Emergency! Help! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 03:40 AM

OK, so I've read a bunch of threads on this already and they don't seem to help me out because they ALL say the same thing. Here's the situation:

Dead battery, hood is locked, latch to open hood is locked - no second battery to use to unlock the latch.

I've got a 1997 boxster and I've been trying to find the emergency pull under the passenger's front wheel-well.

Does anyone know what the cable actually looks like (I'm still working on getting the liner off without destroying it)? Is there some trick to getting those damn clips out? They certainly are a real ********************...

...And please, before anyone says "Look in the manual" could you tell me what page to look on - I've tried them all.

Thanks
Steve

:chicken:

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 03:45 AM

p.s.

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures while doing this so there is a guide for others.

Also I just noticed a typo in the manual:

"Automotive batteries loose their efficiency when not in use" -page 136

That kinda made me a little less angry

kabel · 08-12-2006, 04:27 AM

Steve,

I feel your pain regarding those fasteners in the wheel liner, I pulled the front bumper off a couple weekends ago. If your 97 is similar to my 99 you should see the cable when you get the liner off. it is a simple length of (what looks like) aircraft cable and is most likely taped in place.

Good luck. (Where in Florida?)

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 05:23 AM

OK so I got the weel well liner "off" - I have one last fastener of some sort on the underside toward the middle of the car - I'd jack it up to see what it is, but my jack is ... kinda locked in the hood ...

I tried to take some pics of the underside but I don't think they will help...

it's taped to the top? it's near the front I would assume, right? is it enclosed in a plastic casing?

I hope to god this is what you guys are talking about because I can't really see anything else...

kabel · 08-12-2006, 05:36 AM

Steve, I wish I could be of more help... I'm a little disoriented by you picture, not sure what area I see there.. on my 99 the cable was not enclosed in anything.

This is a long shot, but pop the tow hook plug on the front bumper and have a look inside there for the cable. I have seen recommendations to move the end of the cable there for exactly this reason.

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 05:49 AM

No dice...

but I DID figure out how to get those damn clips out easy - take some wire strippers and clamp it (not too tight) into the biggest size - LUCKILY mine was big enough so there was room for it to jiggle around leaving no chance for it to be broken.

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 06:19 AM

I got better pictures - Also how do you do the screwdriver trick with the interior latches I've been reading about?

Bateman · 08-12-2006, 07:22 AM

I finally found the release and got it open - I'm just waiting for the batteries for my camera to charge and then I'll take some pictures...

Thanks

kabel · 08-12-2006, 08:17 AM

Glad you found it

11-14-2006, 05:15 AM

hey is the latch inside the passenger side front wheel well. 2002 boxster hood need to be opened, battery was taken out of the car and hood closed...blunderrrrrr

ohioboxster · 11-14-2006, 06:14 AM

I dont understand, as soon as I open my drivers door there are two pull handles to open front trunk and rear trunk. You guys dont have these?

ukchris · 11-14-2006, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ohioboxster

I dont understand, as soon as I open my drivers door there are two pull handles to open front trunk and rear trunk. You guys dont have these?

In newer Boxsters the release is electronic, there are switches in the sill where you have levers. If the battery is dead you need to get to the release cable or attach a 12v source to the connector in the fuse box. You can also trickle charge for a while through the cig lighter to get enough power in to the battery to allow you to release the trunk.

Chris.

PorscheDoc · 11-14-2006, 06:49 AM

You can also remove the drivers side wheel well, and grab the actual hood release cable that runs through there, and pull on on it. It will pop the front latch.

11-14-2006, 07:01 AM

are you sure its the drivers side or passenger side............

also my porsche dealer ( i spoke with a different service advisor) says that i can get a battery pack and get power to the fuse box and open it like this. even though my battery is not in the car..i'm gonna try this route first.

the next problem is that i can't really take the tire off, because the lock nut is in the hood. blunderrrrrr so is there enough space to get my hand in there to find the latch without taking off the tire............

ukchris · 11-14-2006, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KronixSpeed

also my porsche dealer ( i spoke with a different service advisor) says that i can get a battery pack and get power to the fuse box and open it like this. even though my battery is not in the car..i'm gonna try this route first.

Do you have access to another car so you could tap in to its battery? If not a lot of auto shops have those portable starters they will loan you maybe, otherwise a $10 car battery charger from a store should do it. In my 03 there is a special terminal in the fuse box where you attach the 12V then you attach the negative to the door hinge and you should be all set to release the trunk lid.

PorscheDoc · 11-14-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KronixSpeed

are you sure its the drivers side or passenger side............

also my porsche dealer ( i spoke with a different service advisor) says that i can get a battery pack and get power to the fuse box and open it like this. even though my battery is not in the car..i'm gonna try this route first.

the next problem is that i can't really take the tire off, because the lock nut is in the hood. blunderrrrrr so is there enough space to get my hand in there to find the latch without taking off the tire............

The actual hood cable you can grab and pull is the drivers side. The emergency release is on the passenger side.