Dead battery trick?

[Vertical]

When battery is dead the electrical system is down, as is the trunk for accessing battery.  

 

I have tried connecting positive to red fuse and negative to door arm.  I ran current using jump starter but could not get latch to open.  Does anyone have any other ideas to open truck, e.g. force lift?  Thanks in advance.

 

Is this also true for current year C4S?

 

Quote for 1999 911:  <<There should be a release cable under one of the headlights. You need to use something to fish it out. If you do a search at renntech.org you will find it.>>

 

Thanks

[Loren]

Exact model and year of your car, please?

[DBJoe996]

There are two emergency release cables.  One is for the front trunk lid and it is located underneath the passenger side headlight.  The only problem with that is getting to it, because if the trunk lid is not open you cannot release the headlight to get to it.  So you have to pull down the front passenger side wheel liner and reach up to find the cable.  The second emergency release cable is for the engine lid.  It is located underneath the drivers side tail light.  Put some painters tape on your bumper under the tail light and use a plastic wedge to expand the gap between the light and bumper.  Shine a light in the gap and you will see a cable that you can fish out with a coat hanger hook, or something with a hook on it.  That will open the engine lid where you can get to the jumper points in the engine bay.  With a good battery, connect to the jump points and that should enable you to get the trunk lid open.

 

And let me use this opportunity to make a strong recommendation - once you get the trunk lid open so you can access the battery, pop the headlight and locate the emergency release cable.  Then re-route the cable to just inside the front bumper tow hook plug.  When, not if, in the future you have to deal with a dead battery, pop the tow hook plug and there is the emergency release cable.

[MartiniLinguini]

I second what DBjoe said. Reroute that front cable.

 

And I have seen batteries that sucked up the voltage from small jump boxes and didn't allow the car to activate the front release. Try a larger power source or charging the car for some time, if you can't get to the release cable.

[Vertical]

13 hours ago, Loren said:

Exact model and year of your car, please?

This is first use of forum, so please excuse if my comments are out of order.

 

I just want to thank those who helped by answering and one who tried by note.  Between the contents of all the answers the trunk is open.

FYI, Major problem now - can’t charge dead battery on this new car (400 miles)???  I put a battery charger on for 24 hours and can’t get past ‘bty bad’.  (No reason to believe Charger is bad.  Any DIY ideas?)

 

Thanks and regards from Atlanta, GA. 

Edited March 1, 2018 by Vertical

[DBJoe996]

Is it a newer type AGM battery?  By experience, one day they work and the next day it is dead.  Probably has a broken cell inside the battery.  Time for a new battery.  Before disconnecting the battery cables, make sure you have your radio code if it requires one.

[Vertical]

Thanks, but I’m not checked out on ‘radio codes’?   You’re nor referring to Sirius code?  IAE no power... .  Do you think jump start attempt blew the battery or just sitting undriven 4 weeks.  It’s otherwise getting towed to the dealer=(

[Loren]

Exact model and year of your car, please?

[Vertical]

2017 C4S, which I already sent.  Original problem resolved, trunk opened.  Howeve, next step of problem is dead battery!  This is a new car with only 400 miles.

Do you think jump start attempt blew the battery or just sitting undriven 4 weeks.  It’s otherwise getting towed to the dealer=(

[DBJoe996]

Jump starting the car rarely kills the battery, unless you hook up the jumper connections wrong (backwards), then all kinds of bad stuff happens.  If it won't charge then it is a bad battery.  It really doesn't matter that it was undriven for 4 weeks.  However, that length of time may result in a dead battery.  Some batteries just will not recover from being fully discharged for a length of time such as 4 weeks.  All depends on the battery type and current condition.  I don't understand why you don't just change out the battery without going to a dealer.  That's going to cost a fortune.  Any NAPA, AutoZone, O'Reillys can help you install a new battery.  Recommendation - get an AGM battery, H7 size.

[Vertical]

I appreciate and understand your input.  While I’m not new to Porsche I am new to problems with them. This is my 4th, 2nd 911 but my wife gets one when I do (so 3rd 911.  She currently has a ‘16 Targa 4S, custom build.)

 

I buy new to avoid problems even though it costs more.  I know where it’s been and I’m fastidious with care.  This one is new, 400 miles and should be covered under warranty.  Heck, they ought to give me a new car after buying 8 of them there within~4 years.  I love them and am jonesing for a Turbo S2 but it’s a bit much on $$$.  (Wife won’t get a T2; I’ll be lucky if I do’-)

 

Unbelievable, but I had a Porsche trickle charger on it while it sat 4 weeks - had it set to ‘off,’ which caused all these problems.  I could have pooped a porcupine!  So, now it gets towed and I’m nervous as the long tail cat that they’ll send some dunce to pick it up with an old bent dodge pickup with crane... .

 

Any and all tips appreciated.

Edited March 1, 2018 by Vertical

[PTEC]

On 3/1/2018 at 3:17 PM, Vertical said:

I appreciate and understand your input.  While I’m not new to Porsche I am new to problems with them. This is my 4th, 2nd 911 but my wife gets one when I do (so 3rd 911.  She currently has a ‘16 Targa 4S, custom build.)

