2023-2026 Range Rover Sport: open DC-DC converter recall with no remedy yet. Find out if your vehicle qualifies under California lemon law.
The third-generation Range Rover Sport (L461) launched for 2023 as Land Rover's most technologically ambitious Sport yet — a Pivi Pro touchscreen running connected services, 48V mild-hybrid power on every gas variant, Electronic Air Suspension with 48V active roll control, and available 3D Surround Camera. Owners paid $85,000 and up expecting the engineering to match the showroom promise. For many it has — but a meaningful subset have found their Sport dead on the highway, stuck at the dealer waiting for parts that took months to arrive, or staring at a black Pivi Pro screen on day one. Five separate NHTSA recalls have been issued against the 2023-2025 model years, two of them for engine fire risk, and one — recall 26V248 — for a DC-DC converter defect that can kill drive power and exterior lighting simultaneously while the vehicle is moving. As of June 2026, the remedy for 26V248 is still under development, leaving 61,616 Range Rover Sports (2019-2024 MHEV) without a fix. California's Song-Beverly Act was written for exactly this kind of situation.
The issues owners report most, ranked by severity — each one verified against a cited NHTSA source.
Dashboard warning 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' illuminates suddenly; vehicle progressively loses Lane Keep Assist, then suspension control, then traction control; engine power cuts entirely and vehicle coasts to a stop; exterior lights go dark; 12V battery no longer charges.
Suspension warning lamp lights up with message 'Stop safely and switch off – suspension fault detected' on the instrument cluster; vehicle may be restricted to normal ride height only; DTC U3000-49 stored in EESM module. Fault often appears within the first 2,000–5,000 km.
Second-row center seat belt buckle does not click/latch securely; tongue inserts without resistance or pops out; rear center seat occupant cannot be properly restrained.
Oil puddle or drips beneath vehicle; burning oil smell from engine bay; oil warning light; visible cracking or seeping at the oil filter housing; smoke from engine compartment in severe cases.
Oil leak from engine; burning oil smell; oil visible on driveway or underside; oil warning light; potential oil consumption increase; smoke from engine bay in severe cases.
Pivi Pro touchscreen goes black or freezes; connected services (Spotify, Apple Music, Connected Nav, Weather, Parking apps) fail to function; screen unresponsive at startup; intermittent reboots required; hard reset (15-20 min key-out) needed to restore function.
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.
Dashboard warning 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' illuminates suddenly; vehicle progressively loses Lane Keep Assist, then suspension control, then traction control; engine power cuts entirely and vehicle coasts to a stop; exterior lights go dark; 12V battery no longer charges.
Loss of drive power and exterior lighting while underway is a safety-critical, recurring defect. With 61,616 Range Rover Sports affected (2019-2024 MHEV) and no remedy finalized as of June 2026, repeat repair attempts and/or extended out-of-service periods are highly probable, supporting a California lemon-law claim.
Replace DC-DC converter and associated harness. Remedy for recall 26V248 still under development as of June 2026; interim: owners advised of symptoms and instructed to stop driving if warning appears.
Suspension warning lamp lights up with message 'Stop safely and switch off – suspension fault detected' on the instrument cluster; vehicle may be restricted to normal ride height only; DTC U3000-49 stored in EESM module. Fault often appears within the first 2,000–5,000 km.
An active 'suspension fault detected' warning forces the owner to stop and switch off the vehicle, constituting a substantial impairment of use. Early onset (sometimes at delivery), combined with parts sourcing delays reported up to 7 months for EESM replacement, can generate multiple repair visits and prolonged out-of-service periods.
Software update via JLR TOPIx EESM test workflow. If update fails, replace EESM (Electric Dynamic Response 48V supercapacitor) module.
Second-row center seat belt buckle does not click/latch securely; tongue inserts without resistance or pops out; rear center seat occupant cannot be properly restrained.
A seat belt that does not latch is a safety nonconformity present from delivery. If the dealer fails to remedy on first visit or the buckle replacement is unavailable, the owner may establish a lemon-law repair attempt for a safety-critical system.
Dealer replaces rear center seat belt buckle and buckle retaining bolt at no charge.
Oil puddle or drips beneath vehicle; burning oil smell from engine bay; oil warning light; visible cracking or seeping at the oil filter housing; smoke from engine compartment in severe cases.
An active fire risk from an oil leak constitutes a safety defect. Although only 500 US Range Rover Sports are affected by 24V450, an owner within that VIN range who experienced an oil leak (or fire) before the recall remedy was performed has strong grounds for a lemon-law claim.
Dealer replaces oil filter housing (complete with filter and O-rings) at no charge.
Oil leak from engine; burning oil smell; oil visible on driveway or underside; oil warning light; potential oil consumption increase; smoke from engine bay in severe cases.
Engine oil leak with fire risk on a new-generation vehicle within the first model year supports a lemon-law claim if the owner required multiple repair visits or experienced extended dealer possession for parts (cam carrier availability was limited in early 2023).
