HELP! Battery died and can't open front hood! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

rubberduckie · 03-27-2006, 01:34 PM

So last week i was going to drive the Boxster for the first time this season. Unsuprisingly, the battery was almost dead, as I haven't driven it for several months, but I was going out of town the next day so i decided to deal with it when i got back. Just to be safe i locked everything and set the alarm and left. when i got back the battery was completly dead, but the problem is that the front hood where the batery is located is still locked. i can get into the car by actually putting the key into the lock, but i still can't open either trunk or the gas cap. I called my guy at Porsche and he told me there was nothing I could do and it would have to be towed, but before i hand over the big bucks to the dealership and there any ideas out there? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

xclusivecar · 03-27-2006, 01:45 PM

Search...lots of info...in short though, there is a wire pull in your passenger(?) front wheel well.

rubberduckie · 03-27-2006, 01:56 PM

Thanks for the info. I ran a search and found somthing about a battery maintainer. Would this work to charge it, or will it just cause the battery to keep its charge??

ralegen · 03-27-2006, 05:59 PM

Can't get into the hood? I thought the latches were all non-electrical. Unfortunately I have nothing to offer.

Uncle Bob · 03-27-2006, 06:31 PM

What year is yours?
My '05 has a set of terminals next to the deappedal on drivers side just for applying enough voltage fro outside source to operate latch to access battery! kind of goofy way to go about having a battery that seems to die if left alone for too long. Hopefully yours has that...

A battery maintainer is very handy if yours isn't a daily driver. Well worth the money, IMHO.

xclusivecar · 03-27-2006, 06:51 PM

Depending on your year...find the little access panel in your passenger wheelwell and grab ahold of the wire behind it...pull hard. The front trunk will pop and the alarm may/may not go off...so grab a wrench and disconnect the battery. Now your in! I'd buy a new battery to be on the safe side.

rubberduckie · 03-27-2006, 08:18 PM

Thanks alot for the help. to answer Bob it is a 1997 and i would appreciate if you could further describe what your talking about as that sounds exactly like what i need. Also, Xclusivecar, when i pull that wire, im i actually pulling out so that it will have to be fixed later?? and do i actually have to disconnect the battery (I was just planning on jumpping it)?? Thanks again to everyone.. you all have given me so much more advice than Steve at Porsche ever could!

rubberduckie · 03-27-2006, 08:42 PM

I found a charger that plugs into the lighter and into an outlet on the wall so that I wouldn't even have to get into the hood. Would this be able to transfer enough power to at least start a completely dead battery? Here's the link to it on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AMOEPA/qid=1143524438/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/002-0524046-3323256?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=automotive&v=glance&n=15684181

Uncle Bob · 03-28-2006, 01:16 AM

Links to finding the cable:
http://www.babblers.org/forums/showpost.php?p=34729&postcount=6
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showpost.php?p=1123343&postcount=3

Battery maintainer links:
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=104526

Link to manufacturer:
http://batterytender.com/default.php?cPath=11

docdyh · 03-28-2006, 02:28 AM

Instructions for this is in the manual as well...

rubberduckie · 03-28-2006, 08:34 AM

Sorry for all the questions. but I now have a new problem. I bought a battery charger that plugs into the cig lighter and left it charging. when i came back the car was honking (I think this must be because the windows are part way down and the car thinks it is locked). anyway, i decided to just leave it honking and let the battery charge, but with a 2volt chargeri am afraid that the honking is taking more battery than i am giving it. Would that be true? Also, is it possible to raise the windows or turn off central locking with the key only in the middle position (the place right before it would actually start the car)? I definately don't have the battery to start it, but i need to get the windows up to stop the honking and central locking off to get into the front hood to jump it. I really got myself into a problem now. I would consider pulling the cable, but i am a terrible mechanic and not even sure that i could find it or put it back together if i did.

