Hi all,

I've recently inherited a 1990 Daimler Sovereign from my late father. It's been off the road for a few years and isn’t in the best condition, but I managed to get it home from London on a recovery truck.

The first step was replacing the battery. When I turn the key, I can hear the brake servo/hydraulic pump kicking in, but I’m not getting any dashboard lights at all, and the engine won’t crank. I can hear the starter relay clicking under the glovebox, and it seems to warm up slightly after a few tries.

I’m thinking about getting underneath and giving the starter a gentle tap, but I’m not sure that would explain the completely dead instrument panel—so I’m wondering if that could point to a separate issue, maybe a bad earth or an ignition fault?

Also worth noting:

• Remote central locking isn’t working—could just be the battery in the fob, but I’m wondering if it could also be related to the immobiliser not disengaging?
  
• The car was able to be pushed in drive (so maybe a neutral safety switch issue?)
  

Just trying to figure out the best place to start with diagnostics—any advice much appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

 

i would start from inspecting all fuses and later grounds
can you turn the engine by crankshaft pulley?
safety switch is just a second, so have a look there too, but with it tripped car wouldn't click relays at all