Just checking to see if anyone else has fixed a problem that was initially intermittent but is now constant on my 2003 115 ELX. When I lock the car by pressing the button no problem. Long continuous beep followed by a shorter beep - alarm on. On unlocking get the short staggered beep switching the alarm off but the car stays locked. I then have to use the key in the driver's door lock to unlock it and all the other doors including the boot pop open electrically. It is the same if I unlock the car using the key on the passenger door and all the rest of the doors/boot open electrically. The key, by the way is brand new after the old one fell apart but the problem existed prior to the key replacement so it can be discounted as a cause.
Rather than me going at it like a mad thing and replacing every black box in sight or stay awake at night dreaming up various theories, I thought I would ask if anyone had a similar problem and found the cause?
Regards

A long continuous beep followed by a short one on locking doesn't sound right to me (forgive the unintended pun). For me, it's just the long beep. That second beep could be a notification that something hasn't locked or closed properly. There are threads on here that list the codes.

When the car is locked, what flashing does the LED on the dash do? And just after you've unlocked?

The beep after the long beep [there has to be a joke here too] could well be a problem but maybe not the right one. I can confirm that when locked, everything is locked and there is a steady flashing light on the dash near the radio I think. On unlocking with the key button, the light goes out but of course the car stays locked. I think the beeps and flashing lights are all alarm related whereas the unlocking problem is more to do with the receiver [which appears to be working perfectly otherwise] sending a signal to the part of the car that controls all the locks [which also works perfectly otherwise]. This is my assumption at least.
Regards

I've just had a look in the handbook for my car - a 2004 roundnose. This is what it says (I quote directly):

To switch the electronic alarm system on: press button A (the key button) on the remote control. You should hear a "beep" and the direction indicators switch on for about 3 seconds (in countries where legislation permits it). The warning light inside the car .... will flash as long as the car alarm is on.

To switch the electronic alarm off: press the button of the remote control again. You will hear two "beeps" and the direction indicators will flash twice.

(More stuff about deactivating the volumetric alarm), then:

SELF TEST
If, when switching on the car alarm you hear a "beep" followed after about one second by a shorter "beep", check that the doors, bonnet and boot are all closed properly, then try switching the alarm on again. If the problem repeats itself, have the car checked at a Fiat Dealership

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So, I think there's a problem somewhere with one of your locks. I'd check the switches on the door locks - you need to take the interior door cards off to get at them.

Thanks for that. Taking it to a FIAT dealership is not an option I am prepared to take on the basis that the fault has to be something I can deal with myself. I was just hoping to pointed in the right direction. Whilst there may well be a problem with the alarm I do not think it is related to the unlocking issue because as I mentioned initially, the car unlocked properly now and again when I first saved it from the scrapheap and it has always had the second beep. What I was rather hoping for was someone who says "Yes, I had exactly the same thing and it was this or that dohickey which you need to replace or jump up and down on"
Regards

PS: The flashers on my car do flash as per the handbook when the alarm is activated etc.

Definitely don't take it to a Fiat dealer unless you want to blow your children's inheritance. I was just quoting that bit directly from the handbook.

What I'm trying to get at is that there's probably a switch/sensor in one of the doors/bonnet/boot that is gummed up. Everything may well lock correctly (i.e. the mechanical aspect is all functioning correctly), but the cars sensing of the locking is not as it should be. The two things are linked, but separate.

As for finding someone that has already trodden this path - someone has to be the first!

As stated check all the door switches, the one on the bonnet AND the latch switch on the boot. Not many people know that on most modern cars the switch for the boot is no longer the old fashioned sprung loaded depress-able switch as found on the doors but rather it is integrated into the boot latch. Take out each switch and check the contacts are clean and that a sound earth is being created. As the doors and bonnet are a break switch my money would be on the boot which is a make switch.

Good luck