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Battery flat and emergency key snapped

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MGTS

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
HELP

Car battery is completely flat. I tried to open the driver’s door using spare key but the plastic nonsense that VW supply snapped off in the door lock.

The auto locksmith couldn’t get access as they couldn’t pick the lock with the old plastic key in there.

I have removed the badge at the front to see if I can access the bonnet lock mechanism but that didn’t work.

I have put 12v across the connections on the trailer socket and this puts power to the car but the remote still doesn’t unlock the car (I have put new batteries in the remote). The rear boot mechanism whirs but I think the deadlock is still engaged.

I think I need to get access to under the bonnet to put power to the battery that way, but I cannot work out how to open the bonnet. The auto locksmith could use an airbag to open the door slightly to get a long pole in to the car but the bonnet pull won’t budge as the door needs to be open.

Is there any other way of getting power to the car (eg the locksmith was suggesting via the starter motor??.). It would need to be from outside or underneath the car.

Or any other way of opening up the bonnet?

thanks v much
 
#2 ·
If you read through threads for dead battery there are a bunch of suggestions.
1- Some that suggest connecting to the starter.
2- Some say to connect to the jump terminals under the hood by removing the wheel and wheel liner on the side of your jump terminals.
3- Some say go through the trailer plug wiring if equipped.
4- Some say the license plate light wires.
Which one is easiest?
 
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Discussion starter · #3 · (Edited)
Hi

Thanks v much for this and for taking the time to provide all the suggestions.

I have put some comments below and will give 1 then 2 then 4 a try this morning.

Thanks again, I will report back how I get on…..


1- Some that suggest connecting to the starter. THE CAR IS PARKED ON A STEEP HILL SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAFELY JACK IT UP. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLIDE UNDER AND REMOVE THE UNDERTRAY AND CAN JUST ABOUT SEE THE ALTERNATOR (DYNAMO) BUT CANNOT GET TO THE STARTER MOTOR. I WILL TRY CONNECTING TO THE ALTERNATOR.

2- Some say to connect to the jump terminals under the hood by removing the wheel and wheel liner on the side of your jump terminals. AS ABOVE, CAR IS ON HILL SO I WILL STRUGGLE TO GET WHEEL OFF. IM NOT SURE IF THE CAR HAS LOCKING WHEEL NUTS EITHER - IF IT DOES, THE LOCKING WHEEK NUT KEY WILL BE IN THE CAR…

3- Some say go through the trailer plug wiring if equipped. I TRIED THIS BUT NO LUCK

4- Some say the license plate light wires. I POPPED THIS OFF BUT THE WIRES LOOKED VERY THIN SO DIDN’T WANT TO RISK A BIG CURRENT GOING THROUGH THEM. WILL TRY AS LAST RESORT.
 
Discussion starter · #7 · (Edited)
So I can confirm that removing the wheel arch liner on the 2016 model (in order to access the jump starter connections) does not work as there is a big metal bulkhead in the way so you can’t access the positive and negative terminals.

You cannot get to the bonnet cable via either sides wheel arch liners either.

We couldn’t reach the starter motor but we got to the back of the alternator and this did the same as connecting power via the trailer socket (ie there is power on the dash but pressing the key fobs does nothing). We tried the boot as well and could hear the mechanism is whirring but nothing happens. I suspect the deadlock on the boot is still on.

So in summary I’m still stuffed.

I’m going to get a tow truck to take it to the dealer unless anyone has another way of popping the bonnet?

I don’t mind smashing the grill as that is £105 to replace and cheaper than even the cost of the truck to take it to the dealer. However, I’m not even sure whether forcibly taking the grille off will help access the bonnet latch?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Just to add that The keys seem to be connected to the car because with power through the trailer connection, as you pull the tailgate button the mechanism whirs and the LED on the key flashes (so I think they are still connected to the car)

However it just feels like some of the circuits aren’t getting power
 
Discussion starter · #11 · (Edited)
Hi - first thing I did was I prised off the VW badge first (it came off in 2 pieces - the silver VW and separately a black round shiny part behind the VW). I re-used these parts - as you have to buy them separately to the grill).

I then used a multi tool to cut out the grill underneath the VW badge on the front grille, which gave me access to 3 screws on the bonnet catch mechanism (and there are actually 2 more screws, one each side, which I had to remove as well).

