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      03-02-2019, 03:44 PM   #1
PopsnBurbles
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Dead battery...please help

I recently moved jobs and have virtually zero need to drive. I live literally a 3 minute bike ride from my job. My car never had any signs of a weak battery prior to dormancy. My car has been sitting for about 7 months now. My 6 year old battery is dead parked facing a wall. Literally zero juice to even turn on a single interior light and I CANT OPEN THE TRUNK. I have taken off my DCT shifter trim and can force it to go into neutral but I'm unsure if that technique require electricity. I just found out that this car does not have a key slot to manually open the trunk.

Lessons learned:
1. When storing this car, make sure to have one of the rear seats unlocked
2. Make sure to never put the key in the slot so that it doesnt get stuck (yes, I did it)
3. When storing the car, park backing in.
4. Also, connect it to a battery tender.
5. Drive my car more often...I dont have harsh weather to deal with so I can take my car on a fun drive. (Been having fun cycling around town recently)

All that said, how can I access my trunk? Are my best options is to connect it to a fresh battery from the front?

My next question is my dealer is charging me close 600 bucks to replace a battery. I'm willing to buy and install the battery on my own but registration/coding sounds daunting to me. Anyway, what kind of battery is the most appropriate/suggested? (my stock battery has the part number 61217604813)

I'm more used to dealing with more simple cars (like an e30) where I can easily go to a local auto parts store, drop a new battery in, and drive. I would not have to spend close to 600 bucks for a battery swap.

Thanks a lot.
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      03-12-2019, 11:21 AM   #2
JimD
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I would hook a jump starter or another battery to the post under the hood and a good ground and see if that will not let you access the trunk. With a battery that dead I doubt it will start, the connection between the new battery or jump start and the car will have great difficulty transferring the energy to start.

Registration/coding can be done multiple ways. The cheapest may be to get a cable and NCSExpert/INPA. Bimmergeeks is one source and I think they get about $45 for the cable and the software is free. I've done other coding with NCSExpert and it was neither easy nor terribly difficult. The fact that the file you need to change is in German increases the unease I have when doing it. But it has always gone fine. If you put in the same amp-hours of battery, you do not need NCSExpert, just INPA. You tell INPA that you put in a new battery. If you change the size or type, you change that using NCSExpert. A simpler way to do all this is Carley. I think it will be over $100 but will be much easier to use.

Any autoparts store can sell you a battery that will fit and work. You don't have to code at the exact same time. The car will charge the battery "wrong" until you change things but that will not instantly damage the battery.

I'm still running the original 2009 battery in my car. It works fine. When it doesn't, I will buy a battery somewhere handy and then code when I get around to it, hopefully within a week or so. I have AAA so one way for me to get a battery is to call them and they will come out, sell it to me, and install it. They do not code, however. Walmart seems to often be the cheapest place to get a battery. I just bought one from them Sunday for my pontoon boat.
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      03-13-2019, 09:47 PM   #3
houtan
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If you hook up a battery charger to the posts under the hood the trunk should work. Pretty much what jimd said.
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      03-19-2019, 03:40 PM   #4
Tommm
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You are making this more complicated than it needs to be.

Borrow one of the charge packs. Or buy one at Harbor Freight. Open the drivers door, pop the hood, hook it up and start the car.

Drive to Pep Boys and buy a battery. The will code it. The money you saved by going to Pep Boys will pay for the charge pack which you can keep in the car in case you need it again.

Store the charge pack with the spare tire - oops.
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