Land Rover Defender Recall Summary
- Who is affected: 2024 Land Rover Defender owners
- What is the defect: The second-row seat belt may be improperly stitched, so it may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash
- Recall size: 371 U.S. vehicles
- Fix status: No final fix is currently available. Land Rover expects to mail interim letters explaining the safety risk on November 20, 2026, with more letters to follow once the final remedy is ready.
- Check your VIN: NHTSA VIN lookup. Land Rover has not yet listed a date when VINs for this recall become searchable, so contact Land Rover customer service in the meantime (number below). | Think you may have a lemon law claim? Contact The Margarian Law Firm
- California owners: If your Defender has had second-row seat belt problems your dealer could not resolve, contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation
What triggered this recall?
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, the U.S. arm of Land Rover, filed NHTSA recall 26V615 on September 24, 2026. The recall covers certain 2024 Defenders whose second-row seat belt webbing (the woven fabric strap of the belt) may not have been stitched correctly. An improperly stitched belt may fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash, which increases the risk of injury.
The recall traces back to a single report. On August 4, 2025, a Defender owner filed a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stating that a second-row seat belt had come unstitched. NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation (an early-stage federal safety investigation), PE25-019, and Land Rover documented its response on March 6, 2026.
Land Rover then began collecting and inspecting belts from the same production batch as the failed belt to confirm no others were affected. In September 2026, the company found that the belts inspected so far had not included any from that batch. A review completed on September 10 showed the batch had been delayed on the assembly line, so it ended up in a different group of vehicles than expected. After discussions with NHTSA, Land Rover converted the effort into a formal safety recall on September 21.
Because the belts were not tracked to individual vehicles, Land Rover widened the recall to every Defender that could have received a belt from the suspect batch. That means many vehicles in the recall may have a belt that is perfectly fine; the inspection is what determines whether a specific belt is affected. Land Rover says it has received no claims or field reports directly in the U.S., is aware of the one owner complaint, and knows of no U.S. crashes or injuries tied to this issue. The belts were supplied by Autoliv.
As of publication, no final remedy is available. When it is, dealers will check the second-row seat belt’s serial number and replace the belt if it comes from the affected batch, free of charge. Land Rover says it does not believe current production is affected.
Sources: NHTSA (recall record and Part 573 Safety Recall Report)
Which vehicles are included in this recall?
- 2024 Land Rover Defender built at Land Rover’s Nitra Vehicle Assembly Plant from January 31, 2024 to February 2, 2024
The full recall population is listed in the summary above. You can check your vehicle with the NHTSA VIN check tool, but the recall filing does not yet list a date when VINs become searchable. Until your VIN shows up, Land Rover customer service can confirm whether your Defender is included; Land Rover’s number for this recall is D130.
What should Land Rover Defender owners do right now?
- Check your VIN with NHTSA’s lookup tool periodically, or ask Land Rover customer service whether your vehicle is included.
- Watch your mail for Land Rover’s interim safety-risk letter and the later letter announcing the final remedy.
- If you have noticed loose or broken stitching on a second-row seat belt, report it to a Land Rover dealer and ask for a written repair order.
- Keep all service records, repair orders, and recall letters together.
For repair scheduling and recall status, contact Land Rover customer service at 800-637-6837. This contact is for repair tracking only. For questions about your legal rights, contact The Margarian Law Firm.
Could this recall affect your lemon law rights?
Not every recall directly supports a lemon law claim. Whether one does depends on the nature of the defect and your vehicle’s repair history. Some recalls address cosmetic or minor issues that do not affect how a vehicle performs or protects its occupants.
This recall is not that. A seat belt is a primary safety system, and for California owners whose Defender turns out to have an affected belt, or who have reported seat belt problems without a lasting fix from their dealer, it may form the foundation of a claim under California’s lemon law. Because most belts in the recall may not be affected, the inspection result and your own repair records will matter.
Reach out to The Margarian Law Firm to discuss your specific situation.