I undid all these screws and it eventually enabled me to prise open the bonnet enough to then see the cable running in to the bonnet release mechanism and then pull this to release the bonnet. I then connected the new battery I had bought to the battery terminals.

HOWEVER, when I did all this, annoyingly it still only gave me the same amount of power as I had when I connected power via the towbar socket. The blipper still wasn’t working with the keys. I was v pi55ed off at this point.

Therefore, to save yourself the above hassle I would try and connect the battery via the towbar. What I did next was possibly a total fluke - but as I mentioned previously, the rear boot mechanism was whirring when I pressed the button - so one of the things I did in frustration was I just kept pressing that rear boot button (the rubber one above the number plate on the actual car, not the one on the blipper) probably about 20 times and eventually the boot just popped open. I was then able to climb in through the boot in to the car, and then I could start the car. I suspect you will need the key present so that the keyless entry sensor for the boot detects the presence of the key.

I don’t know whether the car needed the extra power via the terminals under the bonnet to let the boot open, or whether the power through the towbar socket would have been enough. I would suggest you try pressing the boot release button by powering through the towbar socket thing first before smashing through the VW badge to the bonnet release?
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
After I installed the new battery, I bought a new drivers door lock off the internet and replaced that in the car.

I bought the cheapest one I could find on the internet from some company in Dubai. Stupidly I didn’t think they would be left or right handed - so the lock which turned up from Dubai was for a drivers door on the left hand side. I therefore needed to hacksaw bits of it off so it fitted in the right hand side door. This was all a complete faff. I would therefore make sure you get the correct side for your car.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
When you finally get access, I would ensure you have the right tool (you can buy off amazon) to easily remove the entire seat frame via the runners on the floor.

I read on here somewhere that you can just remove 2 screws on the seat frame in order to just move the actual seat and leave the runners in place - which is what I did, as I didn’t have the tool from Amazon and needed to get the battery changed urgently.

However, it was a total hassle and gives you much less space than if you removed the entire frame / runners too.

Hopefully you can learn from all my mistakes!
 
#15 ·
MGTS said:
After I installed the new battery, I bought a new drivers door lock off the internet and replaced that in the car.

I bought the cheapest one I could find on the internet from some company in Dubai. Stupidly I didn’t think they would be left or right handed - so the lock which turned up from Dubai was for a drivers door on the left hand side. I therefore needed to hacksaw bits of it off so it fitted in the right hand side door. This was all a complete faff. I would therefore make sure you get the correct side for your car.
Click to expand...
I agree, but HFT did you "hacksaw" off parts to make it fit??
 
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#16 ·
Ok brilliant thanks, i have already tried the towbar connected up to a 12v battery and got nowhere with the boot release.
I was at the point of cutting the grill the other day but stopped and i can reach one bolt on the top latch but not the rear one, im not convinced if i get into the bonnet that it will make any difference connecting power, i assume my key has lost sync and its not a power issue.
Im going to try and remove the busted part of the key and get a metal one cut.
If that fails i had the idea of drilling right through the lock to the slot at the end and turning the mechanism then, that is a theory at the moment and i realise that could make it worse but might save the glass.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Baldywig said:
Ok brilliant thanks, i have already tried the towbar connected up to a 12v battery and got nowhere with the boot release.
I was at the point of cutting the grill the other day but stopped and i can reach one bolt on the top latch but not the rear one, im not convinced if i get into the bonnet that it will make any difference connecting power, i assume my key has lost sync and its not a power issue.
Im going to try and remove the busted part of the key and get a metal one cut.
If that fails i had the idea of drilling right through the lock to the slot at the end and turning the mechanism then, that is a theory at the moment and i realise that could make it worse but might save the glass.
Click to expand...
Here is an image - side by side - of the old lock and the new lock I have installed (the one installed is for a LHD car so I had to trim it to fit under the plastic cover).


also attached are a couple of images of the old lock in case they help.

Yes I reckon you could drill it out - and once done you just need a flat head screwdriver to go all the way in. However, this is definitely the nuclear option and I would still try to get access another way.

You will never in a million years get the old piece of plastic key out.
 

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Baldywig
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