2006 Alfa Romeo 156 low beam

CORRECT USE OF THE CAR
194
DRIVING IN THE RAINRain and wet roads can be dangerous.
If the road is wet, the traction between
wheel and asphalt is greatly reduced, thus
increasing the stopping distance and de-
creasing road holding.
Here are few suggestions in the case of
rain:
– Reduce speed and keep further back
from the vehicle in front.
– If it is raining particularly heavily, visi-
bility is also reduced. In these cases, switch
on the dipped headlights even if it is still day-
light so you can be seen more easily.
– Do not drive through puddles at speed
and hold on tightly to the wheel if you do: a
puddle taken at high speed might cause you
to lose control of the car (“aquaplaning”).
– Position the ventilation controls for
demisting (see chapter “Getting to know
your car”), to prevent visibility from wors-
ening.
– Routinely check the conditions of the
windscreen wiper blades.
DRIVING IN THE FOG– If fog is very thick, avoid travelling
where possible. If travelling with mist,
ground fog or the possibility of fog banks:
– Drive at moderate speed.
– Also in the day turn on the dipped-beam
headlights, rear fog guards and front fog
lights. Do not use the main beam headlights.
WARNINGOn stretches of road with
good visibility, switch off your rear foglights;
the brightness of these lights could annoy
the people travelling in the cars behind.
– Remember that fog also involves wet
asphalt, thus greater difficulty in all types of
manoeuvres and longer stopping distances.
– Keep well away from the vehicle in
front.
– Where possible avoid sudden changes
in speed.
– Possibly avoid overtaking other vehicles.
– If the vehicle is forced to stop (faults,
impossibility to continue due to poor visi-
bility, etc.), firstly try to pull off the road.
Then turn on the hazard warning lights and,
if possible the dipped beam headlights. Ry-
thmically sound the horn if you note another
car coming.
MOUNTAIN DRIVING– When driving downhill, use the engine
braking by engaging a low gear, to prevent
the brakes from overheating.
– Never coast downhill with the engine off
or in neutral and especially not with the ig-
nition key removed.
– Drive at moderate speed and avoid “cut-
ting” corners.
– Remember that overtaking up hill is
slower and therefore requires a greater
length of clear road. If you are being over-
taken on a hill, move over to enable the
other vehicle to pass in safety.

IN AN EMERGENCY
219
BULBS High beamLow beamFront sidelightFoglight (where required)Front direction indicatorSide direction indicatorRear direction indicatorStop/side lightAdditional stop lightReversing lightRear fog guardNumber plate lightFront roof lightBoot lightRear roof lightCourtesy light (where required)Glovebox light
FIGURE 20
D
D
B
D
B
A
B
B
B
A
B
B
A
C
C
C
CPOWER
55W
55W
6W
55W
21W
5W
21W
21W/5W
3.2
21W
21W
5W
10W
10W
5W
5W
5W
TYPEH1
H7
H6W
H1
PY21W
W5W
P21W
P21/5W
3.2W
P21W
P21W
W5W
C10W
C10W
C5W
C5W
C5W

IN AN EMERGENCY
220
IF ONE OF THE
EXTERNAL LIGHTS
GOES OUT
FRONT LIGHT UNITSThe front light units contain the direction
indicators, side lights/dipped and main
beam light bulbs.
To replace these bulbs the cover must be
removed turning counter-clockwise.
The bulbs are arranged inside the light
units as follows (fig. 21):
A.Direction indicators
B.Dipped beam headlights
C.Sidelight/main beam headlights.
WARNINGFor the type and power of
the light refer to what described in the pre-
vious chapter “If one of the lights needs to
be replaced”.When the bulbs have
been replaced refit the cov-
er in the correct position
turning clockwise and ensuring that
it clicks into place.
fig. 22
A0B0392m
fig. 21
A0B0224m
Fig. 22:Dipped beam headlights with
Xeno lamp
A.Sidelight/main beam headlights
B.Dipped beam headlights/sidelight.
Alterations or repairs to
the electric system not car-
ried out correctly and without tak-
ing into account the specifications
of the system may cause malfunc-
tioning and the risk of fire.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
221
REPLACEMENT OF XENON
LIGHTS
(optional for versions/
markets where applicable)
Xenon lights have a very long life, there-
fore breakdowns are unlikely.
Hereafter you find the description of the
correct procedure to replace a Xenon light.– Rotate the connector (B-fig. 24) of
the Xenon lamp by a quarter of a turn
counter-clockwise, as indicated in fig. 25,
and remove it.
Dipped-beam headlamps
To replace the bulb proceed as follows:
– Unscrew the three locking screw (B-
fig. 23) and remove the protective (A)
cover.
fig. 23
A0B0348m
fig. 25
A0B0351m
fig. 24
A0B0349m
If necessary, have the sys-
tem checked and repaired
only by Alfa Romeo Authorized
Services.
WARNING
Any operation regarding
the front light units must
be carried out with the lights
turned off and the ignition key re-
moved from the ignition switch:
risk of electric discharges.
WARNING

