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Dear Friends,
I took the 12V 35AH battery to recharged over night and locked the car. When I went in the morning to put the battery back I found out that I can not open the doors of the car. I think the locks of the car are electric and not mechanical as older models and I can not open the doors or the trunk of the car. Is there a way that I can provide 12V to the car that I can open the doors or maybe someone knows how to open the hood once it is locked, hum, all your help would be much appreciated.
Marry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.
Pawkar

If this is a Prius you are talking about, there is a mechanical key in the fob.

No, this is a Honda Civic Hybrid, and what is fob?

Pawkar

Hi, Pawkar -- he's referring to the electrical remote with lock and unlock buttons on it (usually hanging from your key and often called a "key fob").

You should be able to unlock the door manually using the key in the lock. Does this not work?

If I understand you correctly, you removed the 12V from the car entirely?

Dear Sean,
Yes the key fob does not work. When I left the car last night without the battery I set up the alarm system and it was working fine. It was cold during the night -15 C and in the morning the little blinking light was completely off, the key fob does not work. The only way I think is to connect somehow the car to 12V outlet then the electric lock should work. What do you think?
Pawkar

You should be able to unlock the door manually using the key in the lock. Does this not work?


I think he meant for you to try the key itself in the door lock if you haven't already.

I tried the key also, it goes all the way in but I can not turn it either way.

Pawkar

It was cold during the night -15 C

At that temperature the lock is probably just frozen. Warm it up (with a hair dryer maybe) and then try the key again

Not sure what year your car is, but does it have one key designated to open just the trunk? I can't remember if mine has one like that, or if it's my daughter's regular Civic that has that setup, but it's a thought...that you're trying to use a key that you don't usually use.

Not sure what year your car is, but does it have one key designated to open just the trunk? I can't remember if mine has one like that, or if it's my daughter's regular Civic that has that setup, but it's a thought...that you're trying to use a key that you don't usually use.


I think it's the other way around (but could be wrong, lol): there is one key that doesn't work in the trunk lid.

When I use our key to manually open the door there are some "actuation" sounds as you turn the key, sounding like the key has triggered something electrical. Still, I suspect a dead battery should not prevent unlocking the car manually, it's too common a scenario.

FWIW, I've recharged our 12 volts (on various cars) without removal, it is a big hassle removing the battery for this operation, and unless you hook up some memory saver you lose codes for radio, etc.

I think the Service Manual (and maybe Owners Manual?) caution against charging the 12 volt without removal, but I've never had any problems. Do be very careful to connect and disconnect proper way round:

1. connect pos source to pos battery.
2. connect neg source to ground (I cheat on this)
3. dis-connect neg
4. dis-connect pos

I am not sure it is frozen, but it could be the cause of the problem besides that it does not have power. I am using the master key with the remote transmitter, I do not know where the valet key is, which is used to only open and start the car, not for the trunk.
I looked other website that it deals with BMW and Audis which are common here and what they are suggesting is to bring some power to the car 12V, they are suggesting through the licence plate lights in the back, disconnect the light and plug 12V then you would be able to use the remote transmitter to unlock the car. Does anyone has pictures of the licence plate lights connection and/or disassemble diagram that I can have a look at it. Other possibility is to check the back antifog light, the problem with this light is that is not switch on. Maybe you have a better suggestions.
Warm regards,
Pawkar

Maybe you have a better suggestions.

Is this an HCH1 or HCH2? At least on the HCH1 there is a big space behind the front wheels with no splash shield so that one can look straight through the car from side to side. Probably if you put the front of the car up on jack stands (DO NOT DO THIS USING JUST THE TIRE CHANGING JACK!) and took a front wheel off you could reach in through that opening and snake a jumper cable to the positive battery connector, and then run the ground side of the jumper to the chassis. Then you would have power. Just don't hook it up wrong, and that might be easy to do if you are just groping around under the hood. All of the external lights are presumably turned off, so even if you could get to them there would be no electrical connection except for ground, which won't do you any good.

I still think you should be able to open the car doors with a key even without power. If the key goes in, but won't turn, that's almost certainly a mechanical problem like a frozen lock.

Will the key work in any of the other 3 doors? It is unlikely all would have issues.

I think it's the other way around (but could be wrong, lol): there is one key that doesn't work in the trunk lid.
You're right; I had it backwards. The valet key doesn't open the glove compartment and trunk. (I think...)

Interesting dilemma.

Last resort if the key won't open any of the doors is for pawkar to call the motor club if he belongs to one and they provide some sort of "lockout service".

I don't suppose there's any way to manually pop the hood open by hand either.

Will the key work in any of the other 3 doors? It is unlikely all would have issues.


Only the driver's door has a lock mechanism.

I can't see that lock relying on a good 12 volt battery, it's just too much of a gaff, even for Honda ;)

Last resort if the key won't open any of the doors is for pawkar to call the motor club if he belongs to one and they provide some sort of "lockout service".


