Battery disconnected and now I'm locked out of trunk.

[HondaGoneRogue]

I'll quote myself, just incase you're still gonna try the wire thing.

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

No, later models have no keyholes in the trunk.

He has to use a key for the front door, pop the hood, "jump" (by connecting jumper cables) to the battery terminal posts UNDER THE FRONT HOOD, and he will have enough power to unlock the trunk using the trunk button on the dash.

[panoz7]

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

I'll quote myself, just incase you're still gonna try the wire thing.

Not sure if this is the issue with that:

Originally Posted by DriveHard

I concur. jumping the car prob will not work becaause that module mounted on top of the batter has no ground any more.

Definitely worth trying the jump first though. That wire thing is going to be a pain in the ass.

[doba_s]

Originally Posted by Dan@UnitedBMW

It's not recommended for personal install, which is why it's not in the manual. You would be surprised how many newer cars need programming after battery installs.

The only solution is to hook it up in the front and hope the terminals in the back aren't touching anything.

The new cars don't need to be programed after the battery replacement. The battery needs to be initialized and coded to the car. No programing is required.

[TunedM2C]

So this was rather easy, I simply jumped it and the car woke up and I'm able to now get into the trunk.

Thread/

[HondaGoneRogue]

Originally Posted by panoz7

Definitely worth trying the jump first though. That wire thing is going to be a pain in the ass.

There is more than one ground. It works. People have done it and posted ad naseum.

[doba_s]

Originally Posted by Tuned1

I disconnected the battery (only one terminal) to install a lightweight battery over the weekend and I accidentally closed the trunk. Our cars don't have keyholes as you all know so I went out and purchased a charger/maintainer from Sears today. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...1&blockType=G1

After about ten minutes of charging both terminals there was no evidence of power. The charger even stated it wasn't "charging the battery" which of course makes sense. I'm only trying to get enough power to pop that trunk so now I'm considering getting a jump from my wife's car. Is this a good idea?

I can't believe a BMW doesn't have a manual option for opening the damn trunk in the event of a disconnected or completely dead/unchargeable battery!

Any other advice?

All you need to do is to get a simple charger that has enough power/amps and connect it to both terminals under the hood.

Some new chargers won't start charging the battery if they can't detect any voltage form the battery , which is the case with your car.

You need to supply at least 14v to be able open the lock.

It happened to me many times and old school charger did the trick.

Good Luck,
Aleks.

[panoz7]

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

There are more than one ground. It works. People have done it and posted ad naseum.

Good to know. Glad this was sorted out so easily.

[inluvwithastripper]

My 1M has not arrived yet, but I have a 135 and it has a trunk key hole. It is under the lip of the trunk and not immediately obvious, but it's there. I would imagine the 1M has the same hole.

[tkbr0wn]

Originally Posted by inluvwithastripper

My 1M has not arrived yet, but I have a 135 and it has a trunk key hole. It is under the lip of the trunk and not immediately obvious, but it's there. I would imagine the 1M has the same hole.

It doesn't.

[tkbr0wn]

Originally Posted by Tuned1

So this was rather easy, I simply jumped it and the car woke up and I'm able to now get into the trunk.

Thread/

That's awesome, glad the battery thing worked. Hanger would have been a royal PITA.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by inluvwithastripper

My 1M has not arrived yet, but I have a 135 and it has a trunk key hole. It is under the lip of the trunk and not immediately obvious, but it's there. I would imagine the 1M has the same hole.

Noop! It was done away on 135i's in late 2009 I believe. Part of BMW's decontenting of the car. I know my 2010 does not have one.

[tay]

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

I'll quote myself, just incase you're still gonna try the wire thing.

That's no good if the battery's disconnected!

[Nugget]

Originally Posted by tay

That's no good if the battery's disconnected!

It definitely works when the battery is disconnected. I have done it.

