Total electrical power loss.

Morning All!
Had a look through various threads but not come up with any ideas.
Task in hand, change EGR Valve. No big deal, Battery disconnected & dive in. Get it swapped, all pipes & connectors on where they are supposed to go & Battery reconnected. Key in, press start button to fire up the electrics & tell it that a new EGR has been fitted. Nothing. No dash lights what so ever...Press brake & try again, still nothing..Sounds like a fuse issue but cant see what would pop a fuse when fitting a new part. Tested Battery & perfect. Side lights work & thats it..
Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks all!

Is anything working? inside lights, satnav, radio etc.
There is actually a good reason for asking this.

Stv123 said:

Is anything working? inside lights, satnav, radio etc.
There is actually a good reason for asking this.

Click to expand...

Couresy lights work. Heater controls light up. Thats pretty much it really.

Is it a Freelander 2?

2008 Freelander2 TD4.

Ok does it unlock with the key fob?

Pressed the lock on the fob without the door shut (incase it locked & wouldnt unlock) & the horn sounded. When the key is pressed into the slot the red light keeps flashing.

So it pulls the fob into the dock. (Thought you said nothing works)
Does it unlock the steering?

The red lights the immobiliser. when the steering unlocks the immobiliser turns off. Try jiggling the steering as you insert the fob.

Now this is mighty odd....
Put the fob in & steering is locked. Jiggled the steering wheel & the fob, still locked. Pressed the start button & heater control screen lit up. Steering still locked. Main screen flashed the Landrover logo & went off. Sounded like the CD player was trying to decide what to do then the main screen lit up. Pressed the start button & Dash lit up & steering wheel free.
Damned odd!

You must have pulled on the steering whilst fitting the egr valve at some point locking the steering. So all is good?
Had me baffled for a day once.

About to find out....
Going to plug the scan tool in & tell it that a new EGR has been fitted.
Would be interested to know where your train of thoughts was going..

The problem appears to be electrical but is in fact mechanical. Only the body control module is powered up until the immobiliser is turned off. So plugging in a scan tool is pointless until the ignition turns on. The steering lock controller turns the immobiliser off.
In days gone by you sometimes had to jiggle the steering as you put the key in. Same thing the servo need a bit of help undoing the steering.
Golden rule until the steering is unlocked you won’t go anywhere.
Land Rover would have fitted a new steering lock assembly at about £600.
I love this forum.

If you have the correct diagnostic tool, you can deactivate the steering lock, which keeps it in the unlocked position. This then eliminates any possibility of the steering lock mechanism upsetting the vehicle, although the insurance company probably wouldn't like it if the steering lock doesn't function.

How did you go on?

Stv123,
All good! Was wondering if i was maybe being a bit impatient expecting all the electonics to sort themselves out PDQ after the Battery hed been disconnected for a considerable time. Once they all had time to have a chat with each other & a cup of tea, everything worked ok. Got a couple of vehicles here that need a wiggle on the steering to unlock....as well as various other quirky bits up with them. Thanks for your help there Stv123, a fresh head looking a an issue does work wonders.
Nodge68,
Am sure the insurance would be delighted to find a disabled steering system. Excelent excuse not to pay out if there was ever a claim made..

Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the obvious if you have been working on something else. Where a new set of eyes can stand back and see the bigger picture. Good to hear it’s all fixed.

Paxmanmerv said:

Was wondering if i was maybe being a bit impatient expecting all the electonics to sort themselves out PDQ after the Battery hed been disconnected for a considerable time. Once they all had time to have a chat with each other & a cup of tea, everything worked ok.

Click to expand...

It's likely that the grease in the steering lock assembly is going thick, and the extended inactive time simply caused the release motor to fail to release the lock pawl.

I free my steering wheel away from the lock pawl (hold it in the slack space between the latches) which helps the motor release the lock without straining.