Battery dead and want to pop hood...

[Seerlah]

...without going from the bottom. Question: Can it be done?

Front door handle has handle issue unrelated held off too long (too lazy to fix). Unlocks, locks, handle won't open door. And trunk lock is stuck. Ill spray the crap out if it tomorrow with liquid wrench and try to unlock the other doors by blowing in the locking pump lines if nobody has an answer by tomorrow. And if I can't unlock the trunk, we are back to the reason I created this thread.

No novice, and wanted to know if I can do it through the hood grill. Already popped off and tried. But can't figure a creative enough way to get to the primary release the cable releases. This I can easily get to from the bottom. But current objective is to do this just as the car sits. If anything, I'll take the time to figure a way and post it if nobody figured a way yet. I already know many ways I can get in, including classic clothe hanger. But there has to be a way with the hood grill off and creativity.

In a nutshell, I can get to my battery. I just want to see if there is an easier way than jumping through hoops. Car is lowered with metal skid plate. And I'm trying to avoid jacking car up, taking off metal plate, and going from bottom.

I can also take my bumper off with ease, if you guys know a way once removed. I installed pro clips (can't recall brand name off the top of my head) to my bumper. Tuner car!

[LINDW4LL]

I'm no help, but why can't you just unlock the door with your key? Something broken?

[Davdraco1]

Also confused.

[Seerlah]

Simple answer, yes. Been holding off fixing it and paying the price now. Forgot to add that info to initial post.

[a4kamila6]

Ever broke into a car?

You know that piece of rubber/plastic that is on top of your door, you know, when you close your window fully and it slides into the rubber, creating a seal.

Well, if all else fails, you can get a stiff enough rod, bend one end about 2-3 inches at 90 degrees or 45, whatever, get that rod between your window and that piece of rubber, carefully get it through and pop open your door with the inside door handle.

Done this on more b5's than I can remember

[Seerlah]

Giantsfan, damn good idea if I can get it to unlock. Driver side seat is down, with my farad cap sitting there. This is how I monitor my battery level and allow beats to enter the cabin .

I have a work van and hardly ever drive my cars now (can't recall last time I paid for gas, but sometime last month...I think ). Been working like an animal last couple weeks and wish I monitored it at least once before going inside my house after a long day. But if you did what I did for a living (Commercial HVAC/ Refrigeration tech...in peak season), only thing on your mind when going home is going home.

a4kamila6, I may end up doing this if all else fails and I'm too lazy to jack up car to move over primary latch. Was about to do this today before I even made this thread. But thought about possible seal damage.

And for clarity, this thread is here due to laziness. But really I want to know an easier way.

[Seerlah]

Just got home (had a freind pick me up) and doused the trunk key hole with penetrating oil. Played with it till the key can slide fully in and out smoothly. Cant't turn it, though. Sprayed more oil and will let that marinate till the morning.

Car is 15+yrs old. This lock cylinder has been used maybe 5 times tops since ownership (want to say never) and that is when I purchased it, just as anybody would do when getting a new car and wanting to learn it. And once again, I can get into the car no problem by two methods (coat hanger or jack up car). That is not the purpose of this thread. I want the easiest method that doesn't have the potential of damaging anything.

[A1 A2 German]

Simply jack up the car and give it 12 volts from another battery.

Ground to chassis, and run a wire to the starter post.

[Nollywood]

Simply jack up the car and give it 12 volts from another battery.

Ground to chassis, and run a wire to the starter post.

This is what I've done, in the past.

[A1 A2 German]

This mod has worked out so nice for so many reasons and would work great in this case.

Bought one of these: http://www.google.com/search?q=12vol...cOtYiYmkt7M%3A

Made some brackets to mount under the car, wiring goes to battery (fused), converted a charger plug to male cigarette charger:






Mounted under car, out of sight, yet easily reachable:




Now it's dual purpose, I can keep the car plugged up if screwing with the interior (interior lights all on) or messing with the audio system, and also have exterior power if I want to run an air pump or power an invertor, etc.

