Emergency 12v terminals ???

[Deleted member 3569]

I read this once elsewhere before I got my vehicle, but I was able easily to locate it in my new delivered Mach-e. These terminals looks like an after thought I haven't put a voltmeter so I can't say if it is "hot" or not, if it is "hot" does make it any sense to wrap with insulating tape at least on the Red terminal? It is scary the way they are tucked away, even though they are firmly held by its respective clips.

My real question is there any availability of a 12v power source that I can access if I ever need it? Who will be carrying a 12v battery in their pocket? Or have the wifey/girl friend to put in her purse? On Tesla forum these terminals are widely used in the event the EV gets flooded or if there is premature discharging of 12v battery... but in Mach e all access are powered, we don't have a single mechanical entry point. There is a youTube whereas the guy uses a 9V battery to supply enough juice to unlock one of the front doors, then you can access the trunk and charge the aux 12v battery. Any thoughts on this?

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[JoeDimwit]

I have not put a meter on those leads, but I am about 98% certain that they don’t have any voltage on them.

 

[Deleted member 3569]

I have not put a meter on those leads, but I am about 98% certain that they don’t have any voltage on them.

... they must have diode protection? That is good news.

 

[SnBGC]

I read this once elsewhere before I got my vehicle, but I was able easily to locate it in my new delivered Mach-e. These terminals looks like an after thought I haven't put a voltmeter so I can't say if it is "hot" or not, if it is "hot" does make it any sense to wrap with insulating tape at least on the Red terminal? It is scary the way they are tucked away, even though they are firmly held by its respective clips.

My real question is there any availability of a 12v power source that I can access if I ever need it? Who will be carrying a 12v battery in their pocket? Or have the wifey/girl friend to put in her purse? On Tesla forum these terminals are widely used in the event the EV gets flooded or if there is premature discharging of 12v battery... but in Mach e all access are powered, we don't have a single mechanical entry point. There is a youTube whereas the guy uses a 9V battery to supply enough juice to unlock one of the front doors, then you can access the trunk and charge the aux 12v battery. Any thoughts on this?

We think those two leads are isolated from the vehicle 12v system. They appear to power a generic module that will power up and check the 12v system. If found to be below a certain threshold then it will pop open the front compartment hood.

Has no other function that we are aware of.

 

[breeves002]

I have not put a meter on those leads, but I am about 98% certain that they don’t have any voltage on them.

No voltage. You apply voltage to them to wake up the dead module and release the latch.

 

[Deleted member 3569]

We think those two leads are isolated from the vehicle 12v system. They appear to power a generic module that will power up and check the 12v system. If found to be below a certain threshold then it will pop open the front compartment hood.

Has no other function that we are aware of.

Thank you for your reply ... it's the best explanation I got so far.

 

[Sam2084]

... they must have diode protection? That is good news.

Read the manual. These are only to be used when the 12V battery is dead and they open the frunk so you can access the actual 12V battery.

 

[JoeDimwit]

... they must have diode protection? That is good news.

A diode, a 12v relay, any number of options. If they did have power on them, we wouldn’t need to attach a power source to them in order to pop the frunk, we would just need to short them together. This would create a very real risk of the hood popping open while driving, and I haven’t heard of that happening.

 

[Deleted member 3569]

No voltage. You apply voltage to them to wake up the dead module and release the latch.

thank you for the diagram ... it explains fully to me!

 

[ChasingCoral]

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