Finally suffered the dread dead battery, no access to frunk issue

[Kboggs]

My 99 has levers for the frunk so thought the dead battery issue of getting to the frunk was a non issue for me, but I was wrong. There is an actuator that keeps you from popping it also. I had some extra wires handy, so this fix attached is what I did and only took me a few minutes to get access to the battery. The trick is making sure the wire makes contact to both poles of that fuse fully. At first I thought it was not going to work, but took a large screwdriver pushing in to do the trick, using the fuse did not work.



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[Sikest]

I just bought a $8 cigarette lighter extension cord and cut female end off, stripped the wires and marked the positive wire. When you get locked out, you just plug the male side into the cigarette lighter socket, hook a battery or charger to the cord, and you are done. Way easier than trying to plug into the fuse box.

[jsceash]

Use electric charger or jump box. Clip + to contact in fuse box. and -to door latch, pop the hood switch.

[Kboggs]

Originally Posted by Sikest

I just bought a $8 cigarette lighter extension cord and cut female end off, stripped the wires and marked the positive wire. When you get locked out, you just plug the male side into the cigarette lighter socket, hook a battery or charger to the cord, and you are done. Way easier than trying to plug into the fuse box.

I should have thought about that before I removed the lighter plug and replaced with a double usb charger!


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[Kboggs]

Originally Posted by jsceash

Use electric charger or jump box. Clip + to contact in fuse box. and -to door latch, pop the hood switch.

Unfortunately not all have the lug or contact in the fuse box, mine doesnt.


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[Stl-986]

This isn't referring to the lug in the fuse box. It's referring to the pin the engages the handle you pull up on for either hood. When the car is locked it engages a pin that prevents the handle from being pulled up. the TSB is for telling the car & alarm to unlock which releases the pin so you can pull the handles up.

The other 2 ways to do this is to use the emergency cable in the bumper, or give the whole cable assembly in the driver wheel well a good pull to pup the hood open. I have used the 2nd method several times on these cars and it always works, just dont pull too hard.

[hho2005]

For YR 99 there is a physical cable for the front trunk behind the panel that cover the fuse box, 4 screws to remove the panel and the cable should be there, yank to open the front trunk.

[Kboggs]

Fyi, since my 99 does not have the lug in the fuse panel, I made a set of 986 jumper cables to keep under the passenger seat. In case you ever lose the emergency cable or want to save time, you just need to apply 12v to both poles of fuse C3, and the remote fob will operate the power door locks and allow you to pull the lever to pop the frunk. I took some alligator clips and leftover stereo install wire and made a long set of cables i can connect to someones battery, clip to ground at door, and shove this fuse adapter in fuse C3 and have the frunk open in one minute flat. Good insurance policy and backup to some of the other methods, snd since the earlier years do not have the pullout plug in the panel to attach to.




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[ike84]

MY 00 also had the cable that runs behind the fuse panel cover (I thought all years did?) That's what I use in this situation.

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[Stl-986]

No, 01 or 02 I believe they changed to an electronic release for the frunk which is when the fuse panel also got the module that pulls out.

Earlier cars also have a module that will lock the handles so they can't be pulled up. The fuse tap above is a great idea, makes it easier to give power so it can be unlocked/unarmed. Could also possibly trickle charge the battery though the lighter.