Dealer inspects and replaces engine cam carrier and related components as needed, at no charge.
Pivi Pro touchscreen goes black or freezes; connected services (Spotify, Apple Music, Connected Nav, Weather, Parking apps) fail to function; screen unresponsive at startup; intermittent reboots required; hard reset (15-20 min key-out) needed to restore function.
Repeated infotainment failures that substantially impair the vehicle's use — especially navigation blackout and connectivity loss — can satisfy California lemon-law requirements if the defect reoccurs after multiple repair attempts. SSM75951 establishes a documented JLR awareness of the defect from March 2023.
Dealer connects vehicle to TOPIx Cloud and re-authenticates VSS via ICCM module application (SSM75951 procedure). For persistent freeze/black screen: software rewind to earlier version, then fresh OTA update. Some cases require ICCM hardware replacement.
3D Surround Camera display goes blank or shows error during extended driving; camera image disappears when maneuvering or parking; error message replaces camera view; camera restores after vehicle cools down.
Camera display failure during parking/maneuvering is a FMVSS-relevant safety defect. Very small US population affected (~180 Land Rover units total); lemon-law relevance primarily for owners in the specific VIN range.
Dealer replaces the NFSM module at no charge.
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
changes in rear-end handling or stability; knocking, creaking or clunking from the rear suspension area; visible crack in the rear subframe on inspection; recall notice
Recall 26V613 documents a rear subframe that may crack, reducing structural integrity in a crash and diminishing handling and control. This is a structural, safety-critical defect under Song-Beverly, and no final remedy is available: only interim safety-risk letters (November 20, 2026) are scheduled. A California owner who reported rear-end handling changes or suspension noise that a dealer could not resolve, or who cannot obtain the subframe inspection and replacement within a reasonable time, should keep every repair order; each unsuccessful visit for the same condition counts toward the repair-attempt threshold.
Dealer inspection and rear subframe replacement as necessary, free of charge; final remedy not yet available as of Sep 30, 2026, interim letters expected November 20, 2026
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Cracks may develop in the rear subframe of certain 2024-2026 Range Rover Sport vehicles.
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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.
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Internal fault in the LG Innotek boost control microchip within the DC-DC converter causes failure of 12V system charging. Progressive warnings culminate in complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting.
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Supplier manufacturing error leaves buckle internal cable incorrectly positioned, potentially obstructing the seat belt tongue and preventing correct latching of the 2nd-row center seat belt buckle.
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Missing thermal interface material on a silicon chip within the NFSM module causes temperature differential and module reset during extended use, preventing 3D Surround Camera images from displaying.
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Incorrect-specification plastic oil filter housing will crack over time, allowing oil to leak onto hot engine/exhaust components.
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For a small number of 3.0L AJ20-P6 engines, the camshaft carrier oil gallery was not fully drilled during manufacturing, causing oil blockage and external oil leak.
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 — commonly called the lemon law — requires manufacturers to repurchase or replace a vehicle that has a warranty defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety if the defect cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts.
For the Range Rover Sport L461, a reasonable number of attempts is generally presumed after two repair attempts for a safety defect (like the DC-DC converter failure or oil leak fire risk) or four attempts for other defects — or if the vehicle is out of service for more than 30 cumulative days during the warranty period.
An open recall with no remedy (such as 26V248 as of June 2026) means Land Rover has acknowledged the defect but cannot yet fix it — each visit where you are turned away without a repair can count toward your claim.
You may be entitled to a full refund of the purchase or lease price — including down payment, monthly payments, taxes, and registration — or a comparable replacement vehicle. Manufacturer pays your attorney's fees if you prevail.
These are general rights; whether your specific situation qualifies depends on your vehicle's repair history. This is not legal advice.
“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.
Land Rover dealers frequently return vehicles with a 'No Fault Found' or 'Could Not Duplicate' note, especially for intermittent Pivi Pro failures and early EESM faults. Here is what protects you:
1. Document every symptom in writing before each dealer visit. Send a text or email to the service advisor describing exactly what happened, when, and at what mileage — do this before you hand over the keys so it is time-stamped.
2. Ask for the DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) printout after every visit. For the suspension fault, DTC U3000-49 in the EESM is the specific code JLR's own TSB (SSM75970) acknowledges. Demand it on the repair order.
3. Reference the applicable TSB or recall. Print NHTSA TSB SSM75951 for the Pivi connected-services failure or TSB SSM75970 for the suspension fault and hand it to the service advisor — dealers are required to follow these procedures.
4. For the DC-DC converter recall (26V248), the remedy is not yet available. Ask the dealer to document in writing that the recall is open, that no remedy exists, and that your vehicle is within the VIN range. Each visit where no remedy is available is still a repair attempt on record.
5. Keep every repair order, loaner agreement, and correspondence. California lemon law counts calendar days out of service, and EESM module waits of 6-7 months count.
6. If the dealer says 'we can't duplicate it,' ask them to road-test the vehicle on the highway for at least 20-30 minutes, then request they document the road-test result on the repair order.
