Ownership Verified: My 2003 Alfa Romeo 147 GTA

Bretton Woods said:
Well, it wouldn't be an Alfa without something electrical going wrong. The remote locking on the key fob seems to have ceased working. I've replaced the battery with no result. The central locking still works, as does the boot release button in the cabin. It's a little annoying as there is no boot release on the exterior of the car. I think this may be something the mechanic should look at as I really don't have an expertise in rooting around the electrical system.

Almost a week of this now, but it's not too bothersome. I just need to remember to lock the car whenever I leave it instead of clicking the now functionless buttons. I left the car unlocked the first day it broke (the key fob) at the station. From the time I left it in the morning to when I returned ~14 hours later it hadn't been stolen...so plus?
Click to expand...

The key needs to be reprogrammed. It seems to me it has lost its memory when the battery shat the bed. Surely there's someone with an OBD2 port plug and Fiat ECU scan / Multiecusan and all they need to do is connect to the car and then follow a learn procedure in the body computer menu. I'm 95% sure its this.

Software looks like this, its readily avaliable for a lifetime license for 50? (or just via the naughty way :p) and a cheap ELM327 bluetooth interface from ebay... and you have a personal scanner/tester for your italian car.



It covers everything that any Lancia, Fiat and Alfa throw at you.

For the GTA, all of this is accessible (the ABS and airbag computers require a different cable, cheap as well)

 
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Whoa whoa whoa.


I have a cheap ELM237 bluetooth thingie...and I have a FIAT.
Details on the software, please?
 
http://www.multiecuscan.net/

It's an evolution of FIATecuscan, but only Suzuki added so far (because of the Sedici/SX4). There will be more soon, I guess, but for now this is plenty.

The no.need.to.pay version is on my email...if needed. :p
 
Right now I'm almost in tears. Had a pretty stressful day getting a project done at work and on the way home, the GTA went full Alfa on me.

It was raining pretty heavily at times (as the Formula 1 qualifying coverage would have shown) and there was standing water on the road. About a kilometre from home I went through one of these puddles and, to put it mildly, the GTA hated it. Check engine light came on and the dash message flashed up "MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE" as well as an audible beep every 10 seconds. The engine also started running very roughly. I'm fairly certain that one of the cylinders has ceased firing. This is the first time such a thing has happened, so I'm not sure. But judging by the increased vibration, odd noise and lack of power, that's my guess.

I pretty much blew up at everyone at home and at my girlfriend (who I'm about to lose for 6 weeks whilst she takes a much-deserved holiday). All in all a crap day.

Clarkson was right; Pisceans love a good blub and my car hates me.

This is even after I bought it nice new mats.

2014-03-14 21.25.16.jpg
 
:comfort:
 
Water and electrics is a bad combination. Water and Italian electrics on the other hand go together like an oil slick and a Bunsen burner. I bet, however, the Alfa magically fixes itself after a while.
 
Coil pack or ECU, no way you blew a cylinder without massive smoke or other signs.
 
I read about that in the local paper, it didn't mention the type of car though and I wondered what it was. Seems legit :lol:

(I hoped it was a Jeep or something shit like that)
 
noooooooooooo.jpg
 
So I haven't driven the GTA for a few days. I put it in the garage to sit for a while and stole my girlfriend's turbo five-pot.
Yesterday morning, it started up fine, so I think that the coil pack must have become moist. Plugging in the OBD2 reader, however, listed a bunch of codes and the CEL light is still on. It's took in to the mechanic early next week in order to sort and clear the computer but it will be back next week as well to replace the clutch and some other goodies.

In other news, a while ago I mentioned that a nice person took some pictures of the GTA after it was detailed and paint-corrected. Here's a teaser of what's to come.

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It's a Volvo S40 T5.

It has the same 2.5l turbocharged 5 cylinder engine from the last generation Focus ST. The suspension is a bit softer, so it's not as quick through the corners.
 
That is why you should take pictures after every detail.
Also, it may assplode soon, so you'll still have the memories
 
Delivered to the mechanic to have a new clutch and the Quaife ATB differential fitted.

Had fuel lines inspected. Have been informed my GTA is unlikely to combust in the near future.
 
Quaife. :thumbsup:
 
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