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help, dashboard display dead....?

8K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  mcgoocar 
#1 · (Edited)
Basically i have no speedo, rev counter, fuel gauge, gear selection indicator, temp gauge and the boot wont open :(

I opened the car as normal this morning, i went to start my 2001 2.0 147 lusso ts selespeed and discovered the display/instrument panel was dead,there was backlight to it but all the mfd were not showing a reading, ie petrol level was on nothing, no gear showing etc, after the active check stopped it showed no problem so i started it coz i had to go out and basically the same but now nothing that usually liven's up when the car is running is showing a reading :(

I was driving along with no speedo, the odometer was not oging up at all on any reading, fuel gauge was still on nothing, still no gear showing but i was driving along fine and the brakes were working perfectly, now this is where the fun begins as although the dashboard was dead basically it was showing 3 lights, they were the abs warning light - ebd light and the vcd light.

Now without thinking alot of you will immediately think well your brakes are not working properly and you should see a alfa specialist asap as that is what it says in the book etc, but think about this before posting back when i started the car the check revealed no problems and as it says in the book that you will have a message also, but no message as i was driving.

Also i checked the lights and they were working fine and indicator's but not showing up at all on the display unit as they do when u indicate etc and still no gear showing in that space.

Also and this may be a key factor the boot would not unlock at all,when i tried to use the remote instead of unlocking it only the 2 indicator lights at the back flasked twice and it did not open? even from the the inside button, the radio was working fine the car was driving completely as normal, it would lock/unlock via remote as normal but the boot wouldnt unlock :(

Thanks alot in advance if you lot can solve this problem for me :)

so basically i hope one of you has had this problem before and can report to me the solution :)

edit -- just went out in it again as i had to and is driving perfectly and the brakes are cool also but now realised the windows arent working also...?
 
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#3 ·
I can only help based on my experience...

My 147 had the body computer fail, which gave all your symptoms plus the engine wouldn't start. My windows and rear hatch wouldn't work because the switches ecu in the drivers armrest had failed, causing the body computer to fail. I had to replace both (not cheap!!!)

However, as your car starts and runs it might be something else entirely!
 
#6 ·
Exact Same problem

Hello alfanub and all,
I am having the exact same problem!!!:(

I know that alfa's have temperamental electronics and sometimes fix themselves. I was wondering if you found a solution to our problem (please!!).

If so, can you or anyone else please let me know? As I said it is exact same prob, I might as well have written your post myself.

Hopes and regards.
 
#7 ·
Sounds a daft question i know but have you had your windscreen replaced within the last six months? There could be a possibility if you have that it may have a leak through the bond line. If water has found its way into any electrical connection behind the dash or behind the front side kick panels at the bottom of the A pillar, corrosion will start in the connection and either cause a very high resistance or break the connection completely. water will travel along and down cables and will enter any control unit they terminate at and will cause all sorts of weird faults. Check under carpets at front for dampness as this can be an indicator of water ingress. An affected connector will have started to to grow black and green deposits where electrolytic corrosion has set in. If you find any sometimes cleaning with an electrical switch cleaner (Maplin electronics/RS components supply) will do the trick and in others the connection will have to repaired. Good luck and I hope you can find the culprit causing your problems.
 
#8 ·
Hello lbw147,
thnx for response. In answer, have not replaced winscreen at all. This has happened a couple of times before when it is cold and wet weather, and strangely enough more than once when I have filled the windscreen washer reservoir and spilt some watertrying to pour into the tiny and hard to reach opening. But that has always fixed itself after a day or so. This time it happened after a 200km drive, I stopped at the shops on the way home (weather cold but dry) and when I started the car again problem was there! It has been a few days now and has not self corrected. I have had a look at fuse box under bonnet and all looks ok, haven't found the internal fuse box yet - I am not very techie when it comes to cars!! I'll try and follow your suggestions and report back. thnx and many regards.
 
#9 ·
I had the flashing odometer problem with no windows working and boot not opening . I know it's not an identical problem to yours but the cure for mine was to disconnect the battery for 30mins and then reconnect > it seems simple but it works to reset the electrics . Also if your battery level is low it can cause the same issues . So try your battery and give it a charge before you look at more expensive problems . Good luck.
 
#10 ·
Hello NeillB, thnx for response. I will try that if I don't find another solution, only because I have read in other posts that disconnecting the battery will lock the radio and I don't have the code. That said, in the end better to have no radio than no speedo etc. Especially with the billions of (now mobile) speed cameras that have sprouted. :rolleyes:
many regards.
 
#11 ·
I would presume your fuse box is in the same place as mine which is behind the panel below the steering wheel. Release a screw either side of the steering wheel cowel and the panel hinges down. F/B to right of steering column (also location of OBDII socket in top edge of the fuse board.)
 
#14 ·
Guess what.....

So as I said, I would get back and post progress when I have had a chance to get in and have a look in daylight. That was a few days before I could do that, (It's winter here and sunset is about 5pm.

So even though I could drive I had no instruments to guage by.

So GUESS WHAT!!! Everything came back online again! I did nothing.

SO it could be condensation/water/humidity (my guess as most likely), connection ((loose/intermittent) - unlikely to be fuse. So, Unfortunately no help to next person with this problem other than if you have the EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS, don't rush off to some expensive fix up shop, just drive overly safely for a couple of weeks and give the Alfa a chance to fix itself. If the love is mutual, it can happen!!

Anyway, thnx for the support / info.
Many regards.
 
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