[Eyeman]

Another thing to not do is do not open a door with the battery disconnected. The drop down then back up when closed feature got screwed up in my car when I did it. Mechanic/Coder fixed it easily, but I couldn't.

[-cj-]

Jumping the terminals under the hood area works. You are essentially plugging in a second battery. Doesn't matter that your actual battery in the trunk is disconnected.

[BrokenVert]

How do you even find a thread this old to rez?

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

How do you even find a thread this old to rez?

By using Searchy. A lost art , clearly

[xjan]

A very old thread, but I thought it might be useful to give some info. I had a problem with the battery disconnected and trunk closed on my 1M. Luckily it had the fold down 1/3 and 2/3 seats, but... not the glow-in-the-dark handle nor nothing. Attaching a charger/starter to the battery terminals under the hood did not work.

Finally I managed to get the seats folded down by removing the left side rear shelf speaker and feeling around in the sound insulation foam under it to find the release cable. Twisting and pulling on the cable from the middle with pliers I popped the seatback lock finally and got access to the trunk

[fjgregor]

After this happening to me a couple of months back, whenever I know I have to disconnect battery, I'll just hit the unlock levers JUST IN CASE. It might save you alot of hassle.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by -cj-

Jumping the terminals under the hood area works. You are essentially plugging in a second battery. Doesn't matter that your actual battery in the trunk is disconnected.

This.

[eeghie]

Reading through this thread I could imagine if you have OP's problem that you could get confused. Adding some minimal accuracy in most statements ties all great advise together:

Originally Posted by HondaGoneRogue

No, later models have no keyholes in the trunk.

He has to use a key for the front door, pop the hood, "jump" (by connecting jumper cables) to the battery terminal posts UNDER THE FRONT HOOD, and he will have enough power to unlock the trunk using the trunk button on the dash.

Correct. Keep in mind that the charger or battery has to able to function as a steady 'voltage supply'. If the charging device claims to be an intelligent charger that checks the condition of the battery (that is not even connected) before supplying electrical power to the terminals, such chargers will not help you in the disconnected battery situation. Find a charger that has a steady voltage supply option or a spare battery and connect it as suggested.

Originally Posted by Strongbark

I disconnected the battery (only one terminal) to install a lightweight battery over the weekend and I accidentally closed the trunk. Our cars don't have keyholes as you all know so I went out and purchased a charger/maintainer from Sears today. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...1&blockType=G1

After about ten minutes of charging both terminals there was no evidence of power. The charger even stated it wasn't "charging the battery" which of course makes sense. I'm only trying to get enough power to pop that trunk so now I'm considering getting a jump from my wife's car. Is this a good idea?

I can't believe a BMW doesn't have a manual option for opening the damn trunk in the event of a disconnected or completely dead/unchargeable battery!

Any other advice?

It seems your charger was 'over-intelligent'

Originally Posted by S54dan

It's not recommended for personal install, which is why it's not in the manual. You would be surprised how many newer cars need programming after battery installs.

The only solution is to hook it up in the front and hope the terminals in the back aren't touching anything.

The only way in which connecting steady supply to the terminals under the hood will not work (and might possibly damage your charger/2nd battery) is when in the trunk, the disconnected red supply battery cable connects somehow to ground. No need to ever disconnect the red battery cable, except for the minute before and after changing the car battery itself.

Originally Posted by doba_s

The new cars don't need to be programed after the battery replacement. The battery needs to be initialized and coded to the car. No programing is required.

Correct, this is related to regenerative braking. The charging of the battery while braking, is implemented as a function of age and charging history of the battery. That battery history needs to be reset when you install a new battery and the date that the battery is installed in the car is entered and stored in the car's ECU.

Originally Posted by tay

That's no good if the battery's disconnected!

It only depends on the ability of your charging device to supply electrical power even when the battery in the trunk is disconnected.

[gibbsb]

Hooking up jumper cables to the + lug under the hood and to a chassis ground should power up everything. Done it many times on BMWs when I owned my shop.