[a4kamila6]

This mod has worked out so nice for so many reasons and would work great in this case.

Bought one of these: http://www.google.com/search?q=12vol...cOtYiYmkt7M%3A

Made some brackets to mount under the car, wiring goes to battery (fused), converted a charger plug to male cigarette charger:






Mounted under car, out of sight, yet easily reachable:




Now it's dual purpose, I can keep the car plugged up if screwing with the interior (interior lights all on) or messing with the audio system, and also have exterior power if I want to run an air pump or power an invertor, etc.

Thats pretty cool good job

[Wet0willy01]

My lock cylinders were all broken on my 99.5 and I Ieft my dome light on one winter night. I jacked the car up. Put my jump box negative on a ground. Then I attached the positive on a series of long 3/8 extensions wrapped in electrical tape to avoid shorting. Then I touched the exposed end of the extension to my starter post and hit the key fob to unlock.

[GrapeBandit]

wheni had shaved handles on a previous b5 and thebattery died, im pretty sure i hooked up battery charger to the starter and powered the car enough to unlock the doors

[Seerlah]

Didn't get to this yet, but thinking of rigging something up. Thinking run a hidden positive and negative line from the battery to the wheel well with plastic box. Question is, what gauge wire should I use. Won't be used for anything except little bit of battery juice to unlock doors in the event this happens again.

[MetalMan]

To answer the original question: yes you can pop the hood from below. Was at the Wuste car show in Vegas 6 weeks ago, and a B5 S4 guy had a broken hood latch release (he thought it was fixed).
I watched him pop the hood from above so I don't exactly know how he did it, but he did it... and it was his first time.

[Seerlah]

Broken hood latch is different. In my case, primary latch needs to be released first.

[MetalMan]

You're talking about the release lever you pull from below the driver's kick panel, right? That's the one I am referring to as well.

[Seerlah]

That is what I was asking in my original post. There has to be a way.

[MetalMan]

That is what I was asking in my original post. There has to be a way.

Maybe I'm confused, lol.

In my first post I was mentioning that I watched a guy pop the hood release, because his hood release cable was disconnected. This is the same one that you pop when you pull the interior hood release lever.
I didn't care to lay on the ground and watch how he did it, but he got it in a matter of minutes. We did look at the way my hood release worked though, so he had an idea of what needed to be pushed.

Also you might need to remove your front bumper... probably wouldn't if you had a SMIC.

[Avant Nate]

For future, just install a trickle charger with the plug in tucked into the corner of the bumper. Or just have the quick disconnects available.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher...ainer/15140206

[A1 A2 German]

There has to be a way.

I'm confused.


We've given like 3 different variables to effectively open the hood.

[a4kamila6]

Smash the fuckin window and pop that hood open

[Seerlah]

I'm confused.


We've given like 3 different variables to effectively open the hood.

Read the initial post. Title and first sentence in post. Still confused?!?! Or how I mentioned I can get into the car no problem!?!?

Either way, still did not get to it. I have another car and my work van runs most my errands, like food shopping before going home yesterday after work. Hence, why battery is dead in the first place.

[maxiz1]

This mod has worked out so nice for so many reasons and would work great in this case.

Bought one of these: http://www.google.com/search?q=12vol...cOtYiYmkt7M%3A

Made some brackets to mount under the car, wiring goes to battery (fused), converted a charger plug to male cigarette charger:






Mounted under car, out of sight, yet easily reachable:




Now it's dual purpose, I can keep the car plugged up if screwing with the interior (interior lights all on) or messing with the audio system, and also have exterior power if I want to run an air pump or power an invertor, etc.

This will surely work for trickle charging but what is the odds of burning the fuse/wire when you connect the power supply to a flat battery?

[A1 A2 German]

This will surely work for trickle charging but what is the odds of burning the fuse/wire when you connect the power supply to a flat battery?

10-12G wire, 30 amp fuse