2023 Land Rover Defender Brake Fastener Recall (23V789)

Recall 23V789 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2023 Land Rover Defender in recall 23V789?

The brake calipers may not be reinstalled properly, allowing the brake calipers to detach.

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles modified for the TRek Off-Road Competition. The brake calipers may not be reinstalled properly, allowing the brake calipers to detach.

Is it safe to drive a 2023 Defender with recall 23V789?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the critical fasteners.

Which vehicles are included in recall 23V789?

Recall 23V789 covers 121 vehicles: 2023 Land Rover Defender.

NHTSA lists 121 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Defender brake fastener recall?

Yes. Dealers will reinstall the brake calipers, free of charge.

Dealers will reinstall the brake calipers, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 18, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N848.

When was recall 23V789 announced?

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC reported recall 23V789 to NHTSA on November 22, 2023.

This recall was filed 34 months ago. If your Defender was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Defender is part of recall 23V789?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V789 is open on your Defender, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 23V789000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Defender owners do about recall 23V789?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 23V789000 applies to your Defender.
2. Call a Land Rover dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the critical fasteners happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Defender owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 0 of them about the brakes.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the brakes have been filed since recall 23V789 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 82 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 0 of them involve the brakes. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2023 Land Rover Defender: 82 complaints in total, 0 about the brakes

Can recall 23V789 make my Defender a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Owners often ask whether this critical fasteners recall means their Defender qualifies as a lemon. Not by itself. Song-Beverly looks at whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs use, value or safety and was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

Brake defects are safety defects. California's lemon law presumption can apply after two repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, when the manufacturer has been notified directly.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 23V789