2020–2025 Range Rover Evoque: airbag, backup camera & power loss recalls — some with no fix yet. California owners may qualify for a full lemon law buyback.
The second-generation Range Rover Evoque (platform L551, 2020–2026) promised a smaller, more urban-friendly Land Rover at a price point — $46,000 to $60,000 — that put it within reach of a wider audience than the flagship Range Rover. For many California buyers, the reality has been a troubling string of safety recalls: backup cameras that fail or fill with water, an airbag that can tear during deployment, mild-hybrid electrical systems that cut charging or kill drive power, and a touchscreen that goes dark every time you start the car. Some 2023 Evoque owners find themselves covered by two separate rearview camera recalls at the same time. If your Evoque has been back to the dealer repeatedly or has an open recall with no remedy, California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act may give you the right to a full refund or replacement at Land Rover's expense.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Battery warning light on instrument cluster; burning smell or smoke entering passenger compartment from DCDC converter vent; possible vehicle fire while parked or driving
Vehicle displays 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' warning; within minutes loses drive power and exterior lights go dark; battery warning illuminates; car becomes undriveable
No owner-visible symptom until crash; in a collision the passenger airbag tears, reducing occupant protection and releasing hot gases that can burn front passengers
3D surround camera image disappears from screen; rearview camera image not shown when reversing; camera system goes offline after extended driving
Center console touchscreen is completely blank when the vehicle first starts; rearview camera does not display when reversing; screen may recover after a minute or reboot
Backup camera image does not appear when shifting into reverse; image displays but is distorted, blurry, or partially obscured; water visible inside camera lens
A settled Margarian Law case on this exact model, published with the actual settlement math.
Open any defect for the symptoms and why it matters for a California lemon-law claim. Each is tied to a cited NHTSA source.
Vehicle displays 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' warning; within minutes loses drive power and exterior lights go dark; battery warning illuminates; car becomes undriveable
Safety-classified recall with no remedy available; sudden loss of propulsion and lighting while driving creates substantial impairment; 2,994 Evoque units affected; prior SSM76173 service action did not resolve root cause for all vehicles
Remedy under development as of April 2026; interim owner notification letters expected June 12, 2026; dealers will eventually replace or reprogram converter
Battery warning light on instrument cluster; burning smell or smoke entering passenger compartment from DCDC converter vent; possible vehicle fire while parked or driving
Fire-risk recall with safety-severity classification; software-only remedy for a hardware failure later proven inadequate (see iss-01); repeat repair attempts on same system strengthen lemon-law claim for 2020 MHEV owners
Software update to mitigate overload condition; no charge to owner; Land Rover advised owners to park outside away from buildings until repaired
No owner-visible symptom until crash; in a collision the passenger airbag tears, reducing occupant protection and releasing hot gases that can burn front passengers
100% of production within build-date range recalled; latent safety defect discovered via internal testing 2023; airbag system is a core safety system — inability to drive without a functional airbag module during repair backlog may constitute substantial impairment
Dealers replace passenger airbag module and associated components at no charge; owner notification began August 29, 2025
3D surround camera image disappears from screen; rearview camera image not shown when reversing; camera system goes offline after extended driving
FMVSS 111 rear-visibility compliance failure; occurs after extended driving so defect may recur repeatedly; camera loss while backing increases crash risk and constitutes a safety-related substantial impairment
NFSM module replaced by dealer at no charge; owner notification October 24, 2024
Center console touchscreen is completely blank when the vehicle first starts; rearview camera does not display when reversing; screen may recover after a minute or reboot
FMVSS 111 non-compliance; recurring blank screen at every startup may require multiple dealer visits if SOTA fails; infotainment failures in luxury-class vehicles can also support lemon-law diminished-use arguments when screen controls HVAC, navigation, and all camera feeds
Over-the-air (SOTA) software update to release S028 4.3.0 applied at dealer or pushed OTA at no charge; owner notification March 3, 2025
Backup camera image does not appear when shifting into reverse; image displays but is distorted, blurry, or partially obscured; water visible inside camera lens
FMVSS 111 rear-visibility non-compliance; 3,818 units affected; combined with iss-05 (blank touchscreen also on 2023 Evoque), some owners may have two separate rearview camera failures, strengthening repeat-repair arguments
Dealer replaces rearview camera assembly at no charge; dealer notifications October 9, 2025; interim owner letters expected November 21, 2025
No-start or very weak start after overnight park; battery warning on cluster; 'Electric Charging Fault' or 'Stop Safely' messages on first cold start; mild hybrid system inoperative
Persistent startup failures requiring multiple dealer visits for successive SGCM software revisions (N846, N846v2, multiple 2024 updates) may satisfy the repair-attempt threshold; BISG failsafe leaves vehicle in degraded mode and is related to the broader 48V MHEV reliability pattern already subject to recalls (iss-01, iss-02)
SGCM software update via dealer service action N846 (multiple revisions through 2024); no charge to owner
12-volt charging warning; 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' or similar dashboard message; sudden loss of drive power while driving; exterior lights go out; vehicle fails to keep 12-volt system charged at start-up
Open recall with no final remedy: a mild-hybrid vehicle that can lose all drive power and exterior lighting without warning presents a strong substantial-impairment argument under Song-Beverly. Because this is the second DC-DC converter campaign on this vehicle line in five months (26V248 in April 2026, 26V599 in September 2026), a California owner with prior converter or 12-volt charging complaints, repeat dealer visits, or extended out-of-service time while awaiting a remedy has a well-documented repair-attempt record; each visit for the same power-loss condition counts toward the reasonable-number-of-attempts threshold.
