Opening the door with a dead battery

[AliRafiee]

I’m trying to reset the car. I disconnected the 12V battery’s + terminal. I can still open the door. But it takes two presses of the open door button.

WHAT IS HAPPENING??? In the past 3 years, I’ve seen hundreds of threads about not being able to get in the car with a dead battery. Or was it just semi dead battery?

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[Sikkun]

My understanding that I what is supposed to happen.

The problem is if the door is locked, then it can’t unlock.

Now why some people have seemingly just got out of their car and it locked before they could get the backseat open???

 

[Pioneer74]

There are capacitors in the door that will allow it to open from the outside with a dead battery. The caveat is that the door must be unlocked for it to work.

 

[AliRafiee]

There are capacitors in the door that will allow it to open from the outside with a dead battery. The caveat is that the door must be unlocked for it to work.

You’re 100% correct. My car was unlocked when I disconnected the battery. I reconnected, locked the door, and this time, no open. ?

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Hmmm, never occurred to me to use the car battery to open the door, but hey, UBU???

(jk)

 

[Ford_orr]

These threads are ridiculous. This should never have been an issue from day one. LVB dies, you should still be able open the damn door! I predict in 10 years (hopefully less), these stories will come up in "remember when" references as there's no way this can be a sustainable fact-of-life part of EV ownership. They should install a small lithium rechargeable battery in the door frame of the driver-side door that kicks in when the LVB dies. It's a joke this happens with these vehicles and we keep hearing these stories.

 

[AliRafiee]

Hmmm, never occurred to me to use the car battery to open the door, but hey, UBU???

(jk)

I think you misunderstood the story. UBU ?

 

[Sikkun]

They should install a small lithium rechargeable battery in the door frame of the driver-side door that kicks in when the LVB dies.

Like the super capacitors that are in the door that allowed the OP to open the door despite not having a battery connected?

 

[Ford_orr]

Like the super capacitors that are in the door that allowed the OP to open the door despite not having a battery connected?

He couldn't open it when the car was locked, only when it was unlocked. So is the moral of the story always keep your doors unlocked in case your LVB dies so you can hit the open-door button twice and get in the car? That makes sense.

 

[Space_Pony]

He couldn't open it when the car was locked, only when it was unlocked. So is the moral of the story always keep your doors unlocked in case your LVB dies so you can hit the open-door button twice and get in the car? That makes sense.

Or if you do lock it, carry a brick in your back pocket.

 

[AliRafiee]

He couldn't open it when the car was locked, only when it was unlocked. So is the moral of the story always keep your doors unlocked in case your LVB dies so you can hit the open-door button twice and get in the car? That makes sense.

I think the issue there is the key detection. Not sure how much power that consumes.

 

[Snakebitten]

These threads are ridiculous. This should never have been an issue from day one. LVB dies, you should still be able open the damn door! I predict in 10 years (hopefully less), these stories will come up in "remember when" references as there's no way this can be a sustainable fact-of-life part of EV ownership. They should install a small lithium rechargeable battery in the door frame of the driver-side door that kicks in when the LVB dies. It's a joke this happens with these vehicles and we keep hearing these stories.

Admittedly there are a lot of threads and an impression that it's a common occurrence.

But really, is it?

Im not saying that it's impossible for it to ever happen to me. But I am saying it is VERY unlikely.

Why?

Because I'm informed. And thus I'm aware and vigilant about keeping the battery healthy.
And it's not the only vehicles I have that require the same.

I must be a glutton for vehicles that have potential low voltage battery issues. ??

 

[Ford_orr]

Admittedly there are a lot of threads and an impression that it's a common occurrence.

But really, is it?

Im not saying that it's impossible for it to ever happen to me. But I am saying it is VERY unlikely.

Why?

Because I'm informed. And thus I'm aware and vigilant about keeping the battery healthy.
And it's not the only vehicles I have that require the same.

I must be a glutton for vehicles that have potential low voltage battery issues. ??

I get what you're saying, and after reading countless threads about the LVB dying out of nowhere after 3+ years, I'll be at my dealership on my 3 year anniversary next January getting a new battery. My point is this should never have been an issue to begin with. I can't imagine 10 years from now seeing another post "Well it happened again, can't get in the car". This shouldn't be something that should be accepted as "normal".

 

[Mach-Lee]

I’m trying to reset the car. I disconnected the 12V battery’s + terminal. I can still open the door. But it takes two presses of the open door button.

WHAT IS HAPPENING??? In the past 3 years, I’ve seen hundreds of threads about not being able to get in the car with a dead battery. Or was it just semi dead battery?

That worked because the doors were UNLOCKED when you disconnected the 12V battery. Repeat the experiment with the doors LOCKED before disconnection and you'll see the issue.

 

[AliRafiee]

That worked because the doors were UNLOCKED when you disconnected the 12V battery. Repeat the experiment with the doors LOCKED before disconnection and you'll see the issue.

You’re 100% correct. My car was unlocked when I disconnected the battery. I reconnected, locked the door, and this time, no open. ?

I did

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