Is your door locked shut with a central locking problem? - Then read on to find out how one member resolved this issue, fire away daKlone!!!

Just to mention that this is the way I got my driver's door open when the central locking motor failed with the door locked on my 1992 155 2.0TS.

Whether or not the procedure is the same for a later car or if indeed it's the best way to go about this job, I don't know, but it worked for me. My local Alfa dealer wanted £60 to 'have a look', so I thought I'd give it a go. Sorry to say that I don't have a camera, so there are no instructional pictures, but it's not too bad to do. Suffice to say, follow these instructions at your own risk, I'm not responsible for any damage, death or general mayhem caused!

Tools you will need:

Stubby Phillips screwdriver;
Phillips screwdriver;
13mm 1/2" drive socket, short extension bar and ratchet;
10mm socket, short extension bar and ratchet;
Medium Flat-Blade screwdriver;
5mm and 3mm Allen Keys;
Small pair of pliers.

1. I didn't bother, but if you're nervous about that kind of thing, disconnect the battery before you start.

2. Remove the trim from around the base of the seat. It is held in place by Phillips screws in the side (just under the seat pad angle lever) and back. You will need a 'stubby' screwdriver for the side one, since there isn't much room between the seat and the door.

3. Slide the seat fully forward on it's runners, and take out the two seat retaining bolts at the back.

4. Slide the seat fully backward on it's runners and take out the two seat retaining bolts at the front.

5. Take out the seat by leaning it back and feeding it out of the rear door, making sure to disconnect the seatbelt warning lamp cable that runs from under the seat to the car loom.

6. Remove the three Phillips screws from the door pocket.

7. Carefully lever out the circular armrest trim insert, and remove the Allen-head bolt behind it.

8. Pull the interior door handle, and remove the Allen-head bolt from behind it.

9. Carefully prise out the entire door handle / window switch plate out, and disconnect the wiring from the switches.

10. Disconnect the operating cable from the door handle by carefully removing the small brass 'strap' that retains the cable, and then pulling the end of the cable out of it's little recess. You can now remove the end of the wire from the handle itself.

11. Undo the two bolts that are revealed behind the door handle, that bolt the door card to the door.

12. Carefully prise out the black plastic triangle that covers the fixing screws for the wing mirror.

13. Remove the three Phillips screws that hold the wing mirror and vent tube. You won't be able to pull the vent tube out, but unbolting it now will prevent it from breaking when you pull the door card off (the voice of experience speaking!). Be careful, as once these bolts are removed the wing mirror is only held on by the adjuster wires.

14. Unscrew the door lock pull 'blob'.

15. This is where things get a bit brutal. Basically, you now have to pull the door card out. All that is holding it are the normal plastic plugs, but it takes a bit of pulling!

It's difficult to describe, but you need to pull it straight away from the door, but lift it over the door lock pull wire at the same time.

Watch the vent tube that you undid earlier, as this will fall off when the card comes off.

16. With the door card off, you can undo the nuts and bolts that hold the door interior frame on. Be careful, as a couple of the fixings in the middle of the door hold the window glass. Nothing should move far enough to break, but be careful all the same.

17. Once these are removed, you should be able to move the frame out of the way and carefully remove the plastic moisture screen.

18. Remove the sort plastic bar that goes from the door lock module to the lock barrel. It's just a ball and socket at the lock barrel end.

19. Remove the wiring from the door lock module.

20. It gets brutal again now. I drilled out the pins that hold the lock module together, and simply turned the gears inside by hand to undo the door. Of course, this means that you will need a new door module. I got mine secondhand for around £35.00 GBP

21. With the door open, you can unbolt the three bolts that hold the door lock module on from the outside as normal.

22. In finest Haynes tradition, refitting is the reverse of removal! Be careful to line the little plastic plugs up nicely before 'smacking' them home, as they are quite easy to bend.

So there you have it - lets hope you never need to do it!