battery dead, can't open trunk
 

the key opens door but will not open trunk. Is the trunk lock meant to open with a key?

I've never used a key to open it. Always used remote first (prior to dead battery), then pushing button on trunk unlatches it.

With the trunk locked, I can't get to the battery.

I just cut the cigarette adapter off a little 12 portable compressor. I'm going to connect a 12 jumper battery to the wires and introduce 12V into the system through the cigarette lighter socket. Hopeully this will allow either the remote key fob or trunk release button to unlock so that the trunk push button will unlatch the trunk.

Yes with the key turned the right way, pressing the lock in should pop the trunk.
Jumping to the lighter might work or might pop the fuse, plan B is usually the power block in the RF wheel well under the cover.

It worked!. Note, I wasn't going to jump to start the engine. Just to use the remote.

When I connected the jumper pack to the Jerry rigged cigarette thing, I noticed the interior lights came on. Hmm, ok, door is open so I shut it. Hmm light stayed on. Now I know why the battery died. It's my wife's car. She swears she didn't leave the interior lights in the "on" position. (I haven't driven the car in a week). The closest I came to driving it was to put the key in the lock and hold it to close the sunroof. (This because both cars were left on the street since yesterday morning when I started to put black top sealer on the end of my drive.

Bottom line, remote unlocked trunk, put jumper pack on battery and it started.. Driveway is dry now. My D3 and her D2 are in the garge now. Her's is on slow charged (2 amp). Battery was definitely deader than a door nail as the radio is in SAFE mode. Good thing the code is in her book.

I still don't know why the trunk lock wouldn't unlock by turning the key. It acted as if it was the wrong key. It fits in the slot, but won't turn. Still, we've owned the D2 (1998) since 2005 and not once have I unlocked the trunk using the key.

All's well that ends well.

Use it or lose it
 

It should open with the key. Maybe because it wasn't used it froze up. That was the case with mine. I took it out, took it apart, cleaned it up, and lubed it. It works now.

This same "use it or lose it" principle is why I always use the parking brake. It's also an emergency brake. If I don't use it, how will I know it'll work when I need it?

Does that also apply to certain male parts? Ha.

If I get ambitious, I'll take the lock apart, but for now, the battery is up and the remote works. I also have a handy homemade gizmo I made to put 12V into the ciggarette socket.if it every happens again. Ironically, I've gotten so used to not even using a key on my D3 (it has proximity locks for doors, trunk lid and even ignition). I never take the key out of my pocket. Of course, once in a while, I get into the car and press the start button and realize the key fob is in my the pants I took off and nothing in the pants I have on.

Regarding the parking brake on my D3, I never use that either but fortunately every once in a while, I hear it working after I get out of the car. Don' know the interval but it energizes the electric parking brake to take a measurement of the rear pad thickness.

it wont turn because the key is "upside down" I had the same dead battery, trunk won't open issue and I tried the key and it too would not turn in the lock.......then I flipped the key and put it back in and guess what? It turned the lock and the trunk opened. Try it.

Sounds like the key had a problem with the cut. It should work both ways, no?

I agree they key should work both ways, suspect one cut is a little wonky.

So I tested my cars last night, I thought you were to push in the lock to pop the trunk manually but maybe I am wrong? Pushign the lock in does nothing on either car and IIRC turning the key CCW opens the trunk however it might both work the linkage and hit the power release, I hear the power solenoid but might also feel the mechanical linkage working. I did not want to disconnect my battery to see if I could still get in the trunk w/o power.

I probably should add a set of lighter plug jumper cables to the cars just in case as it's a pain to get to the power junction in the RF wheel well, and more so if I could not get to my tools. $3 from china for a lighter plug with a decent length of power cord and one SAE plug so not a big deal, $6 to hook two together. Obviously this would be kept in the cabin somewhere.

Yes, pushing in the lock by hand, no key required, should pop the trunk, but only if it's been unlocked first. I was able to lock and unlock manually with the key, with the battery disconnected, but only after I took out the lock and disassembled and cleaned it so it turned with the key. Manual lock/unlock rod and an electrical switch are both operated when the key is turned.

The power releases (door jamb or remote) should unlock and also pop the lid simultaneously. There are some additional complexities in the lock operation; these are explained in the attached screenshot from my 1997 owner's manual below. Turning CCW twice is one of them. A new one on me is the 5 second rule. Huh?

The lighter cord is an interesting idea, but won't the fuse usually installed in the lighter plug blow if the battery is really dead, as it charges the battery? I repeatedly blew fuses in the lighter plug I bought for this purpose when I tried this on my A8 that had sat for 5 years, trying to get the trunk open, even partially melting the wire insulation.when I put bigger and bigger fuses in. Eventually I abandoned the lighter plug and went to the relay power center in the passenger footwell with a battery charger.

What's an SAE plug?


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.aud...230807c9b7.jpghttps://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.aud...22f86af691.jpg

Thanks! I think the issue is that the push-in does nothing if the trunk is locked electronically despite the key slot being vertical but maybe with the battery dead and the trunk locked if you turn the key CCW to unlock it, then push in the button to pop it, it'll open.