Trunk Access With Dead Battery

[landtuna]

This problem has to have a simple solution but I have not been able to find it.

Parked the Genny 3 days ago and apparently the person last in the trunk did not close it firmly enough (although there was no indication it was open from dash lights). It drained the battery right down to the last volt. Everything was dead.

I hooked up my charger to the underhood connections and began charging but wanted to open the trunk to ensure no vapors would build up there. No way. Went through the manual - no help. Tried a variety of fob, master key and switches but it would not unlock. After charging finished this morning everything is back to normal.

So what did I not do (or do wrong?). I cannot imagine the Genny designers would not provide a fail safe way to access the trunk because, duh, that is where the battery is located.

Another related item: My charger will select 12V at either 2A, 4A or 6A rate. I have never had it fail to set correctly but when I charged the Genny it would only select the 2A rate. This means it took over 12 hours to completely charge the battery.

The manual says that a normal full recharge should be at a trickle rate for 10 hours and apparently there is circuitry that prevents any higher rate. Coupled with the fact I couldn't access the battery itself might have been a blessing as it surely would have generated explosive vapors inside the trunk otherwise.

 

[darthspader]

Stupid question but cant you just use the manual key in the key fob to open doors and trunk?

 

[Epiphany]

Yeah, the key into the trunk should have worked no problem. To help avoid buildup of anything if you couldn't get it open though you could just leave a window open and then open up the passthrough as well.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

Remove the key from your fob. Press the button and pull - there's a traditional key in there. They go back, kneel down so you can see the place just above the rear license place where the traditional key will go in. It's a very well kept secret.

 

[landtuna]

Yeah, the key into the trunk should have worked no problem. To help avoid buildup of anything if you couldn't get it open though you could just leave a window open and then open up the passthrough as well.

Windows were inop without any charge in the battery. I did open the passthrough and left one door open. Had the charger been working at a higher rate I might have been able to detect an odor but because it was trickle charging (and wouldn't go any higher) it probably wasn't generating significant vapors.

 

[darthspader]

Ok, well im glad you got her fixed up, and I hope you haven't completly killed the battery. I guess you will find out soon, I will keep my fingers crossed.

 

[landtuna]

Stupid question but cant you just use the manual key in the key fob to open doors and trunk?

That was my very first thought. My mistake was apparently asking my wife to look underneath the trunk lid. In her defense it was very dark but she said she could not see a keyhole. I just looked a few minutes ago when she came home and the keyhole is right there on the left side. <domestic argument ensues>

It would have helped if the manual had been a bit more explicit but it doesn't mention the trunk keyhole specifically.

I still don't understand the battery charging issue.

 

[sluggo]

I think the Hyundai guys got it right with the battery charging rate limiter. I wish more manufacturers would do the same.

Lead-acid automotive batteries can accept very high levels of current (30 amps or more) when charging. The only thing limiting the current is the internal resistance of the battery and the rating of the charger. Many old-school chargers can deliver up to 20 amps or more, which means your charging battery is now a 240 Watt heater. Put that level of heat generation in a battery in Arizona in the summertime and you have a damaged battery (dead) or a cracked battery case (from the expansion) in very little time.

Most old-school battery chargers have very inductive outputs. Ever see a big spark when connecting a battery charger to a dead battery? Of course you have. Ever wonder what that spark means to every device connected to the 12V line? It means (very brief) exposure to hundreds of volts. That's more than enough to damage sensitive devices that are powered off of 12V.

Limiting the charging current to 2 amps greatly reduces the potential for damage to the battery and the potential for high-energy sparking when connecting the charger.

 

[darthspader]

Excatly what he said.

 

[g_44486]

Remove the key from your fob. Press the button and pull - there's a traditional key in there. They go back, kneel down so you can see the place just above the rear license place where the traditional key will go in. It's a very well kept secret.

Very good, thanks!

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[G-772952]

what if the key from the key fob does bot work and you cant get I to your trunk?

 

[gkoster]

My Key (the actual silver key when you press the silver button on the fob) wont open my trunk and my battery is dead how in the world do I open my trunk to get to my battery?

 

[jimmy buoy]

Can you not use your physical key to open the car door, pop the hood, and jump another car's battery to your terminal points in the engine area? That should provide enough power to open the trunk electrically.

 

[Darcgable90]

Can you not use your physical key to open the car door, pop the hood, and jump another car's battery to your terminal points in the engine area? That should provide enough power to open the trunk electrically.

yes you can just press the button on the key FOB and it will release the the valet key which will allow you to unlock your doors, trunk, and glove compartment (and dont forget to press the button in the glove box before you lock it and thats locking access to the trunk as well) Usually when I have my car worked on and I have stuff in the car I would lock the glove box and trunk and take the key out the key FOB and give the mechanic the FOB so that way the only thing they have access to is the door lock and to start it and you have the actual key with all your stuff locked.

 

[johnny3fingers]

What do you tell a woman with two black eyes

 

[Mcc]

Usually when I have my car worked on and I have stuff in the car I would lock the glove box and trunk and take the key out the key FOB and give the mechanic the FOB so that way the only thing they have access to is the door lock and to start it and you have the actual key with all your stuff locked.

I like to do that also when I valet the car but the problem is there is no way for the valet to loop the fob on the valet hook so I’m afraid it will get lost.

 

[Darcgable90]

I like to do that also when I valet the car but the problem is there is no way for the valet to loop the fob on the valet hook so I’m afraid it will get lost.

Yes that’s true but I o ly do it if my car is going to the shop because they have a zip tie that they put on it and put it in a bag

 

[Mndh]

I have a 2010 sedan and the fob key did not work on mine either. I reached through the pass-through in the rear seat with a wooden strip about three-quarter inches square and tripped the emergency release.

 

[Gunkk]

Use the mechanical metal key to unlock the trunk. There's a key slot above the license plate.

 

[rockman82]

My Key (the actual silver key when you press the silver button on the fob) wont open my trunk and my battery is dead how in the world do I open my trunk to get to my battery?

I have that problem!!! key wont open door or trunk.....how did you solve??