Dead Battery, How to Open Trunk? | FerrariChat

Dead Battery, How to Open Trunk?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Sergio'sRide, Aug 19, 2021.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr
    The battery on my recently purchased 2005 612 Scaglietti went flat during my recent travels. I want to remove the battery to either re-charge or replace. The battery is in the trunk/luggage compartment. However, without electrical power the trunk will not release. I have found the manual trunk release, located between the back seats, but after pulling it with all my strength the trunk will not open.
    Would welcome any ideas on how to open the trunk: either using the manual release or by somehow applying enough electrical power to the car (where?) to get the electrical trunk release to function.
    Any suggestions?
     
    NioMarvin63 and Mmckee like this.
  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    Perhaps a trickle charger plugged into your cigarette lighter would work? They don’t put out a lot of power, but you may get enough volts into the battery on an overnight charge to operate the boot release in combination with the charger. Do you normally use the official Ferrari charger plugged into the trunk socket?
     
    Leonardo Mangiolino, Mirek and WaltP like this.
  3. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr
    Yes, a trickle charger with a cigarette lighter fitment would be a possible way to restore the needed electrical power. However, the owner's manual says that the cigarette lighter is powered only when the ignition switch is in the "on" or "run" position. So, if I wanted to charge the system through the cigarette lighter port, would I have to have the ignition on? If so, that would likely power up the ignition system, various computers and the like, perhaps make it impossible to get enough charge into the battery? Not sure.

    Regarding your question about the charger: I was not using one. Had I done so I would not be in this mess. High priority once I get the trunk open and the car running again.
     
  4. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    #4 Qavion, Aug 19, 2021
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2021
    Ah, sorry, I didn't think of that. I was starting to think my Australian F355 was unique in that respect (most folks report they can charge through their lighters without ignition).

    Can you open your engine lid without power? There is a battery terminal in there (RH rear corner):

    Image Unavailable, Please Login

    If you can hook up a trickle charger positive lead to the positive terminal there and the negative lead to the chassis, you should be able to get power to car /battery.
     
    Leonardo Mangiolino likes this.
  5. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    P.S. Note that some battery types don't like being run completely flat and won't recharge with a trickle charger. You may need to buy a new battery. Do you know how old your battery is?

    You may be able to use a new battery to power that battery terminal under the hood, just to get the trunk open.
     
    alex likes this.
  6. windsock

    windsock Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 29, 2006
    1,066
    Pull down the center arm rest in the back seat. in the top of the cuby hole the armrest fits into you need to pull down the leather flap in the top and there is an emergency release cable.
     
  7. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr

    Thanks for your guidance. I have located the positive terminal in the engine compartment and will set up a trickle charge to get some power back into the system. Hope that will get me enough power to open the trunk with the electrical trunk release. Then I can address the dead battery.
    I do not know the age of the battery. The car is a recent a acquisition. The battery failed on my PPI and the dealer representing the seller installed a "new" battery in the car, age unknown. My battery may be an old beater that was sitting around the shop. If so, I will source a new one.

    Thanks again. Will let you know how it works out.
     
    Qavion likes this.
  8. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr
    Windsock, thanks for your response. However, I had already located the manual trunk release. Problem is that no matter how hard I pull on it, the trunk will not release. So, will try to restor enough electrical power to enable use of the normal trunk release mechanism.
     
  9. GTO Joe

    GTO Joe Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 15, 2013
    989
    Charlotte, NC
    Full Name:
    Joseph Troutwine
    Have someone push down on the trunk lid taking tension off the latch while you pull the emergency release. Worth a try.
     
  10. Snapshift

    Snapshift Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 31, 2020
    715
    Centralia IL
    Full Name:
    Lyle D. Pahnke
    apply a full 12v charger or jump starter to the battery terminal + and neg ground in the engine compartment, not a trickle charger. If it is reading a 3-10 amps you should have enough power to open the trunk. Open the trunk and shut off the charger. determine the status of the battery after removal.
     
    Qavion likes this.
  11. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 20, 2015
    11,484
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Ian Riddell
    Philip, do you already have trickle charger? I suggested an attempt with a trickle charger first, because you may already have had one (or you will need one at some point). However, as mentioned, a trickle charger may not work. As Lyle suggested, you may need something with a bit more "oomph". You may need to spend a little more to get your car back on the road. I suggested a new battery, but as it is relatively new, Lyle's suggestion will probably be cheaper.

    If you have a voltmeter, you should be able to measure the battery voltage on that battery terminal in the engine compartment. This might give us some idea of whether the battery is beyond rescue or not.
     
    Snapshift likes this.
  12. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr
    Ian, Lyle and all who have helped, thanks for your advice.

    I went full bore on the battery charger, 10 amps, charging through the terminals in the engine compartment. After several hours had enough power in the car to open the trunk.

    Do not have time tonight to evaluate the battery, so I have disconnected it using the switch in the trunk. Will evaluate the battery next week. Will also procure a battery maintainer, trickle charger ASAP.

    Thanks, again.
     
    Snapshift, alex and Qavion like this.
  13. alex

    alex Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 19, 2003
    674
    Crystal Lake, Illinois
    Full Name:
    Alex
    Keep us posted!
     
  14. Sergio'sRide

    Sergio'sRide Rookie

    Aug 19, 2021
    6
    Mercer Island, WA (Seattle)
    Full Name:
    Philip Leroy Defliese Jr
    Have re-charged the battery and re-connected it to the car. Have re-established electrical functions: date, time and the like.

    Car starts and drives normally. Have purchased a battery charger/maintainer and will have the car wired up.

    Thanks to all for their help.
     
    Qavion, Snapshift and alex like this.

Share This Page