Software update (load balancing, start-up stability fix, protective limp-home mode); final remedy not yet available as of Sep 30, 2026, interim letters expected November 13, 2026
open
The DC-DC converter may malfunction due to an electrical overload during high power demand, and a software error can cause the converter to stop functioning at vehicle start-up. Failure of the DC-DC converter results in loss of 12-volt system charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting. Companion campaign to 26V248: covers later-specification (phase 2) MHEV DC-DC converters and excludes vehicles already in recalls D126/H575.
open
DC-DC converter can fail due to internal fault in the boost control microchip (LG Innotek, Poland facility), causing loss of 12V system charging, loss of motive power, and loss of exterior lighting within seconds of failure.
open
Rearview camera housing seal allows water ingress, causing camera image to not display or to display a distorted image.
open
Improper folding of passenger airbag cushion during assembly causes structural variability; airbag may tear upon deployment.
closed
Clock timing code mismatch in IDMA touchscreen software causes display to go blank at vehicle startup, preventing rearview camera image from displaying.
closed
Missing thermal interface material in the Near Field Sensing Module (NFSM) causes temperature differential between chips, triggering module reset and disabling 3D surround/rearview camera output.
closed
Electrical overload in 48V system may cause MOSFET failure in Yazaki DC-DC converter, creating a short where the 12V circuit shorts to ground; in the presence of sufficient oxygen a vehicle fire may occur.
Every item below comes from this vehicle's documented defects. The more you recognize, the more a free case review is worth your time.
California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) requires manufacturers and their authorized dealers to repair defects that substantially impair a vehicle's use, value, or safety. If they cannot fix the problem within a reasonable number of attempts, you may be entitled to:
California law presumes the threshold is met when the same defect has required repair four or more times (or two or more times for a defect that could cause death or serious injury), or when the vehicle has been out of service for more than 30 cumulative days during the warranty period.
Under Song-Beverly, if you win your case, Land Rover must pay your attorney fees. Most California lemon law attorneys work on a contingency basis with no upfront cost to you.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your specific facts determine your eligibility.
“Could not duplicate” doesn't mean the defect isn't real. Here's exactly what to do to protect a potential California lemon-law claim.
Document the moment it happens. Photos, video, and screenshots of any warning lights — with the date and the mileage.
Get a repair order every visit — even “found nothing.” That paperwork is the foundation of a claim.
Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Note any recall that has no available remedy yet.
Track your out-of-service days. California law counts the cumulative days your vehicle spends in the shop.
Keep loaner & rental records. Alternate-transport paperwork during long repairs matters.
Save everything in one place. Symptoms, dates, repair orders, and every repeat visit — the intermittent ones especially.
If the dealer writes 'cannot duplicate' on your repair order, you still have options. Here is what to do before, during, and after every dealer visit:
Before you drop off the car: take a short video of any warning lights, error messages, or the blank touchscreen. Record the exact conditions — cold start vs. warm, how long you had been driving, the outside temperature. For camera issues, record the screen showing the camera is not working while the car is in reverse.
At the service counter: describe the complaint in specific, documented terms. Ask the service writer to check for all applicable recalls by VIN — for a 2023 Evoque, that means Recalls 25V016, 25V645, 26V248, and 25V454 all apply to the same model year. Request a written code readout before any repair or reset is done.
If the technician cannot reproduce the issue: ask that the repair order be written as 'customer states [your exact complaint]; no fault found at this time.' Do NOT let them write 'vehicle operates normally.' Get your copy before leaving.
After the visit: file the repair order with your other paperwork. Each visit — even a 'no fault found' outcome — counts as a repair attempt under California law when it is for the same recurring complaint. Four or more attempts on the same defect, or two attempts for a safety-critical defect, may trigger Song-Beverly eligibility.
