Photo Credit: iStockA major Land Rover recall put hundreds of thousands of drivers on notice after federal regulators said a corroding airbag component could prevent a crucial safety system from working when it is needed most.The defect triggered a stop-sale order. Land Rover is working on a fix, but it is not widely available yet. What happened?According to Carscoops, the recall covers 250,857 Land Rover vehicles: the 2020-26 Defender, 2021-26 Discovery, and 2022-26 Range Rover. The recall was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt the center of the recall is the driver's airbag clockspring connector, the component that connects electronics in the moving steering wheel to the stationary steering column. Federal regulators say corrosion in that part can cause the airbag to deploy incorrectly or not deploy at all in a crash.Land Rover traced the issue back to August, when warranty claims involving airbag warning lights began to increase. As Carscoops reported, the company's investigation found oxide buildup and fretting corrosion on pins from some returned clockspring connectors.From there, Land Rover concluded the problem was not limited to warning lights and could interfere with the driver's airbag circuit.Why does it matter?A faulty airbag can directly affect whether a driver is protected in a collision.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe issue stretches across multiple model years and some of Land Rover's best-known SUVs.Land Rover says it has no reports in the United States of an airbag failing to deploy, stating the light would need to be on for roughly 300 to 400 miles before possible failure, as Carscoops reported. Land Rover plans to use a lubricant gel to shield the airbag connector terminals from corrosion, the outlet reported.Because dealers cannot yet make the repair, owners will first get a notification letter in August alerting them to the recall. A second notice will be sent after the lubricant is ready and dealers can perform the repair.AdvertisementAdvertisementGet TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.