This is a sure method. A lock is a lock is a lock regardless of the remote. A locksmith can get it open in minutes and will know the answer to his problem with the key not working without power too. Interesting problem. - Dale

Can someone with his type of car roll their windows down, pop their hood, leave it up, remove the battery and see if they can duplicate pawkar's problem. Emphasize windows down.

This may tell him if he has a mechanical problem in addition to the known loss of power. - Dale

For anyone who's contemplating the above, make sure you have your radio code. You'll also lose your station presets etc.

Personally, I'd wait for the OP's response.

For anyone who's contemplating the above, make sure you have your radio code. You'll also lose your station presets etc.

Personally, I'd wait for the OP's response.

That's interesting, my 1999 Avenger keeps the radio preset even AFTER the radio has been taken out. Once you set your stations they never go away unless you change them.

Dear Friends,
Well today was +2 C and I was not able to open the door just using the master key, all the snow is melting and the forecasts says is going to be cold again.
Today I tried what it seems to me easy, did the connection to the fog light in the back and there is no power in the car, most likely needs to have the light switch on before is going to be connected.
Tomorrow I will try to go through the opening by the driver front wheel and hope to find the positive connector of the battery which is just above the front wheel. Will let you know if I am successful and how easy would be. If you could share some pictures that you already have of the engine from the side of the battery It would be much appreciated before my great attempt.
Warm regards,
Pawkar

For anyone who's contemplating the above, make sure you have your radio code. You'll also lose your station presets etc.

Good point, I totally forgot about that, 5+ years since I've owned a Honda. Thanks.
The code is in the owners manual, on a card with the O.M. or sometimes even on a sticker on the radio. - Dale

I made a point of listening: it sounds like a simple mechanical clunk when you open the door by inserting and turning the key.

My radio code is on a label that is visable on the side of the glove box when opened. You sit in the driver's seat, reach over and open the glovebox. the label is visable on the ousdide edge of the glovebox. I also wrote it down in the owner's manual.

My key opens the door and trunk if I use it manually.

Dear Friends,

Just an update, after Christmas I took out the drivers front wheel and there is an small opening to reach the battery connectors going from underneath the car. The problem that I encounter was the opening is very narrow and I was not able to push my hand all the way up. At the end I was not successful in making a connection to the battery connectors, though the negative connector was very easy to pull and connect still needed the positive, and that was the end of it.
I called the service guy to come and open the car, was also not that easy for them to open it, it took at least half an hour to do it.
Now need to get a new battery because the original one is just not holding the charge.
Here they don't have these tiny batteries and I am considering buying a OEM Silver battery 12V 35Ah 280A, which is not the best but is close to the specifications 12V 35Ah 300A.

Well you leave you learn.

Warm regards,
Pawkar

PS. Happy New Year!!! to all of you and I would like to share with you a nice song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpFz3xNwaz0

Sorry about the sound not good quality, hope you will like it.

Did you try using the key to physically unlock the driver's door, ie: put the key in slot and turn?

Yes I tried to open the door with the master key and did not work.

Pawkar

Did you try using the key to physically unlock the driver's door, ie: put the key in slot and turn?

Reminds me of a joke.

Blonde locks her keys in her car, calls the locksmith to open it and when he gets there he sees that it is a convertible with the top down. He tells her "Ma'am this a convertible and the top is down!" The Blonde says "Exactly, that's why I called you. It's supposed to rain today."

Pawkar
That was a beautiful song. I didn't even need to understand it to enjoy it, better than opera. Good luck with the battery problem. :D - Dale

I just had the exact same failure on my 2007 HCHII. My battery went dead after the kids were playing in the car a few days ago and must have left something on and now the car door wont open.

There is one door with a manual keylock, the drivers. When turning the key you can feel it physically change a mechanical position in both the left and right direction, but....when you pull the door handle after the lock is unlocked to the left, there is no physical resistance on the door handle, as though there is no mechanical connection to the door latch. The last fellow to report this may have been correct that the door is really an electric door lock. The electric locks must disengage the door handles as a theft deterrent. It appears that the mechanical key contacts an internal electric switch to open the electric doors. With no battery I cant open the door.

BTW. I did check the key on the manual trunk lock and it works fine.

How did the shop get your door open the last time? a slim jim type device to pop the door latch?

OK. Scratch the last entry. It was the cold or ice that was holding the door latch rod keeping the door from opening. It's not really an electric only door lock.

I dropped salt on the door seams and on the window edge, then separated the window from the gasket a bit so the melting salt water could slide down the window into the door. After about a half hour the door latch began working.

Ok, that's more what I was expecting. It would seem a major gaff to have owners locked out by a dead battery.

I dropped salt on the door seams and on the window edge, then separated the window from the gasket a bit so the melting salt water could slide down the window into the door.

Glad you got the door open. Now, unless you like rust, you better also get that salt out of the door. There are probably drains on the bottom of the door. If so, flush the salt out with warm distilled water.