156 selespeed gearbox

dixonchong1987 · January 15, 2018, 12:45:13 AM

Hi all, I have an Alfa Romeo 156 selespeed 2.0 twinspark (semi-auto), car is running but it couldn't shift to 3rd gear onwards. 1-2 gears are fine, no response when trying to shift to 3rd gear. Anybody has any idea regarding this? Cheers

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Citroënbender · January 15, 2018, 08:17:36 AM

Welcome to the fun!

The best way to start troubleshooting your issue is probably basic checks.

Does the car shift up to third and beyond, in "City" mode?
How's the battery?
When you have unlocked the car and just opened the driver's door, is the Selespeed fluid level within correct range?
When idling or slow driving, does the tachometer give a stable and accurate reading?

Beyond these items, your next step is to check hydraulic pressure and watch the gear selections in a decent diagnostic program. Most of the cheap Bluetooth OBD adaptors are no good for this.

bazzbazz · January 15, 2018, 10:07:30 AM

If it won't go past second gear you are most likely in "Limp Home Mode" and the car has a System Error somewhere. The computer puts it into this safety mode when there is an issue that could cause damage to the vehicle or it compromises safety.

Any warning lights anywhere?

carlo rossi · January 15, 2018, 11:22:31 AM

sound like the solenoid is stuck
I once used a wynns product to get sticking solenoids to work
its for auto boxes but should help

dixonchong1987 · January 15, 2018, 12:01:39 PM

Quote from: bazzbazz on January 15, 2018, 10:07:30 AM
If it won't go past second gear you are most likely in "Limp Home Mode" and the car has a System Error somewhere. The computer puts it into this safety mode when there is an issue that could cause damage to the vehicle or it compromises safety.

Any warning lights anywhere?

The gearbox warning indicator is blinking.
Should I just head to mechanic and ask them the reset the system for me? Or is there anyway for me to reset it by myself? Thank you very much.

bazzbazz · January 15, 2018, 01:26:13 PM

Where are you located?

dixonchong1987 · January 15, 2018, 06:46:02 PM

Quote from: bazzbazz on January 15, 2018, 01:26:13 PM
Where are you located?

Beckenham

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Citroënbender · January 15, 2018, 09:29:38 PM

That's probably a bit far for Bazz to eyeball it quickly.

As a related note, per your "reset the system" comment - if you refer to attempting to erase the logged faults and carry on without further repair work - this will not resolve the situation. The Selespeed isn't one for phantom problems (glitches) in any of its forms; it's a matter of examining what data is stored and whittling down to the root cause. Accurate diagnosis will avoid playing "parts roulette" and its associated on-costs.