 

I buy new to avoid problems even though it costs more.  I know where it’s been and I’m fastidious with care.  This one is new, 400 miles and should be covered under warranty.  Heck, they ought to give me a new car after buying 8 of them there within~4 years.  I love them and am jonesing for a Turbo S2 but it’s a bit much on $$$.  (Wife won’t get a T2; I’ll be lucky if I do’-)

 

Unbelievable, but I had a Porsche trickle charger on it while it sat 4 weeks - had it set to ‘off,’ which caused all these problems.  I could have pooped a porcupine!  So, now it gets towed and I’m nervous as the long tail cat that they’ll send some dunce to pick it up with an old bent dodge pickup with crane... .

 

Any and all tips appreciated.

 

Chances are you just have a bad battery, as someone else has mentioned sometimes these AGM batteries just die without warning so being on a trickle charger wouldn't made a difference either way.  That being said the newer cars with AGM batteries will not reliably work with a cigarette lighter style trickle/charger maintainer, you'll need to hard wire to the battery.  As long as you've called 1800Porsche you can expect to have someone that has been trained on these vehicles.

[Vertical]

As it turns out all of your points proved to be the case.  Dang, Is it also true the Porsche cigarette lighter won’t trickle charge?  I used to hard wire before I got into Porsches.

 

As it was indeed bad, dealer has now put in a new battery and run the relearning defaults and tested for parasitic drain... .  Happy again in unun land,)

 

Many thanks and regards.

Edited March 10, 2018 by Vertical

[JFP in PA]

Porsche’s were designed to use the cigarette lighter as a port to connect a quality battery maintainer (not a trickle charger).

[Vertical]

I’m a little confused:  I thought a quality battery maintainer was a trickle charger by definition - releasing charge as battery depleted.

Also, this may be a nit but in my C4S there is no cigarette lighter per se.  instead, there is a dedicated power port on the side of the

passenger’s foot well.  It may (or not) be same specs/functions as lighter, or greater?  I’m not informed.

[Loren]

The difference between a trickle charger and a battery maintainer is that a trickle charger constantly applies a charge, whether the battery is fully charged or not.

A battery maintainer, on the other hand, has circuitry that monitors the battery and charges only when the voltage has dropped below a preset level, thus preventing overcharging and damage.

 

When the battery maintainer, senses the voltage has dropped, a battery tender will resume charging. Because of this a battery maintainer can be left connected indefinitely. A trickle charger should be disconnected and reconnected occasionally, probably used for charging once or twice a month for a day. I do not recommend using trickle chargers since people tend to forget and leave them connected.

[Vertical]

Then, unless I hear back the  battery maintenance  device sold by Porsche is intended to plug into power port as wired, not hard wired.

[JFP in PA]

The Porsche version of the CTEK battery maintainer comes with a cig lighter plug end

 

[JFP in PA]

2 hours ago, Loren said:

The difference between a trickle charger and a battery maintainer is that a trickle charger constantly applies a charge, whether the battery is fully charged or not.

A battery maintainer, on the other hand, has circuitry that monitors the battery and charges only when the voltage has dropped below a preset level, thus preventing overcharging and damage.

 

When the battery maintainer, senses the voltage has dropped, a battery tender will resume charging. Because of this a battery maintainer can be left connected indefinitely. A trickle charger should be disconnected and reconnected occasionally, probably used for charging once or twice a month for a day. I do not recommend using trickle chargers since people tend to forget and leave them connected.

 

Basically, ALL trickle chargers will eventually cook and kill the battery, while a battery maintainer can be left on indefinitely and will NEVER harm the battery.

[Vertical]

That’s the one I’ve got (Porsche’s battery maintainer, pictured), presumably will work on new Porsche battery (AG3)? vs. earlier post

that newer cars, with AG3 batteries had to be hard wired.  

 

(I’m caught in the middle of two opposing opinions.  I’ll let you two resolve your differences!) 

 

IMO, since Porsche made it for Porsche batteries and is still selling it to maintain their AG3 it will work, unless there’s something I’m missing.

 

Thanks for followup.

Edited March 10, 2018 by Vertical

[JFP in PA]

1 hour ago, Vertical said:

That’s the one I’ve got (Porsche’s battery maintainer, pictured), presumably will work on new Porsche battery (AG3)? vs. earlier post

that newer cars, with AG3 batteries had to be hard wired.  

 

(I’m caught in the middle of two opposing opinions.  I’ll let you two resolve your differences!) 

 

IMO, since Porsche made it for Porsche batteries and is still selling it to maintain their AG3 it will work, unless there’s something I’m missing.

 

Thanks for followup.

 

Not sure what you are referring to as an “AG3” battery, but I will assume you are talking about an AGM or Absorbed Glass Mat battery.  AGM batteries require a slightly higher final charge voltage compared to a conventional flooded celll battery, but they do not require hard wiring.  In any case, the lighter circuit in the car is wired to accommodate the use of a quality battery maintainer.  The Porsche unit is actually a CTEK, which has a special setting specifically for use with AGM batteries to accommodate the higher finish voltage, so it will work fine with an AGM battery.

[Vertical]

Great!  Thanks for clarifying.  (Yes, I did mean AGM; my mind wandered to a variation of the Porsce GT3 monike... .  It charges you!)