Is your Audi A8 trunk stuck due to a dead battery? I know how frustrating it can be since modern cars have electronic trunk systems. Many Audi A8 users have reportedly asked us for a solution to this issue.
So, today I’m going to answer how to open Audi A8 trunk with dead battery.
The handiest solution to open the trunk with a dead battery is using the key. However, if you don’t have access to the key, you can jump-start the car. If none of them works for you try using the emergency lever key. Keep in mind using these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Alright, now let’s get into a detailed discussion of these three methods.
Can You Open Audi A8 Trunk Without Battery?
There are three methods to open your Audi A8 trunk with a dead battery. The first method is using the emergency key that comes with your car. The second method is jump-starting the car to charge the battery.
The last method is opening the trunk with the help of the emergency lever key. All of these methods are quite easy but people have their own advantages and disadvantages. We all explore all the methods in detail throughout this article.
3 Methods to Open Audi A8 Trunk When Battery is Dead
To determine which method is best for you we’ve set some determinant factors. Such as the difficulty of the methods, the time required to complete, and the tools required. So, you can decide beforehand which one to start with. I leave that choice to you.
| Factors | Method 1 | Method 2 | Method 3 |
| Using the key (Key override mechanism) | Jump start the car | Emergency lever key | |
| Difficulty | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Time Required | Less than a minute. | Around 30 minutes.. | A couple of minutes |
| Tools Required | Car key | None | None |
Now, let’s discuss all these three methods in detail.
Method 1: Using the Key
If the battery is dead the smart remote won’t do any help. So, in this case, you have to use the key to manually override the locks.
If the lock doesn’t have any mechanical error it will work. However, if the trunk mechanism is clogged or there are any electrical discrepancies it may not work.
So, simply put your keys on the trunk and try to manually open the trunk. Many people have reportedly locked their key inside with a dead battery
Let’s have a quick overview of the pros and cons of this particular method.
| Pros | Cons |
| Handy and easy.Time-saving.Doesn’t need any extra tools. | .Electrical error can disrupt this method.Excess force can damage the lock. |
If you did the same and this method doesn’t work for your move to the next method.
How Long Does It Take To Open Trunk With Dead Battery?
It usually takes about a minute to use a key to unlock the trunk. However, if there’s an issue with your car’s locking system it might take longer to resolve the issue. Also, if the car has any electrical issues with the locking system it might need expert attention.
Method 2: Manually From The Inside
The second method we have is opening the trunk from the inside. This method is also known as the Valet mode method. You might have heard this before, if you didn’t we’re here to help you with it. However, this method doesn’t work with dead batteries.
So, what’s the valet exactly do? Well, the valet is a security mechanism for modern cars. It rings an alarm whenever people try to mess up your car. For instance, Forcing the doors or trunks to open.
When the valet is on it allows the car owner to bypass all the alarm features. The valet method is super easy if you ask. Also, it takes about only a minute. Let’s get to the steps.
Step 1: Turn on Ignition
First, get inside the car and turn on the ignition by pressing the start button.
Step 2: Find the Valet Mode Button
Open the car drawer and you’ll find a valet mode button in the top right corner. It will show a red light indicator and valet written on top of the button. Check the below image.
Image Source: Ebay
Press the valet button once to turn it off and the red indicator will go off.
Step 3: Open the Trunk
Once the valet mode is turned off it will allow bypassing the car’s alarm system. Now get outside of your car and try to open the trunk with your remote. If everything is done correctly the trunk will open without any issues.
Method 3: Using Emergency Release Lever
The last method I have is using the secret emergency button to open your car’s trunk. Many people don’t know about this hidden button. Well, now you know about it, let’s move on to the steps to know how to proceed with this method.
Step 1: Locate the Emergency Lever Key
You might wonder where the emergency trunk release lever is located. Usually, it’s located behind the trunk cover. To reach that you have to go through the back seats. Make sure your back seats are empty so you can access it.
Step 2: Pull the Back Seats And Unlock The Trunk
Now get inside the car and pull the back seats out. Crawl under the trunk and you’ll find the emergency release handle. It looks something like the picture shown below.
Image Source: Wolf Auto Parts
Now pull the lever and it will instantly unlock the trunk. If the release lever is working fine it will unlock the trunk with ease. However, if the emergency release lever has an issue you might consider replacing one.
Which Method is Recommended to Open Audi A8 Trunk?
All these three methods are reliable and easy. However, if you don’t have time in an emergency situation you can use the emergency release handle.
Make sure you follow the precautions and take the required tools before. But if the above methods don’t work, we have an alternative solution for you.
In case If you have a spare battery you can use it to charge your car battery. Once the battery is charged you can open the trunk with the smart remote. Let’s find out how to proceed with this method.
How to Open Audi A8 Trunk With Jump Start?
Image Source: Hey Car
The second method is to jump-start the car to make the car run. Once the car starts the car’s alternator device will automatically charge the battery. After the battery gains some juice you can unlock the trunk with the smart remote.
Note: The jump start is only possible if the battery is in good condition. Batteries can reach conditions when a jump start won’t be possible anymore.
Now, let’s check how to jump-start your Audi A8. Before that, we need to know where the battery is usually located in the Audi A8 model.
Battery Location
If you’re looking for the battery of your Audi A8, you won’t find it. The Audi A8 model’s battery is located in the trunk under the spare wheel. Remove the cap gear from the spare wheel and release the tire. Under the wheel, you’ll find a plastic cover.
