Land Rover Defender Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

A genuinely useful piece of context worth knowing about cooling system faults: related models have had a confirmed recall for a water pump belt issue risking coolant leaking onto the hot turbocharger.

Illustration for editorial purposes

OEM Part Numbers

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: radiator hose connection points and mounting brackets on the Defender can differ subtly between facelifted and pre-facelift versions of the same generation, even when the core itself is unchanged.

The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking

Nothing about this component is glamorous, but almost every serious engine failure that isn't wear-related traces back to a cooling system problem left unaddressed. Catching the early signs here is genuinely cheap insurance against a much bigger bill.

Before you buy: radiator size and design vary significantly by engine size, transmission type, and whether your car has air conditioning. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

What It Does

The radiator transfers heat from the engine coolant to the surrounding air, keeping engine temperature within a safe operating range. On automatic versions, it often also cools transmission fluid through a separate internal circuit — one more reason the correct part number matters so much here.

Land Rover Defender Radiator reference plate

Fitment & Compatibility

Radiators differ between manual and automatic versions of the Defender due to the transmission cooling circuit, and again across different generations. A radiator designed for a manual gearbox car will not correctly cool an automatic's transmission fluid even if it physically fits the mounting points. Always confirm the exact part number for your specific engine and transmission combination. Whether you're sourcing a replacement radiator for your Land Rover Defender from a dealer, specialist, or online marketplace, always check compatibility against your registration or VIN before buying.

A Genuinely Useful Piece of Context Worth Knowing About Cooling System Faults

If you're facing a coolant leak or overheating concern, this is genuinely worth knowing: related Land Rover models have had a confirmed safety recall addressing a water pump drive belt issue that could rupture a plastic coolant elbow, risking coolant leaking onto a hot turbocharger, worth checking your VIN against the official recall register if you have a plug-in hybrid variant.

A genuinely alarming finding worth knowing: a damaged plastic cooling fan blade, even with just a small crack, has been documented exploding with enough force to go through the bonnet, and even short of that, can ruin a water pump in under 100 miles through vibration alone.

It's also genuinely worth knowing that the correct coolant type has varied by model year and VIN range over time, worth confirming exactly which type your car requires before topping up.

Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, how difficult this job is to DIY, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Land Rover Radiator

The same part, covered across other Land Rover models.