Land Rover Defender D240
Identical base engine to the 204DTD, but with a short production run in the early Defender L663. Same Ingenium diesel weaknesses: timing chain, oil dilution and turbo. Refer to 204DTD data for maintenance details.
D240: too tame for a Defender
The 177 kW four-cylinder diesel doesn't make the Defender feel like a proper adventure vehicle — it sounds and feels too modern and ordinary. Off-road the power is adequate; on the motorway it sounds muted. A transitional engine for a short era.
Engine Weaknesses 4
Identical issue to the 204DTD: timing chain stretches prematurely due to worn plastic guides. Same base engine, same structural weaknesses.
Symptoms: Metallic rattling on cold start, engine warning light, power loss, fault codes P0016 or P0341
Base engine 204DTD: incomplete DPF regeneration cycles allow fuel to drain into the sump. Short trips in the Defender increase the risk of incomplete regenerations.
Symptoms: Early service warning, oil level above max mark, fuel smell in oil
Same base engine as 204DTD: turbocharger failure due to oil dilution-related lubrication degradation and plastic debris from timing chain guides.
Symptoms: Blue or black exhaust smoke, whistling noise, severe power loss
Coolant leak at the thermostat housing damages the piston cooling valve solenoid. Same base engine as 204DTD. Part number LR073684.
Symptoms: Yellow engine warning light, false critical oil level warning, diagnostic code P25A9-00
Vehicle Weaknesses 8
Missing rubber grommets at body panel penetrations allow rainwater to enter the footwell via the A-pillar. Control units under the driver's seat are damaged. Windscreen sealing is inadequate on early production batches.
Early D250 and D300 diesel models show electrical injector failure as early as around 13,000 km, triggering limp-home mode. Parts on order, vehicle stuck in the workshop for weeks. Affects build years 2020–2022.
Models from 2021–2022 were delivered without ordered optional equipment due to the semiconductor shortage: ClearSight mirror, adaptive cruise control or fully digital instrument cluster were sometimes missing. Order configuration must be checked against vehicle specification.
Optional air suspension on the L663 shows compressor failures and ride height sensor faults. Expensive to repair when it fails. Hissing at the rear-left during height changes is an early warning sign. Regular maintenance is essential.
Pivi Pro system freezes while driving or spontaneously restarts. Early 2020–2021 models particularly affected — black screen, Bluetooth dropouts, loss of Apple CarPlay. Software updates from mid-2021 significantly improve stability.
The heavy spare-wheel door sags over time with frequent use or roof loads. Hinge adjustment at the dealer is required. Not a critical defect but visually and functionally annoying. Earlier production models are more affected.
Early production batches show folded or poorly fitting door seals that generate whistling wind noise at motorway speeds. Largely resolved from model year 2022 onwards. Seal replacement or adjustment fixes the issue.
Front brake pads on early L663 models tend to squeal during light braking. Cause: corrosion film on the disc or unfavourable pad-disc pairing after standing time. Cleaning or pad replacement usually resolves the issue.
Reports & Tests
44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2019–2026). Most reported: Lighting (13), Engine (7), Electrical (7).