The L461 Range Rover Sport is a genuinely impressive vehicle — when it works. The MHEV DC-DC converter recall (26V248) is the most alarming issue we have seen in the L461 data: 61,616 vehicles affected, the failure mode is loss of drive and lights simultaneously at highway speed, and Land Rover has no repair available as of June 2026. That is a premium-brand vehicle with a safety-critical open recall and nowhere to go. Add the two fire-risk engine recalls, the suspension fault that appears within days of delivery, and Pivi Pro's well-documented connected-services authentication problem, and the L461 Sport has a repair portfolio that punches well above its class. If your Sport has spent meaningful time at the dealer — or if you drove home and immediately saw a suspension or electrical warning — you should understand your options before your warranty expires.
— The Margarian Law team
If your 2023-2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport has been to the dealer for any of these issues — a sudden loss of power, a suspension warning, an oil leak, a seat belt recall, or a persistent Pivi Pro failure — your repair history may qualify under California's lemon law. A free case evaluation takes about 15 minutes and costs you nothing unless we win.
Yes. NHTSA recall 26V248 (JLR campaign D126H575) covers 61,616 Range Rover Sports from model years 2019-2024 with the 48V mild-hybrid (MHEV) powertrain. The defect is inside the LG Innotek DC-DC converter: a faulty boost-control microchip can cause the converter to fail, cutting off 12V system charging. The result is a 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' warning, followed by progressive loss of driver-assist systems, traction, drive power, and exterior lighting. As of June 2026, Land Rover has not released a remedy — the repair is still under development. If your vehicle has shown this warning, document every dealer visit in writing.
This is a known issue addressed by Jaguar Land Rover Technical Service Bulletin SSM75970. The culprit is a software calibration error in the Electrical Energy Storage Module (EESM) — the 48V supercapacitor that powers the Electronic Air Suspension's active roll control. An incorrect software version prevents the module from initializing properly, storing fault code U3000-49 and illuminating the suspension warning. The dashboard message 'Stop safely and switch off – suspension fault detected' forces you to pull over. The fix is a software update performed by the dealer via JLR's TOPIx system; if the update fails, the EESM module must be replaced. Early 2023 production vehicles experienced parts waits of 6-7 months for that module, which can itself satisfy lemon-law out-of-service thresholds.
Two separate fire-risk recalls affect the L461 Range Rover Sport. Recall 23V044 (JLR N763) covers approximately 2,552 2023MY Range Rover Sports built between March and November 2022: the 3.0L AJ20-P6 engine's camshaft carrier oil gallery was not fully drilled during manufacturing, allowing oil to leak against hot exhaust surfaces. Recall 24V450 (JLR N908) covers approximately 500 2024MY Range Rover Sports built in late 2023: a wrong-specification plastic oil filter housing cracks over time, releasing oil near the engine's hot surfaces. Seven oil-leak incidents were confirmed before that recall was issued. If your VIN falls in either range, contact your dealer immediately — both remedies require the housing or cam carrier to be replaced.
Yes. JLR issued Technical Service Bulletin SSM75951 in March 2023 specifically for the L461 Range Rover Sport. The root cause is that the Pivi Pro's Vehicle Shared Secrets (VSS) — the authentication credentials the system needs to connect to Land Rover's servers — were not fully verified at the factory. Without authentication, every connected service (Spotify, Apple Music, Connected Navigation, Weather, and Parking apps) fails entirely. The dealer fix requires connecting the vehicle to JLR's TOPIx Cloud and running the ICCM application to re-authenticate the VSS. If your screen also freezes or goes black intermittently, that is a separate but related issue affecting the infotainment compute module, addressed by subsequent over-the-air software updates. Repeated returns for the same Pivi failure can count toward a California lemon-law claim.
Yes. NHTSA recall 25V155 (JLR campaign N989) covers 4,555 2025 Range Rover Sport vehicles built between December 19, 2024 and February 19, 2025. The second-row center seat belt buckle may not latch correctly: supplier Autoliv used a riveting jig that left the buckle's internal cable in the wrong position, where it can block the belt tongue and prevent it from clicking into place. An occupant using that seat would not be properly restrained in a crash. The remedy is a dealer replacement of the rear center buckle and retaining bolt at no charge. If your dealer cannot perform the repair promptly, document the wait — a safety defect present from delivery and unrepaired is a qualifying repair attempt under California lemon law.
Potentially yes. California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act does not require a successful repair — it requires that the manufacturer be given a reasonable number of attempts. An open recall (26V248) where Land Rover has acknowledged the defect but has no remedy means every visit where your car is turned away unfixed is a documented repair attempt. If your vehicle has experienced the 'Stop Safely Electrical Fault Detected' failure, you may also qualify on the basis of a safety defect (generally two attempts for safety issues under California's presumption rules) or 30 or more cumulative days out of service during the warranty period. You should track every date your vehicle was at the dealer, every loaner, and every repair order — whether or not a repair was performed. Whether your specific situation qualifies depends on your complete repair history; this is not legal advice.
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