DB9 Dead Battery and Key Not Working in Door

[GupKing]

Morning all. Long term lurker and finally come across something I felt the need to post for.

I bought my first AM a few months ago, an 07 DB9 and have loved it so far. Had its first service and no issues at all.

Last time I put the car back in the garage I thought I had disconnected the battery (as I knew it would be a few weeks before I was using it again) but I've got to car the morning and the battery is dead. This itself wouldn't be a problem but the immobiliser key won't seem to open the door manually despite going into the lock and giving me maybe a 45 degree turn.

Of course anything of use, like the user manual, is inside the car. Does any one have any advice? Are the locks likely to seize (I'm wary of being too firm and taking things from bad to worse. It's also not impossible that I'm missing something really basic.

A bit more info. The drivers lock will only give a quarter turn towards the back of the car, the passenger side will do this but will also do a small turn towards the front but will spring back (feels a bit more like I would expect a car lock to when opening a car).

Thanks in advance!

[QuantumV8]

Hi GupKing, welcome

I recently had to get into my V8 with a flat battery, and without the emergency key. There is a process for the V8 posted on 6speed forums as pasted below, which I followed with success. I was already very familiar with where the battery tending terminals are in the engine bay, and i had small jumper clips, so i was able to do this effectively blindly while my arm was up the side of the engine. Can anyone advise whether this process also is doable on the DB9?


1. Jack up car.
2. Remove bottom skid plate under engine
3. Look up just in front of sway bar. You'll see the bottom of the jump post.
4. Reach up and clamp on battery tender clamp. Regular jumper cables will be too fat to fit or grab the bottom nut. Correct bolt has black wire loom terminating in red silicone.
5. Find ground spot. Bolt according sway bar worked for me.
6. Use Emotional Control Unit to return smile to user.
30 minutes total to remove and replace bottom skid plate and get doors open

[GupKing]

Thanks for the response, nice to know there's a solution short of breaking the window.

Any idea on why the key wouldn't work in the lock?

[p102768]

The lock may not have been used since the car left the factory. Unless there is a mechanical issue I would have thought a squirt or two of lubricant and constant exercising of the lock would eventually free it up.

[NMNeil]

Not sure if it helps but Aston Martin have their owners manuals available for download.
https://amscprod.blob.core.windows.net/guides/7G43...

[GupKing]

p102768 said:

The lock may not have been used since the car left the factory. Unless there is a mechanical issue I would have thought a squirt or two of lubricant and constant exercising of the lock would eventually free it up.

I've tried this but no luck unfortunately. RAC sent out a locksmith who was unable to pick the lock as well.

[GupKing]

NMNeil said:

Not sure if it helps but Aston Martin have their owners manuals available for download.
https://amscprod.blob.core.windows.net/guides/7G43...

I have since found that thanks. Unfortunately it doesn't help in this instance but we'll worth knowing for future!

[GupKing]

QuantumV8 said:

Hi GupKing, welcome

I recently had to get into my V8 with a flat battery, and without the emergency key. There is a process for the V8 posted on 6speed forums as pasted below, which I followed with success. I was already very familiar with where the battery tending terminals are in the engine bay, and i had small jumper clips, so i was able to do this effectively blindly while my arm was up the side of the engine. Can anyone advise whether this process also is doable on the DB9?


1. Jack up car.
2. Remove bottom skid plate under engine
3. Look up just in front of sway bar. You'll see the bottom of the jump post.
4. Reach up and clamp on battery tender clamp. Regular jumper cables will be too fat to fit or grab the bottom nut. Correct bolt has black wire loom terminating in red silicone.
5. Find ground spot. Bolt according sway bar worked for me.
6. Use Emotional Control Unit to return smile to user.
30 minutes total to remove and replace bottom skid plate and get doors open

Thanks again for your advice. RAC were unaware of this trick but were happy to give it a go. Unfortunately with the positioning of the car in a single garage they couldn't get the jack under the driver's side and so couldn't lift the car enough to gain access - he did confirm that he could feel the tender but just couldn't get to it safely.

AML Performance, who service it, are coming out to have a look for me next and they've reassured me that they'll get in one way or the other! Hopefully that'll save the expense of a broken window or a crawler recovery vehicle!

Edited by GupKing on Tuesday 22 February 14:07

[JonnyCJ]

Brad to the rescue !

[sirmarcus]

p102768 said:

The lock may not have been used since the car left the factory. Unless there is a mechanical issue I would have thought a squirt or two of lubricant and constant exercising of the lock would eventually free it up.

Related Q as my passenger side physical door lock works fine but driver’s side not so much - may also help OP - any recommendations on what lubricant to use and, more importantly, any recommendations on what definitely not to use!??

For example, WD-40 ok?

[GupKing]

sirmarcus said:

p102768 said:

The lock may not have been used since the car left the factory. Unless there is a mechanical issue I would have thought a squirt or two of lubricant and constant exercising of the lock would eventually free it up.

Related Q as my passenger side physical door lock works fine but driver’s side not so much - may also help OP - any recommendations on what lubricant to use and, more importantly, any recommendations on what definitely not to use!??

For example, WD-40 ok?

One of the things I've come across during my research: https://youtu.be/_779-J_wAMQ

Basically you probably want a dry lubricant that won't run off for long term protection

[NMNeil]

sirmarcus said:

Related Q as my passenger side physical door lock works fine but driver’s side not so much - may also help OP - any recommendations on what lubricant to use and, more importantly, any recommendations on what definitely not to use!??

For example, WD-40 ok?

I use this for the house, and it freed the ignition lock on my lawn tractor that was corroded solid.
Good stuff, and cheap.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/3-IN-ONE-2-5-oz-Lock-D...

[GupKing]

QuantumV8 said:

Hi GupKing, welcome

I recently had to get into my V8 with a flat battery, and without the emergency key. There is a process for the V8 posted on 6speed forums as pasted below, which I followed with success. I was already very familiar with where the battery tending terminals are in the engine bay, and i had small jumper clips, so i was able to do this effectively blindly while my arm was up the side of the engine. Can anyone advise whether this process also is doable on the DB9?


1. Jack up car.
2. Remove bottom skid plate under engine
3. Look up just in front of sway bar. You'll see the bottom of the jump post.
4. Reach up and clamp on battery tender clamp. Regular jumper cables will be too fat to fit or grab the bottom nut. Correct bolt has black wire loom terminating in red silicone.
5. Find ground spot. Bolt according sway bar worked for me.
6. Use Emotional Control Unit to return smile to user.
30 minutes total to remove and replace bottom skid plate and get doors open

Sorry for not updating sooner.

Adam from AML Performance got across on Thursday and was able to get it going this way without jacking it up.