Flat battery and luggage area?

clubsport · Apr 16, 2013

I am attempting to assist a friend by email to replace the battery on his 08 C4S.

The car is rarely used, the battery is dead.

The problem being to open the front lid with no power.

A new Bosch battery has been sourced, this has been connected up to the connectors mentioned in the handbook, when you click the keyfob to open the front end, the light flashes, but the solenoid switch just clicks away without the front popping open.

This suggests to me, not enough power is getting through to the switch?

It's a new battery and I can't imagine much power is required to operate the switch, compared to cranking the starter and engine over.

Assuming the battery is strong, has anyone experience of opening the front luggage compartment in this way?

The other option of course is to remove the arch liner and yank the cable.

Does anyone know which side of the car to remove on a rhd car to access the cable to open the front lid?

Cheers.

tscaptain · Apr 16, 2013

Presumably the same thing happens when you pull the lid release lever rather than use the key?

clubsport · Apr 16, 2013

I was told there was an electric micro switch for the front lid release....which is obviously without power, until the new battery is externally connected....then it clicks...

Is there a separate "hidden" lever rather than a switch as well?

Tks.

tscaptain · Apr 16, 2013

I mean the levers that are just inside the door sill by the drivers door - one for the front lid and one for the engine compartment. Just to check - you have connected the new battery to the positive terminal that you pull out in the fuse box. Then connect the other cable to a good earth on the door frame. I think then either the key bonnet release or the aforementioned lever by the sill should open the lid

clubsport · Apr 16, 2013

Tks, they have been tried......but a still electrically powered, unlike pre facelift 996 cables........Solenoid must be kernackered?

It's as if power isn't getting through...aaaaghhh!

Tks for your response tscaptain.

tscaptain · Apr 16, 2013

The answer to the other question is that the cable release is in the right front wheel arch.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/29874-emergency-trunk-release-cable-2006-997-c2/

Lancerlot · Apr 16, 2013

I would make sure the jump cables to the connections are sound before he starts removing wheel liners.

You need a good connection to the positive on the fusebox and a really good connection to a decent earth point on the chassis. Not much current needed to operate the front cover relay, but there may be a large battery drain due to the dead battery that's reducing voltage everywhere. You could try connecting everything up and leaving it with a mains connected charger on the good battery for ½ hour or so, then try the door kick plate switch again.

Regards,

Clive.

clubsport · Apr 18, 2013

Just for future reference if any one else has this issue.

New battery, decent connections, even another battery from a car that starts first time could not get the front solenoid to click the luggage area latch open.

Yes, a good battery was connected externally for a few hours....no difference.

So.....plan B.....off with the wheel arch liner.......oh hang on, guess where the locking wheel nut is kept!

Car now recovered on a flat bed to OPC.

I think I will stick with my air cooled car, I just don't have the kind of patience required for the newer models!

Lancerlot · Apr 18, 2013

Provided the steering can be operated, you should be able to loosen the wheel arch liner without removal of the road wheel.

Regards,

Clive.

clubsport · Apr 18, 2013

Apparently there is a trick to this...

In this case the battery was totally dead...so no power was getting through.

If you connect to the terminals suggested in the handbook it did not work at all, however if you remove a cover and go direct to the fuses that relate to the bonnet latch you can power it up that way...worked 1st time....I guess you need to be able to read the chart on a fusebox!