2022 Land Rover DEFENDER VEHICLE RECOVERY
RECOVERY METHOD
Make sure that vehicle recovery and/or transportation is carried out by suitably qualified personnel, and the vehicle is secured correctly. Recovery and/or transportation carried out by unqualified personnel can result in serious injury or death.
The recovery agent must activate the transmission park release before recovery commences. Transmission park release instructions are covered in a separate publication for recovery personnel use. Failure to activate the transmission park release can result in serious transmission damage.
The vehicle should not be towed on all four wheels and should not be recovered with the front or rear wheels suspended. Doing so can result in serious transmission damage.
The method for recovery and/or transportation of the vehicle is on a transporter or trailer designed for that purpose.
FRONT TOWING EYE
The front towing eye is designed for both on-road and off-road recovery (up to 14330 lbs or 6500 kg). If the towing eye is used for any other purpose, it may result in vehicle damage and can cause serious injury or death.
Use extreme caution when moving or towing the vehicle. Death or serious injury may occur.
Remove the front towing eye cover before driving off-road, to prevent damage or loss. The cover must be replaced before driving on the road.
The front towing eye is located behind a removable cover in the front bumper.
To remove the cover:
- Rotate each of the fasteners counter-clockwise with a suitable tool.
- Pull the cover forward from the rear lower edge to release the lower tabs and the lugs on the top edge of the cover.
- The towing eye is located in the center of the exposed area.
To refit the cover:
- Offer up the cover. Make sure the lugs at the top edge and the tabs in the bottom edge engage with the holes in the bumper.
- Rotate each of the fasteners clockwise to secure the cover in position.
REAR TOWING EYE
The screw-in type rear recovery eyes are designed for on-road recovery only. If the screw-in type towing eyes are used for any other purpose, it may result in vehicle damage and can cause serious injury or death.
Use extreme caution when moving or towing the vehicle. Death or serious injury may occur.
The rear towing eyes may be used to tow another vehicle, if required.
The vehicle’s rear towing eye socket is located behind the rear bumper cover 1. To remove the cover, lever the left-hand side of the cover outward from the bumper.
The vehicle’s rear towing eye 2 is located underneath the loadspace floor. Screw the towing eye into the aperture located behind the rear bumper cover.
Tighten or loosen the towing eye as required using the vehicle’s wheel brace. Pass the wheel brace through the towing eye and rotate to tighten/loosen as appropriate.
To refit the cover, push the right-hand side of the cover home first. Then push the left-hand side of the cover to be flush with the bumper.
The rear exposed towing eyes are designed for both on-road and off-road recovery (up to 14330 lbs or 6500 kg). If the exposed towing eyes are used for any other purpose, it may result in vehicle damage and can cause serious injury or death.
Avoid leaving towing equipment attached to the rear towing eyes when not in use. Some towing equipment may damage the vehicle’s paintwork.
Vehicles with exposed towing eyes have a pair of towing eyes protruding through the rear bumper cover 1.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
If the towing points are to be used for off-road recovery, it is essential that off-road driver training, covering recovery techniques is undertaken.
Further information on off-road driver training can be found at: www.landroverexperience.com.
TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
Use extreme caution when moving or towing the vehicle. Death or serious injury may occur.
The front and rear tie down points must be used only for securing the vehicle during transportation. If they are used for any other purpose, it may result in vehicle damage and serious injury.
The recommended method for recovery/transporting the vehicle is by a trailer designed for that purpose.
Always use qualified persons to perform recovery and to make sure that the vehicle is secured correctly.
If the vehicle’s electronics are operational, the air suspension must be set to access height, before securing the vehicle to a recovery vehicle or trailer. Failure to do so can result in damage to the vehicle.
AFTER TOWING ON FOUR WHEELS
The following steps must be applied after towing the vehicle on four wheels:
- Apply the Electric Parking Brake (EPB).
- Switch on the ignition and apply the brake pedal.
- Select Park (P).
- An authorized person must deactivate the transmission park release mechanism.
- Switch off the ignition and remove the smart key from the vehicle.
- Remove the recovery vehicle’s towing attachment from the front towing eye. Refit the cover. See FRONT TOWING EYE.
Use extreme caution when detaching towing equipment. Vehicle movement is possible, which can result in serious injury or death, as well as damage to the vehicle.