NAvyC4S

I have that too, on MY2003. however, you have to unlock the lid electronically before you can open it manually, right?

99firehawk

if you back feed a charger into the cigar lighter close the doors lock and unlock the car you will be able to open the front trunk

Chuck Jones

Thanks for the explanation Loren....I was sitting here trying to figure out how a mechanically operated front trunk release catch....that I've removed several times and can see that it's all mechanical....would in any way be "electronic". The only electronic part of it are the wires that go to the alarm system to let you know it's unlocked, and to the pressure activated trunk light switch. All the rest is flat out mechanical.

Stefan Richter

Just curious, was the issue resolved? Does the back lid open even with a dead battery? If logic applies then if Porsche tells you to use the positive terminal to open the front lid in the event of a dead battery, you should be able to get to it. Othersie, you are SOL.

Stefan

Kims996Cab

As Loren explained, both levers are locked in the down position if there is no battery power to withdraw the locking pin in the handle assembly.

Like the front bonnet, the engine lid has an emergency cable .... under the driver's side tail light assembly. You can usually retrieve it by gently prying the light unit up with something flat and non-metalic (paint stick, plastic spatula, etc), and then inserting some small wire or hook to fish out the pull loop.

Having done this once, I removed the light fixture and rerouted and relocated that pull wire to a much easier to access (but out of sight) spot under the engine .... holding it in place and out of sight with a tie wrap.

In many other threads on this subject, the relocating of the front emergency release to a position behind the front bumper has been described. It works great.

Sids911

Alright, so I sorted this out. Breakdown of approaches ...

1. That porta-jump kit, the one that plugs into the cigarette lighter? Throw it away. It doesn't work. Forget jump starting, it doesn't even power up the locks etc. It simply lights up the dash lights and that too pulsates them a bit. I was worried I might have fried some electrical components, but it wasn't so. Just stay away from this one.

2. The front 'emergency' release cable. Well, I got a custom front bumper and the shape of the new bumper makes reaching for the cable impossible. Also, my front air ducts have neat wire meshes, so I can't access the cable thru it either.

3. I don't have a +ve post in the fuse box (absent on MY99). So can't use this method of powering up.

4. The rear engine lid was also locked. So I couldn't open it to power up the car. Note, I don't know if there is a +ve terminal there, someone here just said there could be. Theory unverified.

5. I had to disassemble the driver side door sill. Then poke my finger and disengage the lock on the trunk release lever. Then pull the lever and get the battery out of the front hood and charge it overnight on a charger. Next day morning dropped it back in and everything worked great !!

Details of the above #5.
------------------------------
0) Print this and go to your car.

1) On the driver side door sill, there is a long plastic piece that houses the two (hood & trunk) levers.

2) On the inner side of that piece, facing the driver seat, there are 3 plastic plugs that plug 3 holes. Pop them off with a plastic spatula or finger nails. (see attached image. Image is seen from driver side to outside)

3) Insert a M6 (metric size 6) allen (i.e. hexagonal head) wrench and unscrew the screw in that hole. Turn 3-4 revolutions only, there is no need to unscrew them completely. Do this for all the 3 holes.

4) Now gently lift that plastic trim. You will prying it out of 3 fastening screws at each end, so don't worry.

5) Gently turn the whole unit 90 so you can see under it. Try opening the hood lever - it won't open. You will see a lock below.

6) Move that lock by your fingers, then pull the lever to unlock the hood.

7) This lock is connected to a hook that sits in a electrically operated plastic loop. When reassembling everything make sure they line up again (#6, moving the lock, may cause them to be slightly misaligned)

8) Put everything back !

99firehawk

i told you what to do,
12v into the cigar lighter
close the door
lock and unlock the door with the remote
open door
pull release.
d ont try to strat the car through the cigar lighter
d

Kims996Cab

Glad you got in, but you have a couple of incorrect impressions, it seems.

Unless you've moved it, front emergency cable is not behind nor associated with the bumper. Its in the front right fender, forward of the wheel well liner.

