Alfa Spider Airbag Light Points to Rollover Sensor Fix

As someone with moderate experience working on Alfas, I dealt with a very similar airbag sensor issue on my 2008 Alfa Spider last year. The vehicle safety warning lights and error codes were nearly identical to what you describe. The rollover sensor and airbag system diagnostic revealed a faulty control unit, which was affecting the entire safety system. After some initial attempts at resetting the codes, I had to take it to a specialized workshop where they confirmed the vehicle rollover detection system was compromised due to a defective control unit. The repair involved replacing and reprogramming the airbag sensor control module, which ended up costing around 1000 Euro including labor. Since the fix, all safety systems have been functioning perfectly with no warning lights. To provide more specific guidance for your case, could you share: The exact error codes you are getting, Whether the warning light is constant or intermittent, If you notice any other electrical issues, If the car has been in any accidents or exposed to water damage These details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced with my Spider.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I am also seeing intermittent warning lights on my Spider with 52216 KM. My recent service check showed that my SRS sensor is indeed malfunctioning. After running additional diagnostics, the error codes point to a degraded vehicle rollover sensor connection. The safety system warning appears mainly during cold starts and seems to clear temporarily after the car warms up. The 1000 Euro repair cost you mentioned is higher than expected, but makes sense given the complexity of the safety system components. Will need to factor in the control unit programming as well. Good to know the fix was permanent in your case. Did you notice any improvement in other electrical functions after the repair? My power windows have also been acting up, wondering if these issues could be related to the sensor failure.

Thanks for the additional details about your Spider. The symptoms you describe with cold starts affecting the warning lights match exactly what I experienced before getting my Spider fixed. The tilt sensor issues can definitely cause intermittent warnings, especially in colder conditions when electrical connections are more susceptible to resistance. The SRS sensor system is quite sensitive to temperature changes, which explains the temporary clearing once the car warms up. Regarding your power windows, interestingly, after replacing my control unit and fixing the vehicle rollover detection system, several electrical gremlins disappeared, including similar window issues. The central control unit interfaces with multiple vehicle systems, so a faulty one can cause seemingly unrelated electrical problems. A few tips based on my experience: Get the vehicle safety system checked soon, as a malfunctioning rollover sensor can compromise airbag deployment, request a full system diagnostic before repair to ensure no other modules are affected, consider having the electrical grounds checked, as poor connections can mimic sensor failures The 1000 Euro repair ended up being worth every cent for the peace of mind and resolved electrical issues. My Spider has been running flawlessly for over a year now with no warning lights or sensor errors.

Thanks for that comprehensive information. Based on the cold start symptoms and interfering electrical issues you mentioned, it sounds like we have nearly identical problems. My Spider is exhibiting those exact same quirks. After hearing about your successful repair outcome and the additional electrical improvements, I am now more confident about proceeding with the full control unit replacement. The crash detection system and vehicle rollover sensor are too critical for safety to ignore, even at that repair cost. I will schedule a complete diagnostic scan next week to verify if my SRS sensor issues are also affecting other modules. Your tip about checking the electrical grounds is particularly helpful, I will have them inspect those connections too since my power windows are acting up. Great to know the fix has proven reliable over time in your case. While 1000 Euro is substantial, restoring proper vehicle safety system function is worth the investment. I appreciate you sharing your experience as it has helped clarify my repair path forward.