How do I open the hood if battery is dead?

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
It is a 1996 Passat TDI. My door lock system is totally non-functional. I believe it might be a dead battery, or bad contact between the battery terminals and cables. How do I open the hood to check the battery, if I am locked out of the cab? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tony
 

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
I can't tell if you are joking, or are you saying the hood has a key lock?? Perhaps you didn't read the part of my short message that reads "My door lock system is totally non-functional."
 

fitzski

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Location
Ottawa
TDI
Uh... hmm... Well, none...
So using the key in the driver or passenger door does NOT unlock the door?
 

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
That is correct. My car normally makes a strange whining sound when I unlock it. The motor, or whatever it is, continues to run for 5-10 seconds after the locks are up. Now however, there is no movement or noise at all. It is possible that the battery is fine, and the lock motor is dead.
 

TomB

Veteran Member
Joined
May 1, 2003
Location
Cle Elum, Washington/Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2015 Audi TDI Prestige Sport
Tony,

You said you cannot open the hood because you are locked out of the cab and that this was in someway related to an electrical issue.

I asked, seriously, why you could not use the key to unlock the door to the "cab" as you call it and then pop the hood using the release in the wheel well.

None of this requires electricity.

Did I miss something? There should be a mechanical link between the key and the lock. Is your system modified with some after market locking system, or did VW really mess up on this approach?
 
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Antsrcool

Vendor
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Sep 18, 2007
Location
MA Springfield
TDI
2010 Cup Edition
yea dude put the key in the door rotate it and then pull the handle and voila yer in. Unless somethign is broke inside your door. its set up that way in case yer batt goes dead ;)
 

fitzski

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Location
Ottawa
TDI
Uh... hmm... Well, none...
Tony_V said:
That is correct. My car normally makes a strange whining sound when I unlock it. The motor, or whatever it is, continues to run for 5-10 seconds after the locks are up. Now however, there is no movement or noise at all. It is possible that the battery is fine, and the lock motor is dead.
The key unlocking the door is a mechanical function, and should still work. Granted, it won't open the rest of the doors (i.e. power locks), but you should be able to get into the cabin.

Make sure you try turning the key both ways, and try the passenger door as well.

This is quite odd... and failing the key, you'll obviously have to find another way to get into the car. With a coat hanger inserted between the window and door seal, you might get lucky...

You also *might* be able to reach up to the hood release at the hood from under the car. MIGHT.
 

speed185187

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Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Location
Hartland, MI
TDI
Case 580 Super M,
I always do a pocket check to make sure i have my keys, phone, wallet, ect.. before i shut the door. Doesn't matter how much of a hurry i'm in.:D
 

fitzski

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Location
Ottawa
TDI
Uh... hmm... Well, none...
johnboy00 said:
BTW, Your passat is a B4, not a B5.
Good point... Mods, if you're reading this, can you move the thread to the B4 forum, pls.
 

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
Sorry about posting in the wrong forum. As a mechanic once told me, "don't tell me what you think is wrong with the car, just tell me the symptons." I guess I got ahead of myself here.

The symptoms are: The lock does not unlock when I turn the key. Left, right, or otherwise. I have not tried the passenger side yet.. only the driver side.

I bought this car used, so I don't know if it has a modified locking system. Nothing else is modified, so I would guess not.

Antsrcool, my keys are not in the ignition. Shall I give you my address to mail your last dollar to?

The first thing I'll try is unlocking the passenger side. I can't believe I didn't try this before posting. My apologies.
 

tditom

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Location
Jackson, MI
TDI
formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
If you observe the interior door lock shaft while turning the key, you'll notice that the shaft will move when you are locking/unlocking. There is a direct mechanical linkage from the key tumbler assembly to the shaft. Perhaps the driver's side is broken. Tuning the key should also close contact on the switch that activates the trunk mounted vacuum pump that operates the other door locks (provided there is battery power).
 

MOGolf

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Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Location
underneath something
TDI
2001 Golf GLS TDI Reflex silver, rough road suspension and steel skid plate, 2004 Passat Variant, Candy White, rough road suspension and geared balanced shaft module, and much, much more. 2016 LR RR HSE TD6, 2019 Jaguar I-PACE
Other options:

"in case of emergency, break glass"
or
call a locksmith with the tools to open the door since you're locked out (got AAA for lockout service?)
 

