Land Rover Defender: Vehicle stability

VEHICLE STABILITY

Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.

Since this vehicle is designed to be operated off-road, it has a higher ground clearance and hence a higher center of gravity. Such a feature has been associated with an increased risk of vehicle rollover.

The vehicle is not designed for cornering at the same speed as conventional passenger cars any more than a low-slung sports car is designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate the vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover.

Another factor shown to significantly increase rollover risk is unauthorized vehicle modifications such as fitting incorrect specification tires, oversize tires, body lifting, incorrect springs/dampers, incorrect vehicle loading/trailer towing.

Many vehicle rollovers occur when a driver attempts to bring a vehicle back onto the road after some or all of the wheels drift onto the shoulder of the road, especially when the shoulder is unpaved. If you find yourself in such a situation, do not initiate any sharp or abrupt steering and/or braking maneuvers to re-enter the roadway. Instead, let the vehicle slow down as much as is safely possible before attempting to re-enter the roadway and keep your wheels as straight as possible while re-entering the roadway.

However, on-road crash data also indicates that driver behavior is a greater factor than a high center of gravity in determining a vehicle's overall rollover rate. The single most effective driver behavior that can reduce the risk of injury or death in all crashes including rollover is to ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT and to properly restrain all child passengers in the rear seat in an age and size appropriate child safety seat or belt positioning booster seat.

In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.

Reporting safety defects

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (USA)

If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign.

However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888- 327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov .

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (CANADA)

If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform Transport Canada in addition to notifying Jaguar Land Rover Canada ULC.

To contact Transport Canada, call their toll-free number: 1-800-333-0510

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