Land Rover Defender 130 TReK Faces Recall For Brake Caliper Issues

The much-loved Land Rover Defender faces a recall not affecting regular customer cars but rather 121 units of the 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 TReK. These specific vehicles underwent modifications by Jaguar Land Rover North America for the recent TReK off-road competition.

Held at Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Texas, the competition featured 109 teams of Land Rover Retailer employees from the U.S. and Canada, with all participating vehicles sharing special modifications.

As a reminder, the Land Rover Defender 130 models used in the TReK event featured distinctive elements such as a matte black wrap, off-road tires, a remote-controlled electric winch, custom LED lighting, a hitch-mounted hi-lift jack, and a suspension lift. 

The recall stems from the failure to reinstall brake calipers according to the specified repair procedure. This oversight poses a risk of caliper detachment, potentially diminishing braking performance, causing structural damage to the wheel, and increasing the likelihood of a crash. A detached brake caliper incident occurred during the TReK event, prompting a swift inspection by the car manufacturer. 

The recall affects Defender 130s modified for the event, produced between January 4, 2023, and May 31, 2023. Thankfully, the brake issue has not led to any crashes or accidents. Jaguar Land Rover North America will rectify the problem by removing and reinstalling the brake calipers correctly, with the repair conducted at no cost to the owners.