Brera 2.2 D.I.D. (Dead in Driveway)

[kevviek]

Hi all

Not currently an owner but trying to help my niece with a 2.2 Brera dead in her driveway. With the key in it does nothing but click and flash the engine warning light, the car won't turn over and the RACV man came to visit but left again saying he has no idea what could be wrong. I assume he checked all the obvious things like battery etc,

I guess that means towing it to a mechanic nearby...in Melbourne, northern suburbs. Any suggestions?

[Paul Gulliver]

If the car is 3 years and one minute old you can bet it is the battery.

[Brad M]

I assume he checked all the obvious things like battery etc,

I guess that means towing it to a mechanic nearby...in Melbourne, northern suburbs. Any suggestions?

I would have thought battery as well ... if in doubt, tow to Brunswick, 33 Colebrook St, Maranello-Pursang

[Joe Garra]

agree with probable battery. Our 159 died at just over the 3 year mark, RACV couldn't start it, towed to Geelong, new battery - good as gold

[colcol]

What brand of battery do you use?, i have always liked Century and hated Exide, but lots of newish Alfas have Supercharge, what do you think?, when the battery won't start the car on these cold mornings replace the battery, charging it delays the inevitable, it will fail at the worst possible moment, Colin.

[kevviek]

Thanks all. It was fun trying to diagnose over the phone, I found a manual online and went through all the messages.

Eventually she got it to turn over, but not start. Two RACV visits and also one from a well known independent could not find the problem - all the computer readings had no faults. She then had it towed to IL Bolide Rosso in Thornbury and they had it going in ten minutes.

With all the modern electronics these days it's sometimes easy to look over the basics. Since it was turning over, the battery was ok. But it didn't fire...but new spark plugs sorted that out 

[Neil Choi]

Would be interesting to know what the old plugs looked like.

Perhaps too late to find out, but were they all black and carbonized.

[colcol]

You see, THREE techos couldn't get it to fire, take it to an Alfa specialist and Alfa club sponsor and its going in 10 minutes, i can just see all the neighbours and passersby, typical unreliable Alfa Romeos they would say, mind you the spark plugs would have to be really dirty not to fire at all, Colin.

[ANG156]

Too many short trips and too much electronics kills batteries. Be sure to advise her to not leave the auto headlights on everytime she starts the car. It just kills the battery life.