2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, steering, and wipers and visibility. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023- Owner complaints
- 125
- Recalls
- 17
- Crashes reported
- 2
- 6 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Premature brake pad wear
9,500–17,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Electrical471 crash
Sudden shutdowns while driving dominate these reports, usually blamed on a failed DC-DC converter. A "Stop safely. Electrical fault detected" warning often appears first. Then the car loses power steering, brakes, lights and hazards. One owner coasted into an embankment on the highway. Replacement parts are often on back order for one to several months, and some cars fail more than once. One report describes an under-hood fire while the car was parked. Other complaints cover blank infotainment screens, a gauge cluster that dims too much at dusk, failed door lock actuators, and an alternator replaced before 200 miles.
Steering14No crashes
Power assist cuts out or the wheel locks solid, often alongside a "Lane assist not available" message. Several owners start the car and find the wheel will not turn, even though the car moves forward and back. Others lose assist while driving, once at 956 miles. Many reports here are the same electrical shutdown filed under steering: a low-battery or electrical fault warning, then steering and brakes fail as the car dies. Cars are towed and sit at dealers waiting for back-ordered DC-DC converters. One owner was told about a service bulletin for the steering fault.
Wipers and visibility13No crashes
Windshields crack, either from very small rock chips or with no impact at all. Cracks run across the driver's line of sight, sometimes while the car sits parked overnight, in cold weather, or after defroster use. Heated windshields are mentioned. Repeat failures are common: owners describe two or three replacements within months, and some new glass cracks within days of install. One car cracked at 10K miles. One owner also reports optical distortion in the glass. Besides the visibility risk, owners point to the ongoing replacement cost.
Transmission9No crashes
The transmission shifts from Drive into Neutral on its own when the engine restarts after an auto start-stop. On a hill, one car rolled backward several feet. Drivers must reselect Drive by hand. Owners say the dealer has a bulletin on it but no fix, only advice to switch off start-stop on every drive. Some cars refuse to accelerate after a restart and show "Gearbox fault detected." Several complaints here describe DC-DC converter failures that shut the car down at speed, killing steering and brakes. Another reports abnormal jerking that the dealer could not diagnose.
Brakes8No crashes
Brake pads wear out far too early, usually between about 9,500 and 17,000 miles. Owners see a pad warning light, hear squealing, or feel shaking under braking. Dealers have found flaking or cracked pads. One dealer said the long wheelbase design wears the original pads quickly and is switching to a different pad, but warranty does not cover the swap. One front and rear pad job cost $2,459.97. Another car could not be repaired because pads were back-ordered, and the owner was told not to drive it.
Engine6No crashes
Coolant leaks from the turbo coolant lines and cause overheating. The temperature gauge climbs toward red with an overheating warning. Dealers confirm the problem and replace o-rings and a bypass hose assembly. Owners worry about engine damage and fire risk. Several reports describe the transmission slipping into Neutral at stoplights. Others cover stalling: an electrical fault warning followed by a DC converter failure, or warning lights and a stall that a new battery did not fix, with the needed part on backorder. One car with under 10k miles shows an emissions fault and dies in traffic.
Airbags5No crashes
Most of these filings are about a delayed recall repair, not an air bag failure. Owners say they received a recall notice but the dealer has no part, sometimes for months, and one dealer refused to do anything in the meantime. Several of these filings describe a different Land Rover model. The only reported fault is an air bag warning light that stays on at 10,000 miles, with no cause found yet.
Suspension3No crashes
In one alarming case, the front passenger-side wheel and suspension came off at 15-20 mph after a chugging sound. The suspension warning light was on, and the dealer was still diagnosing it. Another report is the familiar electrical shutdown on a freeway: a battery charging fault, then disabled suspension and cameras and a total loss of power. The dealer had 30 cars waiting for DC-DC converters. A third owner reports sudden automatic emergency braking in traffic, worn pads and rotors, and constant coolant loss.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Range Rover Sport owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
The DC-DC converter went out in December. The vehicle has 53,000 miles on it, so it is just out of warranty. I live 100 miles from the nearest dealership so I had it towed to a local shop. I was originally told the part was on back order until Mid-February. I was told yesterday, they think it may not be available until May 2026. If this is such a big issue that they can not keep up with the part, why is this not a recall item?
Filed with NHTSA, January 2026
DC/DC converter failed on the 2023 Land Rover Defender about 2000 miles out of warranty. The parts are on back order with no ETA because so many LR Defenders are having this issue. This can cause your car to die while driving.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2026
Lane assistance and power steering failed. There was no warning light or alarm. The warning light in the dashboard came on reading “Lane assistance not available” and “power steering resistance reduced” immediately when both systems failed. We were able to safely park, no one was injured. The car has been at the service center at the dealership for 10 days.