A $50,000 crossover with two overlapping rearview camera recalls and a passenger airbag that can tear on impact is not delivering what the buyer paid for. The 2023 Evoque is in a particularly difficult position: two separate federal recalls simultaneously disable the backup camera, one of which (25V645, the water ingress recall) still had no finalized remedy as of late 2025. Add the open DC-DC converter recall (26V248) with no fix available for the MHEV powertrain, and 2020–2023 MHEV Evoque owners are driving a vehicle with an active safety defect and no repair date in sight. California Evoque owners who have been to the dealer multiple times for any of these issues should treat each repair order as a legal document — because it is.
— The Margarian Law team
If your Evoque's camera keeps failing, your electrical system throws warnings on cold starts, or you've been back to the dealer for the same problem without a lasting fix — you may be entitled to a full refund or replacement under California's lemon law. Land Rover pays the legal fees if you qualify. Start by gathering your repair orders.
Yes — and 2023 Evoque owners may be subject to two separate rearview camera recalls at the same time. Recall 25V016 (JLR number N972, issued January 2025) covers 2023 Evoque vehicles where a software bug causes the entire touchscreen to go blank at startup, disabling the backup camera in violation of federal safety standard FMVSS 111. The remedy is a free software update. Separately, Recall 25V645 (JLR number D053, issued October 2025) covers 3,818 Evoque units built March 3, 2022 through March 7, 2023 for water ingress into the rearview camera housing that causes the image to disappear or appear distorted; the remedy is camera replacement. Additionally, Recall 24V678 (JLR number N927) covers 2024 Evoque units with the 3D Surround Camera option for a Near Field Sensing Module overheating defect that disables the camera after extended driving. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm which recall(s) apply to your vehicle.
Yes. NHTSA Recall 25V454 (JLR number N945, issued July 7, 2025) covers approximately 21,000 Range Rover Evoque units in the United States, model years 2021–2025, built between July 10, 2020 and October 7, 2024. The passenger airbag cushion was improperly folded during assembly at Land Rover's Halewood plant; in a collision, the airbag may tear rather than inflate correctly, reducing occupant protection and potentially releasing hot gases toward front passengers. Dealers replace the passenger airbag module at no charge. Owner notifications began August 29, 2025. If you have not yet received a recall notice or had this repair performed, contact your Land Rover dealer with your VIN.
Yes, and it is the subject of an open federal recall with no fix yet available. NHTSA Recall 26V248 (issued April 2026, JLR recall numbers D126 and H575) covers 2,994 Range Rover Evoque MHEV units built October 5, 2018 through March 10, 2023 (model years 2020–2023). The DC-DC converter's boost-control microchip can fail, cutting off 12-volt charging and — within seconds of a dashboard warning appearing — eliminating drive power and exterior lighting entirely. The owner warning letter was mailed starting June 2026; no repair has been defined as of that date. If your Evoque MHEV displays 'Stop Safely — Electrical Fault Detected' or loses drive power, stop the vehicle safely, do not restart it, and call for a tow. JLR had more than 6,000 warranty claims for DC-DC converter failures across the fleet before issuing this recall.
It may. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, a Range Rover Evoque can qualify as a lemon if it has a defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety and the manufacturer or dealer has been unable to fix the problem within a reasonable number of attempts during the warranty period. California law presumes the threshold is reached when the same defect requires four or more repair attempts (or two for a safety defect that could cause death or serious injury), or when the vehicle has been out of service for a total of more than 30 days. For Evoque owners, the combination of multiple overlapping open recalls — particularly if one involves the same system failing repeatedly (backup camera, MHEV electrical) — can support a strong Song-Beverly claim. Every repair order, including 'no fault found' outcomes, counts. If you win your case, Land Rover is required to pay your attorney fees.
This is a known defect covered by NHTSA Recall 25V016 (JLR recall number N972). A clock timing code mismatch in the IDMA touchscreen software causes the center display to fail completely on startup. Because the touchscreen controls the rearview camera feed, a blank screen also means you have no backup camera image when reversing — a federal safety violation under FMVSS 111. The remedy is a free software update (release S028 4.3.0), which can be applied at the dealer or, for eligible vehicles, pushed over-the-air. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. If your touchscreen continues to go blank after the update has been applied, document each occurrence as a separate repair attempt and ask the dealer to escalate to a JLR field technical specialist.
It could be either of two separate MHEV electrical defects. If the warning appears on first startup and the car recovers once warmed up, the most likely culprit is the Belt Integrated Starter Generator (BISG) entering failsafe mode — a software bug addressed by JLR Service Action N846 and its subsequent revisions (N846v2 and later updates through 2024). This applies to 2023–2024 MHEV Evoque and is resolved by a Starter Generator Control Module (SGCM) software update at no charge. If the warning appears while you are driving and the car progressively loses power and lighting, that is more consistent with the DC-DC converter defect covered by open Recall 26V248 — a more serious safety event. Both conditions require a dealer visit. Bring repair orders for every visit: if the BISG fix requires multiple software revisions across multiple appointments, those visits may contribute to a California lemon law claim.
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