Thread: Dash lights tacho and speedo not operational after battery changed

My Battery was NBG and NRMA have sold me a new battery to suit the Defender. The battery was changed as per the manual and as expected the radio security code had to be input. But when you turn the ignition on the glow plus lights, the speedo and tacho do not work. The blinkers, wipers and lights work though. The car will start and drive but without any dash gauges (speedo, tacho, engine odometer etc)


Is there some sort of code that needs to put somewhere, or a trick to reset something to get this back. The electronic open and lock (engine immobiliser is fine).


What would cause this. The NRMA technician is lost. He rang a colleague and he also was stumped.


Any advice?


Cheers Brad

The problem was a relay switch in the dash that was stuck open and stopping power from the new battery to the instrument panel. When I took it to the dealer they said that they had never had such a problem before. However the next day another Defender with the same problem came in. That owner had changed his battery and had no instruments. They replaced the relay at no charge after some hours of investigating what the issue was.


So now everything is fine. Who knows!!


Thanks for the replies and advise.


Brad