(G) Marea HLX radio and alarm questions

Hello. First of all - the forum is great! I like the way you can find all kind of information on Fiat cars you want.

And, about my issues... We have a Marea Weekend HLX 1.8/16V car and I have a few questions about it. The car has radio controls on the steering wheel. Is there any way to use these buttons with non-standard Fiat radio? I mean, is there any way to use the buttons with an cd/mp3 player?

My other question. I have only one blue key for the car and it works fine. It has a button that should control the alarm of the car, but when I press it, a red light on the key starts flashing but nothing happens (all doors closed and I'm outside the car). I'm thinking of changing the batteries of the key, but I don't know if they're causing the problem. I don't even know if it's a problem. I just can't get the alarm to work.

I hope I've described my questions well.

You can connect a different headunit to the steering wheel controls. But need a certain cable and a compatible headunit.



Alarm issues can hopefully be fixed using the info in this thread.

http://www.fiatforum.com/marea-techn...-problems.html

Welcome to FF.

the radio, you need a stalk control adapter. if you go for autoleads they come in two parts, a car part and a radio part.

the car part is part number PC99-X28 and then you will need one of these part numbers dependant on the stereo you choose.

PC99-ALP - alpine
PC99-SON - sony
PC99-PAN - panasonic
PC99-PIO - pioneer
PC99-JVC - JVC
PC99-MUT - Mutant

These two parts then just join together to make up the adapter loom

just check which stereo you choose is steering wheel compatible. i know that most of panasonics and JVCs are but i also know that sony seem to have become inconsistent on which models they put steering controls on. so double check

Guys, thank you for your replies.

The Beast, I'll see the thread and when I try what's in there, I'll write back here.

mog1571, is Autoleads the only possible way of connecting the stereo to the steering wheel controls? I searched through different sites and I saw the kits you're talking about. I'm asking if these Autoleads kits are the only way possible to use, because I don't live in the UK and it would be difficult for me to find exactly that connector. I'll go to shops here to see if there are any other similar parts.

Hi always nice to have a new member

there will probably be other companies. the two big ones in the UK are autoleads and Connects2.

Yes, it turns out that these connectors can be found here, I searched through the shops.

There is something else I want to ask you about the built-in alarm. As I mentioned, I have only the blue key (system1) and I couldn't reprogram it with the alarm module as described in the thread pointed by The Beast. As many other people, I also don't have the 4-digit key used to reprogram a "protected" alarm.
So, my question is if there's any possible way of fixing this issue? I guess that the only way possible would be changing the alarm built-in module with a brand new one from Fiat so then I'll have the code? Am I right? Thanks

when you buy a new alarm it does not come with a code, the codes are for the remote keys. each remote key has a 4 digit code, so when you buy the car new there are 2 codes stored in the alarm for the 2 remotes it uses.

the problem with the codes is you must use a code for one of the remotes that is already paired with the alarm every time you reprogram the alarm to work with different remotes. this means changing the remotes will change the codes in the alarm, which means your old codes wont work any more.

thats a bit difficult to understand so lets illustrate with an example.

image you have a new marea, there are 2 remotes, each reomte has its own code. lets image one has the code 1111 and the other has the code 2222.

you could lose both remotes and still use either 1111 or 2222 to program some second hand remotes so they work with your car. you've lost the remotes but their codes are still in the alarm. since the alarm requires you to use a code that is already knows when you perform any programming you need to enter the code from a remote you dont even have.

the problem is that when you do that the codes 1111 and 2222 will be removed from your alarm and replaced with the codes from the second hand remotes, lets image they are 3333 and 4444. if you buy second hand keys that do not come with the codes written down then it means the next time you need to reprogram the remotes your original codes wont work and you wont know the new codes so you're stuck.

so what do you do? you can simply buy a second hand remote from another marea bravo or brava and also buy the alarm module from the same car. fit that alarm module in your car and the second hand remote will work, no need to program anything. then you need to stick that remote inside your orignla key so you can work the alamr and the immob and the locks. easy as that you've got a working remote key. all you need ot find is someone who is breaking a meara bravo or brava that has a working remote key.

jug, thank you for your perfect explanation of my question! Things are much clearer to me now.

There's only one little thing I'd like to ask you about. The alarm module you wrote about. What's the alarm module? I mean, where is it situated, is it only the thing that's below the main interior lamp? The one that has a key, which is used for reprogramming?