[alfaaddicted]

Right then the latest problem is like one step forward and two backwards.
Having taken my 3.0 in for its MOT it failed on a couple of brake pipes and a broken(!) front coil spring.
So after leaving at the garage to have the problems attended to i get the dreaded phone call , "we have a bit of a problem with the Alfa"
They asked was the abs and vdc light was on before and as it wasnt i said that it wasnt ,they then informed me that it was now.
So now obviously they must have disturbed something as this light and the abs light are on constantly.
The garage man gave the usual "got to take it to Alfa garage mate" statement .
So what could they have done and what is the best way to sort this out as firstly my nearest Alfa garage is about 60 miles away and i also dont feel like spending dealer rates to solve this.
Is there a sensor somewhere around the nearside front suspension that had the work carried out and if this is replaced will the light extinguish itself or will it have to be reset or recalibrated as the garage man said?
I thought things were too quiet on the Alfa front!

 

[corbo]

I used to get VDC errors when my battery was low. Might be worth checking that before spending too much?

 

[alfaaddicted]

Checked batttery and is ok
Also why is it when you take a nice clean car into a garage for work they assume it is ok to retune the radio to radio one and worst of all leave the carpets filthy and the outside covered in oily handmarks.
But this problem is really annoying as it went in for relatively straight forward work and has come out of car hospital with the car equivalent of MRSA. which is a real pain in the backside to diagnose.

 

[disgusted]

Shoot the car or yourself.

You choose...

 

[Pomeo]

Shoot the car or yourself.

You choose...

:wow::tut: Its horses D...Horses As in
they shoot horses don't they? ...by confused dot com.:lol:

Checked batttery and is ok
Also why is it when you take a nice clean car into a garage for work they assume it is ok to retune the radio to radio one and worst of all leave the carpets filthy and the outside covered in oily handmarks.
But this problem is really annoying as it went in for relatively straight forward work and has come out of car hospital with the car equivalent of MRSA. which is a real pain in the backside to diagnose.

Well as I and auld Snoddy always say.....Esp when I get oily hawns awe our my guid leather etc...."Yeeve naybudy tay blame butt yer sell"

Radio Wan..radio Wan ...Whose fixing yer motor...Tony Blackburn?

What brake pipes did they interfere wie..oop[s mend.:lol:

Did they encounter any snags when doing the spring...How did they resolve any they found....
Hud a laf reminded me off...

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/alfa-164-and-166/337292-3-2-starting-problem-which-triggers-vdc-light.html#post4799022

cances are they have disturbed/broke an ABS sensor.....History
lesson noo...Does the speedo work,,,,,,I think its a complicated algorithm based on input fray awe 4 sensors.

Pomeo

 

[Pomeo]

Having taken my 3.0 in for its MOT it failed on a couple of brake pipes and a broken(!) front coil spring.
So after leaving at the garage to have the problems attended to i get the dreaded phone call , "we have a bit of a problem with the Alfa"
They asked was the abs and vdc light was on before and as it wasnt i said that it wasnt ,they then informed me that it was now.

Err THEY MOT'd it and are asking ewe IF the light was on before....However you can get intermittent abs problems with a failing abs sensor ..The boy's van is a classic case in point BUTT it passed 2 MOTs as it never occurred during the test.

Pomeo

 

[marktodd]

I would suggest its either a dirty abs sensor or the sensor is on it's way out. Also check the plug connection to the abs sensor, as the garage probably disturbed that too when they changed the spring.

 

[ChrisS]

Don't forget to check the brake pedal switch as well - far more likely they have disturbed the ABS sensor of course, but there's always a chance of coincidence.

 

[alfaaddicted]

Well took it out for a run but now it only the vdc light that is on constantly !!
What sort of witchcraft controls that?

As an update when the car starts both the vdc light and abs light are on but as soon as you start driving the abs light goes out leaving just the vdc light on so surely this must mean the abs sensors are ok - surely!!

