Land Rover Defender Fault Codes

About the Defender

The Defender is not only one of the oldest SUVs in the Land Rover lineup, but one of the oldest SUVs on the market today. The first model was released in 1984. Since then, there have been a variety of models under the nameplate.

These have included the 90 and 110 model, Defender, and the 2020 Defender, also called the New Defender.

The model has been a staple of the off-road class for many years. This often results in other manufacturers hoping to compete with it. Some of the most notable rivals include the Toyota Land Cruiser, Audi Q7, and even the Jeep Wrangler.

While the Defender itself is certainly an iconic vehicle it is still subject to Land Rover’s infamous reliability issues.

One of the most common issues these models have reportedly suffered is P0101, which represents an issue with the mass airflow (MAF) sensor circuit. This can put the vehicle into limp mode, making it a serious issue.

Despite the code indicating an issue with the MAF sensor, some owners have found success in cleaning or replacing both this sensor along with the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor.

The next most common code only affects a few of the Defender models because it has to do with an overboost condition. That being said, there has been a huge array of turbodiesels and supercharged or turbocharged petrol engines in the lineup, meaning the problem can appear more often than in other models.

Fault code P0234 indicates that there is too much boost pressure coming from the forced induction system.

This code is often a result of a faulty turbocharger actuator as it cannot divert gas properly from the forced induction system, providing excessive boost.

This is another serious problem for Defender owners and it should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further damage to expensive components.