[JamesDB]

Ok Alarm is randomly beeping - assume it is because it has been sitting in drive for 6 months and the NEW $700 battery has died...

Problem - how do I open the boot or where can I access a point on the car so that I can charge the battery enough so that the FOB works?

FOB does nothing

Key from FOB (did not even realiseit had a key hidden in there) in drivers door DOES NOT OPEN the door - turns but door remains locked

how to get in? I have a charger.... I know people say to access the emergency boot / trunk release but you need to get in for this to be an option?

HELP - Saturday morning here and it is annoying my neighbours

 

[Edwardo Catflappo]

There are pos & neg terminals under the bonnet - or indeed the 'hood' if you are in the yooknighted states.

Hope that helps, with credit to the fella who took the original photograph, whomsoever he should be
Glen

 

[JamesDB]

There are pos & neg terminals under the bonnet - or indeed the 'hood' if you are in the yooknighted states.
View attachment 184377

Hope that helps, with credit to the fella who took the original photograph, whomsoever he should be
Glen

Thanks - yes I am aware of those points. The issue is you can not access them with the bonnet closed. I can not open the bonnet without access to the inside of the car.

Also from looking into the bonnet latch that you unlock from inside of the car - it is actually a powered lock not mechanical with cable activated like a set of bike brakes - as with most cars - even my dads BMW uses a cable system - the RS uses 12v to activate which means even if I could get into the car - with a flat battery the bonnet would not release as no power...

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1ppKwXc_vK1Rjy0Foq6xIxVXaj.jpg

The car is so poorly designed for handling a flat battery.

Issue now is - had rain for last few weeks so have not been able to get near the car - finally lifted the car up on jacks - no access to the bonnet release cable via the wheel arch as I had hoped...

so went hunting for B+ under the car. The starter motor B+ requires pulling half the car apart to access - with single use bolts that you have to replace every time they are removed. so instead I located the B+ on the alternator - REALLY hard to access with all the cables in the way.... really hard....

so put the car on charge... STUPID cars computer is interfering with the charge process.... as the battery was drained so much - due to rain and a few weeks of the STUPID car turning on the dash lights like a christmas tree display... has dropped the battery to a level that means If I can ever access it - I will most likely need to throw it away now... less than 8 months old.... but deep deep discharged

anyway charging with the hopes of getting just enough juice into the system to unlock the doors and boot.... but every time the car gets just enough juice- THE STUPID THING flashes the headlights and seems to be isolating the B+ from the alternator like there is some relay or switch that the ECU is controlling every time it wakes up - so I don't think I can charge from this point as between isolation.... the battery being so dead.... and the regular flashing of the headlights and tail lights it is discharging the battery as fast as I can charge it... SOME REALLY REALLY bad design by the germans here.

Also read that in some models if the car is stationary for more than 3 days it disables the mechanical door lock from being functional?? so most likely time the battery is going to go flat... leaving the door as the only access using the mechanical key - it will be disabled???

of for the simple days before cars had complex control systems like this

but if I could get in - then I could open the boot via the emergency release assuming I can lay the seats our of the way in this model.

 

[fred44nl]

I understand the frustration, that you cannot get inside the car.
nor can you open the bonnet.
I think you have to resort to old-fashioned brake-in and entering.
open the window a little by pulling it towards you.
take an end of iron-wire and unlatch the door.

this has been done with my A5 by a professional garage, when I left the keys in the boot.

oh, and you dont need to get in the boot, as the plus and minus points are under the bonnet/hood.

 

[JamesDB]

I understand the frustration, that you cannot get inside the car.
nor can you open the bonnet.
I think you have to resort to old-fashioned brake-in and entering.
open the window a little by pulling it towards you.
take an end of iron-wire and unlatch the door.

this has been done with my A5 by a professional garage, when I left the keys in the boot.

oh, and you dont need to get in the boot, as the plus and minus points are under the bonnet/hood.

Yeah I may have to try that - assume it wont be that easy else the cars would be stolen or broken into all the time... but will check it out tomorrow.

Yes hoping that once in that I can open the bonnet and charge without interference from those points. just worried that the bonnet pull system will be some way disabled unless the car is unlocked... again unless that 12V cable is for a sensor rather than lock control...

Hopefully the 2011 model has something I can grab with a wire as you suggested - because from memory the traditional lock at the top of the door is just a flashing LED on the RS5... and if the car is locked not sure the handle itself will open it.... will need to investigate.... and also hope I can do all this without damaging the window or the door frame...

 

[JamesDB]

Any ideas if this cable is accessible at any point in or around the wheel arch?

 

[fred44nl]

if you try to break-in, you should try it from the passenger-side and try to pull the inside door lever on the driver-side.
on my car, A5 B8 2010 the bonnet was opening fully mecahnically.
so, once the driver-door is open, you are OK

 

[fred44nl]

when my A5 was 6 months old, the battery was flat, because the cooling fans never stopped.
so next day, no power, nowhere, nothing.
I than took my car key apart and opened the driver door with mechnical key that is inside the fob.

you must have a key in your fob, or am I mistaken ??

funny, I think of that now.

 

[JamesDB]

when my A5 was 6 months old, the battery was flat, because the cooling fans never stopped.
so next day, no power, nowhere, nothing.
I than took my car key apart and opened the driver door with mechnical key that is inside the fob.

you must have a key in your fob, or am I mistaken ??

funny, I think of that now.

Yes I have the mechanical key in the FOB - for what ever reason though it does not work - turns the lock fine but nothing happens.

SO either the barrel is stuffed, or as some one posted that some versions have a "feature" that if they have been left stationary for over 3 days the car disables the mechanical lock from giving access to the car - which if true (and they game page numbers for the manual) then that is stupid because the most likely time a battery will go flat is when it has been left stationary for an extended period.

I have not seen the manual so they may have misinterpreted it, and it may just be referring to the handle allowing access due to key proximity only rather than use of the mechanical key - as I saw other posts talking about to reactivate the handle - pull it twice and it will reactivate....

 

[JamesDB]

had a look - it is a LONG way from passenger side to driver side door to try and hook and pull.... coat hangers would not cut it... even from drivers side on back edge to door would require some amazing skill