Boot again - duff battery

[Woolly]

Hi,

well the battery on my V8S has managed to flatten itself again and not enough juice to activate the boot button. I can get into the car OK.

I have done this a couple of times over the years and solved it but can't now. I know there's a "secret way" referred to on here but it's so secret I'm not sure which way it is! I've done it before via the rear-end so to speak but also under the bonnet connecting a battery charger but I'm not now sure where to connect the leads.

So Im not sure what you're allowed to say in public but can someone tell me where to connect the leads or mail me if that is preferable.

Thanks, Simon

(what a rotten design)

[ketvrin]

Woolly said:

Hi,

well the battery on my V8S has managed to flatten itself again

think about fitting a battery switch... they are only a fiver and might save this happening again...

[Woolly]

Hi Ketvrin,

sounds like a plan! How do I do that then?

....oh and how do I get in this time?

[ketvrin]

I bought one of these... works a treat.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Volvo-BATTERY-M

I dont know the "secret way" sorry, but I'm sure someone will email you details...

good luck

K

[nawarne]

Wooly,
Pop the bonnet and connect jump leads or a battery charger (+ve) to the main post on the alternator and the -ve to the chassis.
A battery charger should provide enough current to activate the boot release solenoid.

Don't try to turn the engine over using this method as the wire(brown) on the main post is not meaty enough for starting current.
Nick

[Woolly]

Cheers Ketvrin, yes I'll get one of those!

Hi Nick,

it worked, you're a star, many thanks. Took me a while to get a good enough connection but when the lights dipped slightly on the charger (all 4 brightly lit initially) then I thought we'd be in business and we were.

Think I'll go and write 100 lines, "Don't let it happen again".

Cheers, Simon

[profstoff]

Lucky that clever Mr Wheeler did not get the clever idea of having a clever electric bonnet release then.

[Tripps]

profstoff said:

Lucky that clever Mr Wheeler did not get the clever idea of having a clever electric bonnet release then.

Wish he'd come up with a decent back-up route to get into the bonnet though, when I couldn't open the S3 boot (nearside catch had moved positon, we reckon due to heat expansion) we started looking at removing the wheel-arch and doing it that way.

Eventually gave up and had a beer (we were at Le Mans). A week later when back in Blighty the bonnet started flapping around as the catch had moved position again, so I quickly tightened it in that position and all was sorted

[nawarne]

Been there!
Found a good tug in the middle often flexes the fibreglass sufficiently to spring it open!
Nick

[Tripps]

nawarne said:

Found a good tug in the middle...

But I was in public at the time though, it wouldn't have been appropriate