IN AN EMERGENCY
222
The Xenon lamp must be
handled touching only the
metallic part. If the trans-
parent bulb is touched with the fin-
gers, rub it with a clean cloth
moistened with methylated spir-
its and allow to dry before refit-
ting the bulb.
WARNINGOnce the operation has been
completed, turn dipped beam headlamps on
and check that the headlight parabola
moves when positioning the light itself. If
not, re-engage the lamp.– Turn ring (A-fig. 26) counter-clock-
wise and remove it.
– Remove the Xenon lamp (B-fig. 26).
– Fit the new bulb by placing it so that the
notch matches the groove on its housing.
– Refit the protective cover correctly
(A-fig. 23).Main beam headlamps
To replace the bulb proceed as follows:
– Turn the protective cover counter-clock-
wise (C-fig. 23) in order to reach the high-
beam headlight bulb (A-fig. 24).
– Remove connector (A-fig. 27) and re-
move the bulb operating the clips (B) as
shown in the figure.
– Fit the new bulb.
– Refit the protective cover correctly (C-
fig. 23).
fig. 26
A0B0352m
fig. 27
A0B0350m
fig. 28
A0B0354m

IN AN EMERGENCY
224
– Refit the bulb holder (A-fig. 31) by
making its notches coincide with the grooves
in the headlight unit body and turn it clock-
wise.
fig. 32
A0B0222m
fig. 31
A0B0221m
DIPPED-BEAM HEADLAMPS(fig. 32)
To replace the bulb proceed as follows:
– Remove the protective cover
– Disconnect the electrical connector (A).
– Release the bulb catch (B).
– Withdraw the bulb and replace it.– Fit the new bulb making the tabs of the
metallic part coincide with the grooves in the
headlamp parabola and hook the bulb catch
(B).
– Reconnect the electrical connector (A).
– Refit the protective cover correctly.

IN AN EMERGENCY
226
FRONT SIDELIGHTS To replace the bulb proceed as follows:
– Remove the protective cover (A-
fig. 35).
– Remove the bulb holder (B-fig. 35)
which is snap-fitted.
– Remove the bulb (C-fig. 36) from the
bulb holder, pushing lightly and turning
counter-clockwise.
– Replace the bulb and refit the bulb hold-
er (B-fig. 36) in its housing.
– Refit the protective cover correctly
(A-fig. 35).
MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS (fig. 37)
To replace the bulb proceed as follows:
– Remove the protective cover.
– Release the clip holding the bulb (A).
– Withdraw the power supply (B) cable
connector.
– Remove and (C) replace the bulb.
– Reconnect the power cable (B) to the
bulb.
fig. 35
A0B0217m
fig. 36
A0B0218m
– Fit the new bulb making the tabs of the
metallic part coincide with the grooves in the
headlamp parabola.
– Lock the bulb in place with the clip (A).
– Refit the protective cover correctly.fig. 37
A0B0223m

IN AN EMERGENCY
235
The general protection fuses of Alfa
156are in the engine compartment, in-
side a container near the battery positive ter-
minal; to gain access to the fuses lift the two
lids (fig. 67and fig. 68).
FUSE AND RELAYS IN THE
MAIN FUSEBOX (fig. 69)The fuses for the main devices are housed
in a control unit under the dashboard, to the
left of the steering column.
To gain access to them, remove the pan-
el (A) releasing the tabs (B) in the direc-
tion of the arrow below and remove the
screw (C).A.Dipped beam light relay.
B.Relay for sunroof , seat heater, rear
window power control, seat electric adjust-
ment.
The symbols that identify the main electric
component protected by each fuse, are
shown on the label (fig. 70) on the in-
ner side of the panel (A-fig. 69).
Some spare fuses are housed at the right
of the control unit (D-fig. 69); you are ad-
vised to replenish the stock of spare fuses
when they are used.
fig. 68
A0B0579m
fig. 67
A0B0188m
fig. 69
A0B0172m
fig. 70
A0B0185m