Once you’ve removed the cover from the wheel you’ll find the battery underneath. Find the battery’s positive terminal on the right side and the negative terminal on the left side. You’ll also find an unpainted metal rod-like terminal for grounding.
Jump Start Procedure
Now that you’ve located the battery and the terminals, it’s time to jumpstart the car.
Tools Required
- Jumper cable.
- A vehicle with a fully charged battery.
Precautions
- Make sure you wear rubber gloves and protective goggles or glasses.
- Check the batteries for any visible cracks, leaks, and damages.
- Keep away all types of ignition sources like cigarettes, sparks, flames, etc.
- Avoid direct contact with any kind of fluids leaking from the batteries.
Now follow the below steps carefully and in the right order.
Step1: Position Both Vehicles
Position the donor vehicle accordingly so that its front faces your car’s back. If the vehicles are too far away from each other the jumper cables won’t reach.
Step 2: Prepare the Vehicles
Make sure both of the cars are turned off and the parking brake is on. Also, make sure the car doors, lights, and all other electronics are turned off.
Step 3: Connect the Jumper Cable
Now, follow the orders carefully to connect the jumper cable properly to the battery terminals.
First, connect one part of the red or positive cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal. Then another part to the positive cable to the positive terminal of the donor vehicle. Now connect the negative cable to the negative terminal on the donor vehicle.
And to complete the circle, connect another part of the negative cable to the grounding terminal. You’ll find a grounding terminal in the car positioned away from the car alternator. However, if you don’t find it, attach the negative cable to the car’s bonnet.
Step 4: Start the Donor Vehicle
Now start the donor vehicle and let it run for around 5-10 minutes. After that, start your car with a dead battery, it will crank and start if the battery gets enough juice. Once the dead battery charges itself you’ve to disconnect the cables.
Step 5: Disconnect the Cables
Now disconnect the jumper cable in the exact opposite order from before. First, remove the grounding cable, then remove the negative terminal from the donor vehicle.
Now, remove the positive cable from the donor vehicle followed by the positive cable of your vehicle. This way you can prevent firing sparks or any unexpected occurrences.
Alright, you’ve started your car, congratulations! Now you can open the trunk easily. If the trunk still doesn’t open it might be another issue we’re suspecting.
Alternative Solution: Charge the Battery to Open the Trunk
To charge the battery of your Audi A8 you can either use a car battery charger or a portable power station camping battery. I’ll explore the steps for both of these.
Tools required
- 16 AWG Cigarette Lighter Adapter.
- Portable power station lithium battery.
- Portable automotive smart car charger.
Charging With the Car Charger
To charge the batteries with a car charger simply use a smart automotive car battery charger. Smart chargers have microprocessors and smart algorithms. They also come with a temperature monitor.
Note: Don’t use basic float chargers because they’ve got a slow charging rate and no smart algorithms. Also, they don’t have any temperature sensors
Precautions
- Make sure to wear safety glasses or goggles.
- Make sure to wear rubber gloves.
- Even though lithium batteries don’t cause fire, keep away all kinds of ignition sources.
Now follow the below steps to charge the batteries with the smart car charger.
Step 1: Prepare the Battery
Prepare the battery by removing the cover and panels. Also, you’ll see plastic caps on the battery terminals. Remove the caps and identify the positive and negative terminals.
Step 2: Connect the Charger
Now take the charger’s positive cable and hook it to the positive terminal of the battery. Then connect the negative cable of the charger to the grounding rod of the car. When there is no grounding rod, connect the cable to any metal part of the car.
Attach the negative cable away from the battery because during charging it releases hydrogen gas. If you don’t know hydrogen gas is highly explosive. So make sure you maintain this safety precaution.
Turn on the charger and adjust the voltage accordingly. Usually, car batteries are 12V.
Step 3: Disconnect When Charged
Once the battery is charged the charger will automatically turn itself off. Now remove the battery cables in the opposite order. First, remove the negative cable then remove the positive or red cable from the terminal.
Charging With Portable Power Station
Another easy way to charge your car’s battery is using a camping battery or portable power station. You’ll need a cigarette lighter adapter wire ready beforehand. Now let’s get to the steps real quick.
Step 1: Connect the Cigarette Lighter Adapter
Take the cigarette lighter adapter and connect it to the car’s connector. Then connect another part of the cable to the power station. The jack location on the power station may vary based on different models. But it will find it in the 12V ‘output’ section.
Step 2: Turn On the Charger
Now turn the charger on and adjust the power station according to the battery. If things are confusing follow the instruction manual provided with the power station. Once the battery is charged the power station will indicate.
So, you use either of the two methods to charge the car battery. It will allow you to open the trunk without messing up with it. It takes time but it’s worth the wait if you have time.
FAQs
Why Is My Audi Trunk Motor Not Working?
One primary reason behind your car’s trunk motor working is a weak motor. Another reason can be a mechanical error, your trunk may have damaged parts.
Why The Trunk Don’t Open While the Engine Is Running?
It’s a safety feature that automatically locks the trunk while you start the engine. It ensures no one can open the trunk while it’s running. Modern cars have this feature to prevent intruders from messing up with your car. You need to put the car in the parking gear if you want to open the trunk.
How Much The Audi A8 Battery Replacement Would Cost?
An Audi A8 battery replacement costs between $400-$450, which is pretty costly. That’s why It’s ideal to recharge the batteries instead.
Verdict
So that was all about your query on how to open Audi A8 trunk with dead battery. I have explored all the possible methods to solve the issue.
I hope you’ll thoroughly go through all the precautions and requirements we’ve discussed. Let me know if we’ve missed anything important.