Filed with NHTSA, December 2023
Dec 6. Started vehicle and steering wheel would nor move. All functions of car worked. Fwd, rev, engine running , lights all worked. Turned off and restarted 3 times and steering wheel still not moving. All of a sudden wheel became free. I worry now if this could happen while driving. Light did come on saying "lain assist not available"
Filed with NHTSA, December 2023
Took my car to the dealership to have the windshield replaced due to a rock chip. Driving home on the freeway with the new windshield installed, I noticed a new crack moving across the windshield. I had on driven only 45 miles. Contacted Landrover and was told it was just an unfortunate chance event. I previously had a windshield replaced for the same reason. I now need my 3rd windshield in 1 1/2 years
Filed with NHTSA, August 2025
Front windshield stress fractured after being parked in cold weather following a long drive with the windshield defroster on. It has been replaced and is not available for inspection. Safety was put at risk due to an obstruction in visibility Problem has not been reproduced or confirmed, but anecdotally seems to be a frequent occurrence based on internet forum posts Vehicle has not been inspected No warnings or other indications of failure
Filed with NHTSA, April 2023
On several occasions my car has shifted from Drive into Neutral while I was at a light and the vehicle had shut itself off as part of the Intelligent Start Stop feature. I see that this same issue has been happening to several other Owners who have reported this to the NHTSA. Ironically it seems as though all these vehicles were purchased in Houston TX.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2023
As i was driving out of the Costco parking lot the car read an error “stop safely. Electrical fault detected” within seconds the car completely shut off. No power. Brakes shut off. Steering shut off.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2026
How the 2023 compares with other Range Rover Sport years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks third for owner complaints among 8 Range Rover Sport years, about 1.4 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Electrical4720
- Steering145
- Wipers and visibility137
- Transmission911
- Brakes80
- Engine610
Recalls to confirm (17)
Recall repairs are free at any Land Rover dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
26V097000Body and structureFeb 2026
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2026 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover vehicles. The panoramic sunroof side finisher trim may not be properly secured and can detach.
Risk: A detached panoramic sunroof side trim can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the panoramic sunroof side finisher trim and secure it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 17, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D095.
25V645000Backup cameraSep 2025
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. Water may enter the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display or display a distorted image.
Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 14, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D053.
25V454000AirbagsJul 2025
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2020–2025 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The passenger air bag may tear during deployment.
Risk: A torn air bag may not adequately protect an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a torn air bag may allow hot gases to escape, which can cause a burn injury.
Fix: Dealers will repair the passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 17 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N945.
25V016000Backup cameraJan 2025
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility.".
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the touchscreen software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N972.
24V947000Backup cameraDec 2024
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Range Rover vehicles. Water may enter into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image not to appear on the display or display a distorted image.
Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N946.
24E102000EquipmentDec 2024
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured properly, which can allow the intake to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, remove and reinstall the RAI accessory, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 20, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N964.
24V450000EngineJun 2024
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the filter housing, oil filter, and o-rings, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 27, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N908.
23V871000Exterior lightsDec 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles. Moisture may accumulate in the right-side tailgate and body mounted lights, which can cause the right-side exterior vehicle lights, including the brake, outer marker, reversing, and turn indicator lights to fail to illuminate.
Risk: Exterior lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-side tailgate and body mounted lights, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N830.
23V789000BrakesNov 2023
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.
Risk: Detached brake calipers can reduce braking ability and cause structural wheel damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
23V394000Exterior lightsJun 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Land Rover Range Rover vehicles. The rear taillight link may be damaged, which can cause exterior vehicle lights, including the rear light mounted in the body, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals to fail to illuminate.
Risk: Exterior lights that fail to illuminate can decrease visibility and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace or repair the rear lights as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 25, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N784.
23V324000Door latches and locksMay 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Land Rover Range Rover and 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles. The second-row seat armrest storage compartment latch may fail, allowing the objects from within to be unsecured in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.".
Risk: In the event of a crash, unsecured objects from within the armrest compartment may strike the vehicle occupants, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the locking arm of the second-row armrest storage compartment, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 3, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N789.
23V251000Exterior lightsApr 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with incorrect rear taillights that do not illuminate correctly. In addition, the brake lights may not illuminate correctly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.".
Risk: Taillights and brake lights that do not illuminate correctly can reduce vehicle visibility or cause confusion for other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rear taillights, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 25, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N782.
23V252000SeatsApr 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Land Rover Range Rover vehicles equipped with seven seats. The second-row left seat frame may have been insufficiently welded.
Risk: An improperly welded second-row left seat frame may not adequately secure occupants during sudden braking or a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the second-row left seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 1, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N783.
23V222000EngineMar 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling one 2023 Land Rover Range Rover vehicle. A gasket on the turbo oil drain pipe may be incorrectly installed or missing, which can result in an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: A dealer will replace the drain pipe gasket, free of charge. An owner notification letter was mailed May 19, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N780.
23V137000Child SeatMar 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 vehicles equipped with third-row seats. The third-row seatback latch may not latch properly, reducing the strength of a child seat installed to the top tether.
Risk: A child seat with reduced strength may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the third-row seat frame and components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 24, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N768.
23V044000EngineFeb 2023
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2023 Range Rover, Defender, 2022-2023 Discovery, and 2023 Range Rover Velar vehicles. The engine cam carrier oil channel may be blocked, which can lead to an oil leak.
Risk: An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine cam carrier and related components as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2023. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N763.
22V523000Seat beltsJul 2022
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2022-23 Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Discovery Sport and 2022 Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners may be damaged, which can cause the seat belts to not properly restrain occupants.
Risk: Improperly restrained occupants have an increased risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N720.
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