B5 access through trunk (boot), or emergency access to engine compartment

Having parked my B5 Passat for a while due to failure of the door-handles, I now find the battery has died so the key no longer lowers the windows, denying me even NASCAR-style ingress.

I wish either to:
1. enter the cabin via the trunk/boot by lowering the rear seat (but HOW?!), or
2. open the hood / bonnet by alternative means (emergency handle of some sort?).

HELP!!

ok, I have a 1.8t engine on my b5.5 passat and not really familiar with the TDI engine configuration on your passat (assuming that it's diesel) but I'm pretty that the location of the starter is the same.

This is what I would do, I'd borrow a battery and a set of jumper cables. I would get under the car and ground the chassis/engine and power the heavy gauge starter cable.

This way you should be able to use your remote and roll your windows down.
You might need to put the front end on jack stands and have a buddy around to help just in case.

Just my $0.02.

Can't he just use his key to open a door lock?

aja8888 said:

Can't he just use his key to open a door lock?

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apparently his door handles don't work properly and he's been using his remote to get in the car through the window

Volk14 said:

apparently his door handles don't work properly and he's been using his remote to get in the car through the window

Click to expand...

All of them? Damn....

Well only the DS handle has a key tumber in it...

-J

compu_85 said:

Well only the DS handle has a key tumber in it...

-J

Click to expand...

Well, I never noticed that! Jetta's too? I'll have a look at my 2000 tomorrow...

Passenger side door tumbers went away for 1998.

-J

Well one way would be to access the starter B* terminal under the car and use it to recharge the battery so the windows can be lowered.

Good news for me - I'm mobile again.

Pushed and pulled on driver's door handle while operating the lever repeatedly, and the door opened (cable probably stretched, but how did ALL handles fail within approximately 2 weeks?!). A new battery is now in situ and I'll file a complete report of findings when all is sorted.

Thanks for your help. Really good suggestions and I'm certainly fortunate to be a member of this forum!

Hi, I have a similar problem with my A4 B5 1.9tdi Sedan.

1. 2 weeks ago,Car was locked with key and battery terminals removed(to save battery during my absence)
2. Now the key does not turn fully in the Driver side door key-cylinder,seems stuck
3. Only the Boot can be opened,but there is a metal panel between boot and rear seat,no access

How to access the passenger compartment?
Is there a trick to remove the metal panel or below method can work?

Volk14 said:

This is what I would do, I'd borrow a battery and a set of jumper cables. I would get under the car and ground the chassis/engine and power the heavy gauge starter cable.

This way you should be able to use your remote and roll your windows down.

Click to expand...

I don't know if it was mentioned before but you can lift the car and put jumper cables to the starter wire that leads to the battery to get the electrical system going.

Hi thanks. The car is in 1st gear,there is no risk of activating the starter and breaking something?

As long as you only power the "big" wire going to the starter, you will be at no risk of starting the car. Just make sure the battery cable touches nothing else other than the larger of the two wire s going to the starter.

Just as an added safety measure, connect the jumper cable first to the starter (thick wire leading to the battery) AND THEN crawl out from under the car before connecting the other end to the external battery or powering up the jumper pack. This way if you screwed something up, the car wont drive over you.