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
I just tried the passenger side door, and succesfully opened it. I popped the hood, and tested the battery. The voltage was .06v.

I double checked the driver's side door. The mechanical linkage is broken for unlocking (left), but does work for closing. I think this is how it has been for 2+ years since I've owned the car. The vacuum pump has always opened all of the doors, so I never thought anything of it.

Come to think of it, the door ha always required a "double turn" to the left to open. This must have been because the 'first' turn operates the mechanicla linkage, but the second turn activates the vacuum pump.

As I said previously, for a couple years the vacuum pump has made a long (10-15 seconds) whining sound after unlocking the driver's side door. Obviously it is possible that the pump failed completely, or maybe shorted out and drained the battery.

Anybody have any other ideas about why the battery is so completely dead?

On a side note, my car was rear ended about 3 weeks ago.. its possible that this caused a short of some kind.
 

Smokerr

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Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Alaska
TDI
Passat Wagon GL,2005,Silver
Ok, you have a volt meter, there is some hope for you and you know how to use it, better yet (grin).

Battery going totally dead like that suddenly is most likely a draw. More likely the vacuum pump stuck on, but other stuff if you give it long enough (radiator fan switch stuck on and such).

After that its a work through it thing.

Get started, check battery when the car is running. It should have 14.5 and maybe as much as 15. Definitely not less than 14 (and if it is usually a lot less). If so, it probably died as soon as the jump was removed.

Low voltage when running, then its the alternator or the regulator (and I don't know if they are together or separate, not being a VW guru.) There are ways to check it out, but you have to have the book or know VW.

Battery charged, stop, turn on all the lights and check voltage. If it reads 12.5 or so when you start, and slowly goes down, its likely (not guaranteed but very likely good). If it rapidly drops below 121 volts, bad battery. Also dying like that can wreck an older battery, but the cause is still there.

Vacuum pumps to run the door locks? Is this fine German engineering? Sheese the last time I saw a vacuum thingy working cab stuff on a vehicle was a 67 Bronco, and I think they went electric in 68. Amazing.
 

tditom

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Joined
Sep 5, 2001
Location
Jackson, MI
TDI
formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
Tony_V said:
...As I said previously, for a couple years the vacuum pump has made a long (10-15 seconds) whining sound after unlocking the driver's side door. Obviously it is possible that the pump failed completely, or maybe shorted out and drained the battery...
I'm not sure if it is, but the pump should be fused to avoid this. That said, when I bought my B4 the central locking did not work. I found a couple of burnt diodes on the pump controller card. After replacing these the pump has worked ever since. If yours is staying on longer than 5 seconds, you probably have a marginal connection. Each door pillar has a twist lock connection that contains electrical and pneumatic connections. I've had problems in this area. Carefully applying petroleum jelly (or vacuum grease if you can get it) can help in these connectors. If that doesn't do it, then its time to pull off the door cards and look at the individual actuators. Don't forget the one in the trunk for the fuel door lock.

Another common problem at these door connections is the wires inside the boot flex and eventually break. If one of your power windows stops working, pull the boot back and look at the wires.
 
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Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
I think I'll pick up a battery charger today and see if I can bring it back to life. If that does not work, I'll buy a new battery.

I'll jump start the car, and check the voltage and make a decision based on your numbers.

Now I need to try to determine what drained the battery so badly so if I get a new one I don't have this same problem.
 

daedalus

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Joined
Aug 3, 2005
Location
Pittstown NJ
TDI
05 Variant TDI Black w/Gray
I'd be curious about any problem that may have come about from the accident 3 weeks ago.
 

Tony_V

Active member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
TDI
Passat, 1996, green
I charged the battery, and discovered what was killing it. Due to the accident, the trunk did not close completely, and the light inside the trunk was always on. I disconnected this light until I can fix the trunk/latch.
I also removed the door handle, and determined that the mechanical linkage that opens the driver's side door is broken. It is a chinsy little piece of metal, with two prongs on it. One of them locks, and the other unlocks. The prong that locks snapped off at some point. Until I replace that piece I'll be depending on the vacuum system (that might fail any day) to open the driver's side door.
At least I can now drive my car again.
 

MCR

Veteran Member
Joined
May 17, 2007
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
TDI
2003 Golf TDI
Open the trunk, push the back seat down, and crawl in.

I actually did this once in a 1991 Ford Escort with the doors frozen shut after an ice storm.
 
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