Engine lid also has an emergency release cable, as noted in an earlier post in this thread.

Einstein

sids911:

did you take some pics of the procedure?

perfectlap

I went through this ordeal Friday night.
neither Triple A or Porsche Roadside assitance were capable of getting the hood open.
Ok Triple A is bad but PORSCHE roadside assistance is outrageous. I gave Triple A hell about this.
Apareantly they both use the same tow truck companies.
so I decided I would have Triple A tow the car to the local Porsche dealer, only problem with that was the service department decided to take the day off Saturday!!

I tried to jimmy the latches open with a flat head screw driver but no dice. I also couldn't find this red tab in the fuse panel that some have used. Just an empty slot for a fuse there.

Decided to see if I could find one of those cigarette lighter chargers at the Target three blocks away.
They had a Black & Decker jump start battery pack with a cigarette lighter plug for $60.
Plugged it in... VOILA open hood. It needs to charged for a day before it has enough juice to completely jump start the car but I'm keeping it in cabin permanently. it fits in your glove box.
I also saw it at Wal-Mart when I was trying to find Mobil 0-40 which of course they were out of.

Sids911

I agree with you in theory. However in practice, "lock and unlock the door with the remote" didn't work. I kept pressing the button but the car wouldn't remote lock or unlock.

My release cable reaches only till the front right radiator grills, so its closer to the front vents (thru the bumper) than thru the wheel well liner. Is there a better way to route that cable to make it easier to reach from the wheel liner? I'd REALLY want to make that cable more accessible for future ... ahem ... incidents!

Also, where is the release cable for the rear engine compartment?

Sorry dude - I did this in a rush during my spare time. If I'd done this on a weekend I'd have photographs. It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds. Once you see the unit's bottom in person it will make sense.

I'm SO glad that worked for you. You have a MY99? I might buy the Black and Decker unit if so.

Also, Kragen refused to take back their part which clearly didn't work at all. The store assistant manager said I may have damaged the parts etc etc (yeah accusations!). I told him he can pick a new part from his store and try it on my car. If it worked I'd buy it, else he should take back the one that failed for me. He simply couldn't fathom the logic. Anyways, I wasted 20 minutes but got a written and signed declaration stating they wouldn't take back a part that didn't work as advertised just because I had opened the package. (Doh! Until I opened and tried it how would I know their product is going to fail?!). Anyway, I've filed a claim with my credit card, but next time its AutoZone ... screw Kragen.

99firehawk

its not a thoery I do it at least twice a week

perfectlap

Sid911,
I had a nearly identical hassle returning an item to AutoZone. The clerk accussed me of using the item for my project and then trying to be a cheap skate and return the item. I had to pinch myself (the tape was still on the packaging)
I just looked at this person in silence....I got my refund.

I have a 2000 BoxsterS.
you might try this too, saw it at the mall this weekend.
Hood Opener via Cigarette Lighter.

Kims996Cab

Very early in my ownership, I saw this one on RennTech. Reroute the front release cable forward from in front of the wheel well liner to the void in the front fender behind the headlight. Remove the right headlight (its easy), grab the cable, and run it down into the void behind the front bumper. Remove the right bumper plug, and run the cable out throught that hole. Attach it to the back of the bumper plug with wire/tie wrap, etc. Then reinsert the plug. Next time you need to pop the hood without electrics, pry out the plug, fish out the cable loop end, and pull.

Rear release cable is under the left taillight assembly. Porsche's intended method is to gently pry up the light unit with something flat & non-metallic. (paint stirrer, spatula, etc). It will shift up slightly. Then reach under the light with with a small hook, stiff wire, etc and fish out the cable. Pull. I rerouted mine to under the engine and secured it out of sight with a tie wrap. Reach under and jerk.

rcatherton

I attempted to open the hood using a donor battery using tbe positive terminal in the fuse box and the door catch per the factory instructions. It did not work. The problem was the catch was not grounded. When I attached the negative lead to a stud under the car, zap!, power! Pop-a-hood.