Help, 156 electrical query

[poohbah]

Hi folks,

Need some advice. I did something I now regret. Last week, the aftermarket Pioneer CD player in my Series 1 156 packed it in. Despite not having much idea of electrics, I thought how hard could it be to yank it out for fixing or replacing.

So I pulled it out no problem - and quickly decided I couldn't fix it and bought a similar but current model from Pioneer.

Of course, when I went to plug in the new one, I discovered that the new one had one iso-plug, rather than the two on the car and the old unit. There were also a different number of wires, the colours of which also didn't match. (never was a problem in the old days when I fitted stereos to old bangers).

Thinking I would plug the old one in (radio still worked) til I could get the new one fitted, I then discovered that having pulled out the old unit, for some reason the remote locking on the key fob, and the clock in the auto console no longer work.

Any ideas of what I need to do to at least get clock and remote locking functioning again?

[colcol]

Check the fuses under the dashboard on the drivers side, as it sounds as you have shorted out a connector on the radio.
Can you get a plug adaptor / wiring loom that will allow you to plug the Pioneer radio straight into the Alfa Romeo wiring loom?, i think i have seen such devices on ebay, Colin.

[poohbah]

Thanks Col, I will check it out.

[poohbah]

Aargh! Just realised the darn heater/fan/aircon switches aren't working now either.

Pulled the under-dash panel off, and none of the relevant fuses are in the main fusebox. I can only presume they in the fuse baskets higher up, but which seem to be nigh-on impossible to get to.

Wish I'd never pulled the bloody stereo out...

Anyway, managed to get an adapter wiring harness. Now just have to fix all the other stuff...

I guess its lucky the car is due for its next service, so I might have to leave it to Leo at Cilebertis to sort out.

[poohbah]

Aside from the stereo-related electrical gremlins currently giving me a headache, I want to add how bloody brilliant this car is. I had to attend a community event last weekend in the country, a few hours drive away. Car was an absolute joy, tight through the twisty bits and pulled like a bullet train on some long, long straights - lucky there were no johnny hoppers out on the roads....

[colcol]

But with no radio, with nothing to listen to except that engine and no climate control, so windows down listening to that engine, what a sweet sound.
Tell us the result of your electrical gremlins, Colin.

[poohbah]

Will do. Bit of a voyage of discovery. Have now noticed trip meter resets to zero everytime I turn on ignition, and will no longer switch over to show outside temp. So quite a decent list!

[poohbah]

Add to my list of things not working since I pulled out the stereo: interior lights...

[Cool Jesus]

Mate you must be cursing the the fact that you pulled your stereo out. I may have missed it in the list, bu is your odometer flashing? Don't know your year model however the stereo is tied in to the CANbus which requires a system proxy alignment to basically allow the computer to accept the transplant of another radio. I hope it's just a fuse or loose connection, but the list is odd.

[poohbah]

The odometer seems to be working fine - just the trip meter appears to be affected.

I gather from what I have read here and elsewhere, that because mine is a series 1, it doesn't have the CANbus set up of later models. Apart from main fuse box and OBD plug accessible through the panel under the drivers side, there are 3 baskets of fuses higher up, but as best I can make out, they are almost impossible to get to without pulling the whole dash apart.

But I should know what the story is later this week - it goes in for its 6 month service on Wednesday. I suspect it may well require some sort of system "reset" as well as the replacement of blown fuses.
Hopefully, it will be nothing more complicated than that. I will post on here when I get the prognosis. Might come in handy for the next person.

Regardless, I have learned a very valuable lesson - I will never fiddle with anything electrical ever again!

The good news is that other than the electricity gremlins, she is running like a dream.

[poohbah]

Righto - update.

Just got the car back.

As it turns out, all the faults appeared to have been the result of a short caused by old insulation tape coming off a surplus wire, and rubbing on interior metal when the stereo was moved.

Unfortunately, replacing the blown fuses alone did not fix the problems. Instead, the whole fusebox had to be replaced. But the good news is, all is now working properly again.

I also learned a valuable lesson - if you are going to fiddle with even a "vanilla" electrical item like your stereo, disconnect the battery first!

While that may not have in itself prevented my problem, I apparently could have potentially caused more damage than I did.

Also had a bunch of other stuff done (suspension arms/bushes, brakes, muffler, CV boots and servicing) so its been an expensive afternoon.

But I only had to push the loud pedal and all sins were forgotten...

[Cool Jesus]

Got to be happy with that, quick and easy. Chalk that one down to experience.

[colcol]

ANY electrical work, remove the battery cable and wait about half an hour, to avoid computer and airbag issues and wait about half an hour after reconnecting battery, to avoid such problems, same when you replace the battery, Colin.

[Mick A]

Gday,

156's don't run a Can-Bus system. 147's do though.

-Mick

[Cool Jesus]

I figured there was a difference between the 156 - 147. Thought the 156 early series was different but they all missed out with the canbus, so they're you go. I'll have to try and remember that one.