'That Fire Saved Him:' Florida Man Buys 2025 Land Rover Defender. Then His Gas Tank Explodes on the Interstate

• Land Rover

A Florida man's month-old 2025 Land Rover Defender burst into flames while cruising down the highway.

The terrifying incident, which ended with an exploding gas tank, has left the longtime Land Rover enthusiast vowing to never buy from the brand again.

And it's not like this is Land Rover's first rodeo with fire hazards. The automaker has dealt with multiple fire-related recalls in recent years, raising questions about whether there's a deeper pattern at play. So, when this couple says they're done with Land Rover for good, are they making a smart safety call, or overreacting to a freak accident?

Land Rover Defender Catches Fire on Highway

In a viral video with nearly 500,000 views, content creator Jessica Zirkel (@jessicazirk) shared the shocking thing that happened to her husband's brand-new 2025 Land Rover Defender while driving down a Florida interstate. 

The footage shows a white Defender engulfed in smoke and flames, with fire consuming the sides and undercarriage of the vehicle. The back of the vehicle and the mounted spare tire are scorched.

"My husband's brand new 2025 Defender caught flames while he was driving down the interstate today," the on-screen caption reads. "Thank God for the people around him that beeped to bring it to his attention!! And for telling him to back up before the gas tank blew!! He's okay, thank you Lord!!!!!"

In the video’s caption, Zirkel called out Land Rover directly, writing: "@LandRover @Defender you have some explaining to do!!! … Could have been a much different outcome! I'm so so so thankful everyone is okay!!!"

In a follow-up story time, Zirkel shared that her husband only knew what was happening because other drivers honked to get his attention. When he checked his rearview mirror, he saw flames from the passenger-side floorboard and immediately pulled over.

"He grabbed his bag and jumped out, didn't even shut the door," Zirkel shared 

She added that if it wasn’t for nearby drivers urging her husband to move away from the burning vehicle, he might have gotten hurt. He told her that her was so shook up and pumped on adrenaline that “his brain just wasn't working right,” and he didn’t think to move away.

Zirkel shared that there were two explosions. First, a tire blew, and about a minute later, the gas tank exploded. The entire vehicle was consumed by fire within a minute. 

Another follow-up video shows firefighters hosing down what remained of the Defender, which was little more than a metal frame.

Gallery: Land Rover Defender (2025)

What Happened Next?

Zirkel made sure to call out that the vehicle was brand new, delivered just a month prior, with only 1,200 miles on the odometer. 

"He has had nine other Land Rovers over his life, and so he's a big Land Rover fan. I drive a Range Rover Sport. He has another Defender here at our second home. I personally don't feel safe anymore. I would like to trade them all in and get rid of them and get out of Land Rovers," Zirkel said.

Zirkel shared that her husband spoke with Land Rover and his insurance company. 

Land Rover sent a representative from corporate in New Jersey to Florida to investigate the incident and hired a fire engineer investigator. The couple has also retained a lawyer and is considering hiring their own independent fire investigator.

"I have a feeling that Land Rover is going to try to pin this off on insurance or making it out to be my husband's fault when I personally believe that this is a manufacturer issue and that they need to be held responsible for it," Zirkel said.

While the local dealership reportedly offered to find the couple another Defender, Zirkel shut down that idea immediately. 

"No, no, we don't want another one. I'm done. Goodbye, Land Rover, I'm done," she said, still shaken up by the danger her husband was in.

Land Rover’s History of Fire-Related Recalls

This isn't the first time Land Rover has faced fire risks with its vehicles. In 2023, the automaker recalled a single 2023 Range Rover for a fire hazard involving an improperly installed or missing gasket on the turbo oil drain pipe, Motor1 reported. The issue could cause oil to leak onto the exhaust manifold, creating a significant fire risk.

More recently, Jaguar Land Rover issued a much larger recall in 2024 affecting 2,128 vehicles across six SUV lines, including the Defender, according to Motor Authority. 

The problem involved oil filter housings that could crack and leak oil at high pressure into the engine bay, increasing fire risk. The leaking oil could also create hazards for other drivers if it spilled onto the road.

The 2024 recall affected the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery, and Jaguar F-Pace. The automaker got seven claims and field reports related to the issue, with the earliest dating back to April 6, 2024.

To resolve the issue, dealers were instructed to replace the oil filter and its housing, as well as any O-rings, at no cost to vehicle owners.

Commenters React

“That fire saved him a lot of money in the long run. Hopefully he cashes the insurance check and goes directly to a Toyota dealer for his next purchase,” a top comment read.

“Had a landlord that always drove range rovers. Asked him how he liked it because I heard quality wasn’t great. He said he loved it because they always caught fire before warranty expired and insurance always paid out so he just kept buying more….,” a person alleged.

“Defender but failed to defend,” another pointed out.

“Glad everyone is ok!!! I’ve been considering a Land Rover but definitely not after seeing this!” a commenter added.

Motor1 reached out to Zirkel for comment via email and Instagram direct message.