased a used 2023 Range Rover Velar in May 2026 and soon began experiencing power system failures, unexplained dashboard warning lights, and malfunctioning low-voltage electronics. The lawsuit brings claims for violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, along with breach of express and implied warranty, and seeks damages, restitution and injunctive relief on behalf of himself and the proposed class, as alleged in the complaint.
Sources: ClassAction.org | Complaint, Sumrell v. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, No. 2:26-cv-08452 (D.N.J.) | NHTSA Recall 26V248
Who is covered by this lawsuit?
The lawsuit seeks to represent a nationwide class of all persons in the United States who purchased or leased a covered vehicle, with an alternative Illinois subclass if the nationwide class is not certified. The complaint defines a covered vehicle as any of the following:
- 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover
- 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar
- 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
- 2021-2024 Land Rover Discovery
- 2020-2024 Land Rover Defender
- 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport
The number of vehicles or class members covered by this specific lawsuit has not yet been confirmed. For context, Land Rover’s April 2026 recall for the same DC-DC converter defect, NHTSA Campaign 26V248, covers a potential 170,169 vehicles nationwide across this same group of models, plus certain Jaguar E-Pace and F-Pace models that are not named as proposed class vehicles in this complaint.
What happens next in this case?
This is a newly filed complaint. There is no class certification or settlement yet. Cases like this often take a year or more to reach that stage, if they get there at all. Consumers wanting a general primer can read how class action lawsuits work, which walks through the stages from filing to eventual distribution.
For questions about your legal rights and whether an individual claim may serve you better than this class action, contact The Margarian Law Firm.
Could your individual claim be worth more than this class action?
Class actions exist to give large groups of consumers a path to compensation when an individual loss might otherwise be too small to litigate alone. That does not mean the eventual class payout is the best outcome for every affected owner.
This case has not reached a settlement, and it may be a year or more before it does, if it gets there at all. If you have already experienced sudden power loss, dashboard warning lights, or exterior lighting failure in your Land Rover or Range Rover, and paid out of pocket for repairs or been told a fix is not yet available, you do not have to wait on this lawsuit to find out where you stand. A California lemon law claim moves on its own timeline and is based on your specific vehicle and repair history, not a class-wide average.
Reach out to The Margarian Law Firm to discuss your specific situation.
If you receive a class action notice in this case, you generally have three options: stay in, opt out, or object, and the deadlines in that notice are firm. You can read more about joining or opting out of a class action before deciding.
Does your situation qualify? A quick self-check
- Have you experienced sudden power loss, dashboard warning lights, or exterior lighting failure with your Land Rover or Range Rover?
- Have you taken your vehicle to the dealer for this issue without a lasting fix?
- Did you pay out of pocket for repairs, or were you told no repair is currently available?
- Is your vehicle still within the manufacturer’s warranty period?
- Are you a California resident, or did you purchase or lease the vehicle in California?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be entitled to compensation under California’s lemon law, potentially more than this class action would pay. Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation.
If your vehicle qualifies, California law requires the manufacturer to pay your attorney fees, meaning representation typically costs you nothing out of pocket.
See what California’s lemon law actually covers and how a lemon law buyback works for more on what an individual claim could recover.
Get a free, honest case assessment
California Land Rover or Range Rover owner?
A class action lawsuit over the DC-DC converter power loss defect is moving through the courts, but it has not been certified or settled, and there is no guarantee it ever will be. If you have already experienced sudden power loss, dashboard warning lights, or exterior lighting failure, and paid for repairs or been told no fix is available yet, The Margarian Law Firm can evaluate your situation now, without waiting on this lawsuit’s timeline.
Our firm practices exclusively in California automotive consumer law, including lemon law, dealer fraud, and automotive class actions. That exclusive focus means deeper case knowledge, greater litigation resources, and a track record built entirely on cases like yours.
Frequently asked questions
1- Is my Land Rover or Range Rover included in this class action?
The lawsuit covers 2020-2024 Range Rover, 2019-2024 Range Rover Sport, 2021-2024 Range Rover Velar, 2020-2023 Range Rover Evoque, 2021-2024 Discovery, 2020-2024 Defender, and 2020 Discovery Sport vehicles equipped with the mild-hybrid DC-DC converter at issue. If your vehicle falls in one of those model years, it may fit the proposed class definition, though that has not yet been certified by a court.
2- What does this lawsuit allege exactly?
The complaint alleges Land Rover sold vehicles with a defective DC-DC converter that can fail and cause a complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting while driving, and that Land Rover knew about the problem for years before issuing a recall in April 2026 without yet offering a repair.
3- Do I have to do anything to join the class action?
Generally, no. As explained in the class action FAQ, most class members are included automatically if their vehicle fits the class definition, unless the case reaches a stage where a claim form is required. Right now, this case is too early for any claim form to exist.
4- Should I wait for the class action to resolve, or talk to an attorney now?
You are not required to wait. If you have already experienced this defect and have repair records or a warranty denial, having your situation reviewed now, rather than waiting on a class action that may take a year or more to resolve, can help you understand your options sooner.
5- Can I still file an individual lemon law claim if I am part of this class?
Being a class member does not automatically prevent you from evaluating an individual claim before any settlement is reached. Once a settlement is proposed, you may need to decide between staying in the class or pursuing your own case, a decision worth discussing with an attorney.
6- What is the difference between a class action payout and a lemon law claim?
A class action settlement fund, once one exists, is typically divided among a large group of class members. A California lemon law claim is evaluated individually and, under the lemon law buyback framework, may cover your full purchase price, related costs, and attorney fees paid separately by the manufacturer.
7- When will this case be resolved?
There is no way to know yet. The case has only just been filed, and it has not reached class certification, let alone a settlement. Cases at this stage can take a year or more to progress, if they progress at all.
8- How much could a settlement pay me?
No settlement exists yet, so no payout figures, fund amounts, or claim deadlines have been established for this case. Those numbers only become available if and when the case reaches a settlement.
Legal Disclaimer
The information in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its individual merits, and outcomes vary based on the manufacturer, the defect, repair history, and other factors. Attorney fees in qualifying lemon law cases are paid separately by the manufacturer upon a successful outcome under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Contacting The Margarian Law Firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Official sources and further reading
- ClassAction.org article: Class Action Lawsuit Claims Certain Hybrid Land Rover, Range Rover SUVs Equipped with Defective Converters
- Complaint: Sumrell v. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, No. 2:26-cv-08452 (D.N.J.)
- NHTSA Recall 26V248 acknowledgment letter
- Other outlets: Reuters, Car and Driver, WardsAuto (not independently fetched this session; see ClassAction.org article for citations)