rubberduckie · 03-28-2006, 10:33 AM

If i decide to pull the wire, will i have to remove the black plastic thing that it above the tire? And if so i could really use some pictures if anyone has them. I have tried almost every option (using a screwdriver to move the cam under the levers to open the doors, the cig lighter charger) but nothing has worked. this is it before i have to call the towtruck. if it comes to that, does anyone know how the dealer will open it? and have any of you guys ever heard of a dealership that will come to ones home to fix somthing like this? this whole problem has made me somewhat question Porsche. my Honda, although hardly the looks or preformance of the Box, would never have a flaw like this. Espccially when so many Porsche owners have to store their cars in the winter months, you would think that this would be a problem for many people and somthing that Porsche woudl want to fix. when i think about the fact that this may run me a couple of hundred (towing, labour, at least a complete day of time) i am feeling for the first time since i bought the car the pain of owning a Porshce. i am sure that as soon as i can get it on the road again this will change, but for now

All advice would be appreciated

rubberduckie · 03-28-2006, 12:43 PM

Thanks for all the help, but it seems like this job is just too big for me. I called Acceleration and they are comming at 6:00am to tow it to the dealership and take the wheel off to pull the cord. The Box will be on the raod by noon!! Thanks again.
PS: does anyone know how much this is going to cost me at a top of the line independant machanic?

xclusivecar · 03-28-2006, 01:37 PM

I know its frustrating...but..the pull cable is (if I remember correctly) under a small plastic flap in the front upper wheel well on the passenger side of the car. Its a very durable high strength wire and will not break when you pull it. Many of us have actually re-routed this wire to the emergency tow hole in the front bumper for easier access in the future. The only drawback is you have to remove your front bumper to do this...although this will give you a chance to clean out your radiators! Lots of junk builds up in there! It's too bad you had it towed. Only 2 minutes of work and getting a bit dirty could have saved you lots of time, money, and frustration!

Uncle Bob · 03-28-2006, 08:12 PM

Pain in the patootie indeed. Let us know how it comes out!

rubberduckie · 03-29-2006, 01:06 PM

Well, my good old Box is back on the roads again. I took my car to Acceleration and they were able to get it all taken care of. it turns out that the previous owner never changed the battery in the 9 years they owned it and was so far past dead, so they hooked me up with an Intersate MTp battery (not positive this is the name) for a grand total of $250 (parts and work). I am so thrilled to see my baby driving again and the guys did a great job. If anyone in Columbus, Ohio need a mechanic give these guys a call, they are AWESOME!!!
(mods: i am not sure if i am allowed to post the name of the shop so feel free to delete it if it was out of line)
Thanks guys!!

rdancd816 · 03-29-2006, 01:56 PM

I bet you feel really good now! I have an Interstate battery in my '97 and it's been great. Now all you need is some great Spring weather and your good to go. Those of us who own the "original" Boxster need to keep the group informed these are still great cars. I plan to keep mine "stock" and have had 0 problems with it. I drive it every day. Let me know how your doing with the car and I'll do the same! Good Luck and Kudos to Acceleration! Glad it worked out for you...

03-30-2006, 04:05 PM

i am sorry but reading all those threads, i do not understand how come you were not able to just pull on the handle to open your bonnet (hood) in the 97 model they are manual front and rear latches, my understanding is that on the new 987 it is electrical and it can be a problem to have a dead battery?

talking of dead battery i had not driven my baby for about 3weeks (was away) and of course it would not open with the remote, so open it with the key, ready for alarm to sound, switch engine and to my horror no kick going, but every time i turn the key in the ignition the windows would go mad and move up and down as if possessed.
any one with an idea why would the windows acted like this, i just put a charger on the battery for half an hour and away i drove (to a Porsche track day by the way).
any comment will be appreciated

cheers!

986 in BC · 04-01-2006, 10:39 PM

I just had the same problem.
After leaving the car in the garage for only two weeks the battery is dead and the remote opener won't work.
When the door locks it also locks the handles for the hood, trunk and fuel filler.
I used the info in the following link to get access.
http://www.986faq.com/8-0/default.asp#005-001

MNBoxster · 04-02-2006, 05:35 AM

Hi,

You can use a stiff piece of wire or Dental Pick to move the arm which locks the handles for the pre-'01 models. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99