 

[thrives]

"As an update when the car starts both the vdc light and abs light are on but as soon as you start driving the abs light goes out leaving just the vdc light on so surely this must mean the abs sensors are ok - surely!!"

I had this issue on a Golf IV, it turned out that it was a dirty fuse. Where is the ABS fuse on an 166? I would try disconnecting the fuse or replacing it.

I am not much of a DIY when it comes to cars, but with respect to ABS warning lights, have a look at the fuse and try to wiggle it/replace it.

Claus

 

[alfaaddicted]

well tried the fuses and pedal switch to no avail but why would the abs light go out when driving and just leave the vdc light on?

 

[ChrisS]

How did you check the brake pedal switch? Also, have you checked for stored error codes? I had a stored 'pedal postion switch 2' (or similar) code when the pedal switch was playing up on mine. This triggered ABS & VDC fault lights and also stopped the cruise from working.

The VDC is complicated though - there are accelerometers that can play up as well. Need to read those codes....

 

[alfaaddicted]

Hello what code reader does one need to read abs vdc faults?
Thanks

 

[ChrisS]

Good question - I'd imagine one of the more Alfa specific jobs rather than a cheapo generic one like mine. Is it MultiECU scan or FES that's popular? You'd need the correct cable adapters as well so it connects to the right pins on the OBD socket but not a big deal nor hugely expensive either, assuming you have a suitable laptop available.

My cheapo one told me about the brake light switch problem, which then allowed me to find & fix it. I've always said that anyone with DIY pretensions needs to have at least a generic code reader in their toolbox these days. At £20 or so, it's a no-brainer really.

Here you go:

Multiecuscan - Diagnostics software for Italian cars

 

[purple145]

FES is excellent, then just need the cable

 

[Pomeo]

Was it the NS or OS front spwing ****t was replaced.....COZ

Eye goat the codes BUTT WELL yeeze ken moi....awa roon in circles wie Fiat Stilos and nay way wood thon codes lead me to the gearbox earff stwap.

heid bow tay oor Alex n eshy.

Pomeo

Cannae mind watt I tipped but it fell foul o the smell chequer.

 

[alfaaddicted]

It was the NS spring but i cannot see anything but the abs cable or the disc pad wires under the wing and they all appear fine.
Also i was thinking (pretty dangerous i know) if it could be the steering not aligned properly since the car was reassembled and also the steering wheel is not centred when driving dead ahead and maybe the steering wheel position sensor is picking up the wrong signals?
Would having the car tracked up properly help?

 

[ChrisS]

Ah, that might be a good shout.....it does monitor steering angle doesn't it.

Just had a quick look at elearn. The VDC has a steering angle sensor, lateral and rotational accelerometers, plus the wheel sensors. It's integrated into the ABS ECU. The info is a bit confusing TBH. It shows the 'slew' sensor as being under the back seat but doesn't seem to show a lateral accelerometer at all, yet refers to it in the description. Could just be a naming thing - it does list a pressure sensor that could possibly be the lateral sensor?? One diagram calls the slew sensor a pressure sensor. The steering angle sensor is up by the wheel. One part of the text even says the fuel pump keeps the brake fluid under pressure....

So, a good shout indeed, if the wheel is way off centre, that would probably put that input out of bounds and trigger the fault. The ABS is happy, so that tends to suggest the wheel sensors and pedal switch are good so that leaves the two accelerometers and the steering angle as possibles. You know the steering is out, so try that first. Get it tracked up - it should have been done after the work anyway, but sounds like it hasn't, or at least, not done properly.

 

[paulalfagt]

The problem you have is someone other than yourself has done the work. The likelihood is they have damaged something, and as you're not 100% sure where they've had their fingers, it's guess work! You need to get the codes read. Either buy a lead(s) and down load the free software, or get someone to scan it for you. Then you've got somewhere to start from. As previously mentioned, my money's on a damaged wheel sensor.

 

[alfaaddicted]

Taking it in for tracking later today so while im not holding my breath you never know , at least its the simplest one first and having it tracked wont do any harm anyway.