2021-2026 Land Rover Defender Front Air Bag Recall (26V389)
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC · 250,857 vehicles · Reported June 12, 2026
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC is recalling 250,857 2021-2026 Land Rover Defender; 2021-2026 Land Rover Discovery; 2022-2026 Land Rover Range Rover vehicles. The driverâs air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 26V389 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V389000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | D120 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | June 12, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC |
| Vehicles | 2021-2026 Land Rover Defender; 2021-2026 Land Rover Discovery; 2022-2026 Land Rover Range Rover |
| Units affected | 250,857 |
| Component | Air Bags > Frontal |
| Safety risk | An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2026 Land Rover Defender in recall 26V389?
The driverâs air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driverâs air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2026 Defender with recall 26V389?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in 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 frontal.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V389?
Recall 26V389 covers 250,857 vehicles: 2021-2026 Land Rover Defender; 2021-2026 Land Rover Discovery; 2022-2026 Land Rover Range Rover.
NHTSA lists 250,857 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2026 | Land Rover | Defender |
| 2021-2026 | Land Rover | Discovery |
| 2022-2026 | Land Rover | Range Rover |
What is the fix for the Defender front air bag recall?
Yes. Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driverâs air bag connector terminals, free of charge.
Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driverâs air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 3, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D120.
When was recall 26V389 announced?
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC reported recall 26V389 to NHTSA on June 12, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V389000. |
| August 3, 2026 | Letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 3 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 26V389?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V389 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 26V389000. 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 26V389?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V389000 applies to your Defender.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Land Rover dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the frontal happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- 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 320 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 5 of them about the air bags.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the air bags have been filed since recall 26V389 was reported (4) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 320 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 5 of them involve the air bags. 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, 1 about the air bags
- 2022 Land Rover Defender: 73 complaints in total, 2 about the air bags
- 2021 Land Rover Defender: 42 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
- 2024 Land Rover Defender: 25 complaints in total, 1 about the air bags
- 2023 Land Rover Range Rover: 21 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
- 2025 Land Rover Defender: 13 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
- 2021 Land Rover Discovery: 11 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
- 2024 Land Rover Range Rover: 10 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
On August 14, 2026, at approximately 12:15 p.m., I arrived at Land Rover Mission Viejo for a scheduled appointment to complete Safety Recall D120, Driver's Airbag Potential Non-Deployment. No service attendant greeted or checked me in. When I approached an attendant, the attendant said they could not help because they were going to lunch.
2024 Land Rover Defender owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11757007, filed August 14, 2026
Airbag warning light is ON. Dealer states that this is caused by the wire harness under the seat getting caught when seat moves and breaks the wire continuity. Dealer states that several of these incidents have been observed in many vehicles as the harness design is prone to being trapped in the seat movement mechanism.
2023 Land Rover Defender owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11760333, filed August 28, 2026
The Daytime Running Headlights have gone out once again. This is such a common issue with the Land Rover Defenders yet, the manufactures force the customers to pay $3000 to $5000 to replace. Police will pull you over for this issue ask they think you headlight is completely out.
2022 Land Rover Defender owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11705756, filed December 18, 2025
Can recall 26V389 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.
Recall 26V389000 does not automatically make your Defender a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
An air bag warning light that keeps coming back after a recall repair is worth documenting. Air bag defects are safety defects, and California law can require fewer repair attempts for them.
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.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Defender went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to 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.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Defender been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Land Rover Defender recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V389
Is the 26V389000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Defender is part of recall 26V389000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
What if my air bag light stays on after the recall repair?
Go back to the dealer. A warning light that returns means the system may not deploy correctly, and the visit is another repair attempt for a safety defect.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
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.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V389000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Land Rover. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.