NHTSA opens probe into 2024 Land Rover Defender: Rear Seat Belt Stitching Failure and Detachment
On December 11, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25019) into 2024 Land Rover Defender, concerning the seat belts. A Preliminary Evaluation is the first formal stage of an NHTSA defect investigation: ODI gathers information from the manufacturer and from owner reports to decide whether to close the case or take it further. As of NHTSA’s latest data it is still open.
- Action
- PE25019 (Preliminary Evaluation)
- Status
- Open
- Component
- Seat Belts: Rear/Other: Webbing: Stitching
- Listed
- 1 make/model/year entry in NHTSA’s file
Vehicles under investigation
| Make | Land Rover |
|---|---|
| Model | Defender |
| Model years | 2024 |
As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.
What ODI says
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1 complaint stating that a rear row seat belt became detached in a model year (MY) 2024 Land Rover Defender. Photos of the seat belt received with the complaint show that the stitching of the webbing of the seat belt appears to have not been properly formed. An improperly stitched seat belt can become detached during a collision. Detachment of the seat belt increases the risk and severity of injury in a collision. This is especially concerning for children and children in child seats. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) to determine the scope and severity of the potential problem and to fully assess the potential safety-related issues. To review the ODI report cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for PE25019, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).
What owners have reported
Owners filed 26 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation, reporting 1 fires. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.
| Vehicle | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Defender | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and problems for these vehicles
Related recalls
NHTSA links these recall campaigns to PE25019.
- NHTSA campaign 26V615000
Timeline
- ODI opens preliminary evaluation PE25019
- OpenNo closing date yet
What this means for owners
- An investigation is not a recall. NHTSA has not made a defect finding here, and owners are not asked to do anything yet. If a safety defect is confirmed, the manufacturer recalls the vehicles and the repair is free.
- Check your vehicle for open recalls with a free VIN recall check.
- Had this problem? File a complaint with NHTSA. Owner complaints are the evidence ODI uses to open and expand investigations.
Official record: search PE25019 or your vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls, which lists investigations alongside recalls. Data: NHTSA ODI investigations file, updated daily. All NHTSA investigations.