ghost warning

poohbah · October 28, 2013, 12:06:05 PM

Folks, I seem to have a ghost warning light in my series 1 156 that indicates I have a blown bulb somewhere, yet I have checked them all and they seem to be working fine. Same happened a few months ago, and warning light went off on its own after a couple of days. Any ideas?

Cool Jesus · October 28, 2013, 12:15:03 PM

I bet is the number plate globes that is your Casper. Or you have a broken filament in one or more of your globes that is landing on the stem again intermittently. I stand to be corrected, but I don't believe it needs to be switched on to to register on the canbus. Turn the lights on and give them each a wriggle, maybe loose or corroded wiring at the bulb holder or connector. Are any of them dimmer than the rest? Maybe it came on because an idea popped up in your head

poohbah · October 28, 2013, 12:54:58 PM

Cheers, will give it a go. Actually never thought to check the number plate globes.

Cool Jesus · October 28, 2013, 01:09:22 PM

Number plate lights get you every time. Had a mate swap in canbus compliant led tail lights on his BMW which kept coming up with a globe failure warning. After filling a mini skip full of a weeks worth of swearing it was the damn number plate globe.

poohbah · October 28, 2013, 01:29:21 PM

Thank you Jesus ...

extraball · October 28, 2013, 04:22:39 PM

my 147 shows a rhs front side light warning every now and then, and bulbs are fine. It's an alfa, gotta luv em!

colcol · October 28, 2013, 08:17:57 PM

I think the series 1, [97-2002] 156 had conventional wiring and the series 2, [2002-2004] had the canbus wiring system, first introduced in the series 1, 147, pull the number plate lights out and give them a clean, as they live outside the car with all the weather.
The number plate globe holders, pull down on one side, sometimes they automatically fall out by themselves, clever little buggars.
The canbus wiring system saved weight by eliminating about 6 kilometres of wires, the way it works, [or doesn't], the switch sends a signal to the computer, say drivers window down, and the computer directs power to the drivers window electric motor, Colin.

poohbah · October 28, 2013, 09:32:17 PM

thanks all.

Cool Jesus · October 29, 2013, 08:13:41 AM

ET that's the small Parker globe, same here. Its a bitch to get to and I found it must be made of unobtainium, considering its cost. Wouldn't surprise me if the wiring to it is a little loose due to its location.
Col, if there's no canbus on poo's 156, how is he getting a globe out warning?
Poobah, definitely a series 1?

Anthony Miller · October 29, 2013, 09:24:10 AM

My series 1 telltale light comes on every time I indicate left and then goes out when I put my foot on the brake, and all this only when the headlights are turned off, no drama when headlights are on. All lights and indicators are functioning perfectly, it's just the car itself that doesn't think so. It wouldn't be an Alfa if it didn't have some kind of electrical gremlin

poohbah · October 29, 2013, 12:47:28 PM

Definitely a series 1, though its a late 2001 build, so right at the end of the line. Parking lights and number plate globes are working but I haven't jiggled or pulled anything out yet to see if that's the cause.

Cool Jesus · October 29, 2013, 01:51:26 PM

Save your jiggling and pulling for the bedroom thanks

Seems you're not alone with this one Poobah?
I've got a garage full of swear words at moment with my spider, but I'll leave that for my thread on the issue, hopefully with a resolution this weekend.
Actually, before you get jiggy wit it, I'd wait until the next ghost warning and see if any globes are dimmer than the rest. Logic would suggest the warning would come on when it's occurring? Or see if you have someone nearby with multiecuscan to check error codes?

Cool Jesus · October 29, 2013, 02:02:14 PM

Just had another thought with Col's advice. Being conventional wiring, it could also be a loose or corroded earth for the light wiring? In any case, unless you fluke it, considering all possibilities you could be in for filling a few bags of swear words yourself.

poohbah · October 29, 2013, 04:02:21 PM

Cheers for the additional thoughts. I will warn the neighbours to keep doors and windows closed. After several hours, no doubt I will end up saying F@*k it! and wait for it to disappear of its own volition!

colcol · October 30, 2013, 06:18:29 PM

The series 1 - 156 had conventional wiring, but has warning lights for blown globes, sometimes if the wrong wattage globes are fitted they will throw up an error.
I fitted non canbus LED globes to my canbus 156 and had the blown globe warning light come up as the LED's don't drain as much power as conventional globes.
The Rev counters in the 156's can be a problem as if they go bad they can throw up errors and or short out and send your battery flat as thats where the globe blown warning light is, Colin.