2021 Land Rover Discovery Sport Recalled Over Back Over Prevention

Here’s the short version: water is getting trapped where it shouldn’t, and it’s killing the backup camera on a batch of Land Rover Discovery Sport SUVs. If your camera goes dark when you throw it in reverse, that’s not a glitch you should shrug off. It’s the exact thing this recall is about.

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 15,535 vehicles under NHTSA campaign number 26V458000. The filing covers 2021 through 2025 Land Rover Discovery Sport models.

What’s actually failing

The problem lives in the tailgate. Behind the rearview camera, there’s supposed to be a way for water to drain out and away. On these trucks, there aren’t enough drain holes to do that job. So water sits where it collects instead of running off.

Water and electronics don’t get along. Over time, that trapped moisture can damage the rearview camera. When the camera is damaged, the image on your dash screen may not display at all.

Here’s why that matters mechanically. Your backup camera isn’t just a convenience feature on a modern vehicle. It’s part of the back-over prevention system, and on newer trucks it’s what you’re relying on to see what’s directly behind the bumper. When that screen stays blank, you lose the view of anything low and close behind you. That’s a kid, a bike, a pole, another car. A camera that doesn’t come on decreases your visibility and raises your crash risk. That’s straight out of the filing, and it’s not an exaggeration.

The driver’s experience is simple: you shift into reverse, you look at the screen, and there’s no picture. Maybe it’s intermittent at first. Maybe it stops working entirely. If you’ve noticed the image flickering out or going black, water intrusion is a real suspect here.

What the filing says

Land Rover received the recall on July 16, 2026. The company’s internal number for this campaign is D145.

The fix is two parts. First, dealers will drill additional drain holes in the underside of the tailgate trim so water can actually escape the way it was supposed to. Second, they’ll inspect the rearview camera and replace it if it’s already damaged. Both parts of the repair are free.

On timing, pay attention here, because this one runs slower than most. Interim letters — the ones telling you about the safety risk — are expected to go out September 11, 2026. Those interim letters are not your green light to get the repair. They’re a heads-up. The remedy itself isn’t ready yet, and Land Rover will send a second letter once the fix is available.

So you may get a notice before you can actually get the work done. That’s frustrating, but it’s how these staged recalls work when the parts or procedure aren’t finalized at the time of filing.

What this means if you own one

If you’ve got a Discovery Sport from these years, here’s how I’d handle it.

1. Run your VIN. Don’t assume you’re in or out based on model year alone. Check your VIN against NHTSA campaign number 26V458000 at the source link below, or call Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837 and reference recall D145. That tells you for certain whether your specific truck is on the list.

2. Don’t ignore a dead camera. If your backup screen goes black or cuts in and out, treat it as the safety issue it is. Until it’s fixed, use your mirrors, turn your head, and go slow in reverse. A blank screen means you’re not seeing what the system is supposed to show you.

3. Watch the mail, and know the two-letter setup. The interim letter comes first, expected September 11, 2026. The second letter comes when the remedy is ready. You’ll likely need to wait for that second notice before your dealer can complete the repair. Keep both letters.

4. Document everything. If your camera fails before the fix is available, keep records. Note the date, take a photo of the blank screen, and hold onto any dealer paperwork. If the camera needs replacing, the recall covers it at no charge, and your documentation backs up that the failure was tied to this defect.

5. The repair is free — keep it that way. Drilling the drain holes and replacing a water-damaged camera are both covered under the recall. You should not be paying for either. If a dealer tries to charge you for related work, push back and reference the campaign number.

You can pull up the details for your year here: 2021 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2022 Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport, and 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport. The 2025 Discovery Sport is covered by the recall too, but it’s too new for owner-complaint data on the site yet.

My honest take

This is a design shortcut catching up with owners. A few missing drain holes is a small thing on paper, but water sitting against a camera long enough will kill it, and a dead backup camera is a genuine visibility problem, not a cosmetic one. The good news is the fix is cheap and simple: drill the holes, replace the camera if it’s already gone. The frustrating part is the calendar. With interim letters not going out until September 2026 and the actual remedy coming later, some owners could be driving around with a failing camera for a while before the repair lands. If yours acts up in the meantime, don’t wait on the mail — get it checked and lean on your mirrors until it’s sorted.

Source: NHTSA recall campaign 26V458000