Could your Land Rover Defender qualify? A quick self-check
- Have you taken your Defender to the dealer two or more times for the same issue without a lasting fix?
- Has your vehicle been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days?
- Have you noticed loose or broken stitching on a seat belt, or other seat belt problems?
- Did your dealer acknowledge the problem but fail to resolve it?
- Is your vehicle still within the manufacturer’s warranty period?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be entitled to compensation under California’s lemon law. 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.
What California’s lemon law actually covers →
How a lemon law buyback works →
Why the timing of this recall creates a legal window right now
Here is something most recall notices will not tell you, and most law firms will not explain.
Until Land Rover releases the final remedy, dealers cannot perform the required inspection and replacement under this recall. For owners with an affected belt, that creates a documented period during which a known safety defect remains unresolved. What that period means for your situation depends on your vehicle and its history, which is why it is worth discussing with an attorney rather than guessing.
The right time to understand your options is before the fix is available, not after. Talk to a lemon law attorney now to understand what your repair history already shows.
Even once a remedy is released, prior repair attempts remain relevant. If your vehicle was in for related symptoms before this recall was acknowledged, those visits may factor into your claim.
The Margarian Law Firm team can review your case and clearly lay out your options.
Get a free, honest case assessment
California Land Rover Defender owner?
If you have experienced seat belt problems and your dealer has not been able to fix them, or if you want to understand your rights and what you may be legally entitled to, The Margarian Law Firm can help.
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. We stay closely attuned to how recalls affect consumers’ legal rights and have the resources to litigate, not just negotiate.
Frequently asked questions
1- Is my 2024 Land Rover Defender included in this recall?
The recall covers 2024 Defenders built from January 31 to February 2, 2024. A VIN search will confirm it once Land Rover makes VINs searchable, and Land Rover customer service can check your vehicle before then. Being included does not mean your belt is faulty; the dealer inspection determines that.
2- Can I still drive my Defender during this recall?
Land Rover has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. The risk involves how the second-row belt performs in a crash, not how the vehicle drives. If you notice loose or broken stitching on a second-row belt, contact a Land Rover dealer and have it documented.
3- Does this recall mean my Defender is a lemon?
Not automatically. A lemon law claim depends on your vehicle’s defect and repair history. A seat belt defect is a substantive safety issue, so if your Defender has an affected belt or has had seat belt problems your dealer could not fix, The Margarian Law Firm can review whether you may have a claim.
4- What is the seat belt stitching risk exactly?
Seat belt webbing relies on sewn stitching to hold its loops and connections together under load. If that stitching was not done correctly, the belt may not hold an occupant properly in a crash. Land Rover’s filing traces the issue to one production batch of belts, and the recall is designed to find and replace any belts from that batch.
5- When will the recall repair be available?
Land Rover has not announced a date. Dealers are scheduled to be notified on October 8, 2026, interim letters to owners are expected November 20, 2026, and additional letters will follow once the final remedy is available. The inspection and any replacement will be free.
6- What if someone in my Defender was injured in a crash? Do I have a legal claim?
Land Rover reports no known U.S. crashes or injuries related to this recall. If you were in a crash and are concerned the seat belt did not perform as it should, keep your vehicle records and contact The Margarian Law Firm to talk through how the recall may affect your rights involving the vehicle.
7- What if my dealer told me nothing was wrong before this recall?
Earlier dealer visits still count. If you reported seat belt problems before this recall and were told nothing was wrong, those repair orders become part of your vehicle’s history. The Margarian Law Firm can review them with you.
8- Should I take my vehicle to the dealer now, even if there is no fix yet?
You can contact a Land Rover dealer at any time to ask about this recall’s status for your VIN, and any seat belt problem you have noticed should be reported and documented. For guidance on how your own repair history fits into a possible claim, talk with The Margarian Law Firm.
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
- NHTSA recall record 26V615
- NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V615
- NHTSA VIN check (VINs for this recall are not yet confirmed searchable)
- All vehicle recalls