2022 running headlight DRL out at 48k miles.

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Oct 27, 2025 | 10:26 AM

#11

GavinC

TReK

Joined: May 2021

Posts: 2,562

Likes: 3,626

From: Kirkland WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewjlove

thank you!

if I go the easy route and pick up one off eBay is there any reprogramming needed?

No. Plug and play.

Oct 28, 2025 | 12:24 AM

#12

jwest

Mudding

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 193

Likes: 67

From: Tacoma Wa

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashvegas

Seems like JLR should be replacing every one of these gratis -- or for cost of labor only -- for Defender owners and sending the bill straight back to the supplier / headlamp manufacturer who should be bending over backwards to retain JLR’s business.

Yet they are not doing this. Puzzling really.

It’s not JLR’s fault. It’s the supplier’s fault. But how they are handling it -- is JLR’s fault.

And it reflects poorly on the brand to see at least 25% of Defenders driving around town with one of the DRL’s burned out. Which is definitely the case right now in Portland OR.

(mine died with 28500 miles on mine. right outside the 4 year warranty. denied. unhappy. im just running it without the DRL)

I just went to see a 2021 and neither of them would come on. But neither would either fog lamp even though the fog lamp dash icon comes on. I'm getting a pre-purchase inspection done tomorrow by a LR dealer so we shall see what's up with that. 65,000 miles on it.

Oct 28, 2025 | 12:28 AM

#13

jwest

Mudding

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 193

Likes: 67

From: Tacoma Wa

Quote:

Originally Posted by GavinC

I replaced one for $380

simple diy basic tools 30 minutes. Hour max.

I repaired another for $3

trickier but doable.

get yourself a light on eBay. There are countless OEM lights on eBay. I got one with a barely detectable scratch. It’s effectively mint condition. Breakers yards are great. Lucky8 sells a pair for $1400 I think.

these Defenders get totaled very easily. Second hand lights are plentiful. The DRL module if you want to repair are even cheaper. Single figure dollar cost.

just google the lights on eBay. Swap is so versatile simple. Not cheap at $400 ish but not 4 figures.

This is great info. I will now hope the inspection finds the DRL on both lamps are not working so I can use it as a $6000 bargaining chip for price reduction. Then fix them myself like you mentioned.

Oct 29, 2025 | 07:03 AM

#14

skw

Drifting

Joined: Sep 2016

Posts: 28

Likes: 5

From: Boston area

'22 w/ 36k mi and I had the passenger side one go out. 2 months out of warranty and the dealer replaced it. Don't know if their own goodwill or JLR involvement, I didn't ask. When it was done, he showed me to my car, handshake, and I was on my way w/ no paperwork. He did say they had a hard time w/ the programming, but again, I didn't stick around to ask any questions.

My back up plan was the junkyard or Ebay route, easy to replace the entire headlamp. Powerful UK has an excellent video and the circuit board is only 45 euros on their site but it also says they're not shipping to the US right now.

Oct 30, 2025 | 12:49 PM

#15

Iceman153

Mudding

Joined: Jan 2021

Posts: 228

Likes: 101

From: Vancouver, BC

So the halo in these headlights can actually be repaired, the LED that burns out and needs replaced, but it is located inside the headlight. Matt armstrong just did a rebuild video on a defender that had one of the halo's out, and he showed how to remove the lens, replace the bad LED, and put it back together. Looks pretty simple honestly, but it looks like he just used normal body sealant to put it back together, ideally you'd use headlight butyl sealant instead. Looks like you can get what you need on amazon for about $100, assuming you own an oven :P He gets into it at around 14:30, for some reason the forums youtube control doesn't respect the time paramter on the URL :