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How to jumpstart A8, can't access the battery!


a_vg
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Hello, I have a urgent quite nasty problem. The car was overnight in -20 celcius weather WITH the cabin light left on... In the morning battery was totally dead, I mean dead. The remote key doesn't work, the start motor doesn't start, the dash lights doesn't come on etc... Nothing.

Ok, no problem - just open the boot lid... BUT the manual lock on the lid is jammed because of probably never been used! Since the remote key / button in the cabin is used to open the boot lid.

So I cannot access the boot and get to the battery.

How to jump start the car? Is there any option to do it under the hood?

The car is 1999 A8 4.2 Quattro, the facelift model (5/1999).

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Are you certain the lock isn't frozen?

I got into my boot a few months ago in an attempt to retrieve the keys by smashing out the rear light with a hammer. A new one cost £50, but I was able to empty the boot sufficiently through the hole to discover that my keys weren't actually there.

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On the chassis rail on the drivers side just inside the wheel is a little black junction box with a lead going to the starter motor and the alternator. This is where the battery cable emerges from its run from the boot. Take the lid off if it's not already fallen off and attach your + jumper to the stud inside. You may have to remove a plastic cap. Earth straight to the engine and jobs a good-un.

Mike

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Thanks for your replies already, keep them coming if someone else has the same problem. The lock wasn't frozen (or it was probably that too), but really jammed. I actually managed to open it tonight:

- I had the cabin heater (DEFA) inside the boot on for four hours (I got it there from the skibag hole)

- I sprayed the lock with huge amount of CRC and alcohol

Finally when I used some violence I managed to get the lock moving few mm with a screw driver. After that used the actual car key to open it...

For your information: there is no connectors for the jumpstart cables under the D2 A8 hood... Maybe some newer Audis or A6 has those, too bad A8 doesn't. My last car E39 BMW had a + connector also under the hood, even the battery was in the boot. That is a really smart solution.

After getting the boot open, I charged the battery again and was able to start the car! The battery was also nice and warm since the DEFA heater was in to boot for some hours, so no worries of a frozen battery.

Thanks for all the tips!

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The connections under the hood for + point is well documented, but doesnt ever seen to exist. I suspect it might be a LHD thing that got omitted from our looms.

As a slightly easier (and quicker) fix to your ordeal, there are two far easier ways to get a little power in the car:

1) Under the front passenger floor mats is a wooden plate held with 4 simple philips screws. Unscrew this and you have direct access to the live + terminal of the battery where it connects in from the back. It the really thick cable, you cant miss it. Its not good enough to charge from, but good enough to get your central locking going and with care you can just get a jump lead on there if you have no other wiring means handy.

2) Even easier - The D2 has permanently live cigarette lighter sockets, which in turn means they are permanently connected to the battery... A simple injection of 12V up them will again bring your central locking to life.

Sounds like you got there though, which is good +++

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Yes, but thanks IT_S8 for your answer.

The CL connection is a very usefull to know. I actually tried it with portable battery, but it seems that the power was too weak or the cable not functioning since I wasn't able to get the car working.. But with a stronger power source and keeping it on for a longer time it might have worked.

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