Author Topic: Dead battery = deadbolted and unable to open (Read 1440 times)

SammiC · « **on:** January 31, 2020, 04:00:05 PM »

hi everyone,

Am a newbie, but have had my 2009 semi-automatic Jazz for about 5 years. It's a beautiful car and we love it.

Someone who shall be nameless... yes, my husband.... absentmindedly left the interior light on and drained the (original) battery completely dead in a few days at the beginning of the month.

We then discovered that we could not open the driver's door manually, nor get into the engine in order to get a charger onto the battery - we literally had to break into the car, so weren't very happy!

It was then a tortuous trial and error thing of several days of dribbling charge into the battery via our portable car starter, until there was enough charge in the battery to finally turn the engine over. (Unlike our other cars, the invaluable portable starter did not work on the Honda as an actual jump starter.)

We took the car on a 12 mile round trip to charge it up once we'd got it going, but the charge did not hold. After another few hours of trickle-charge today, thankfully there was enough juice for us to at least start it up. So we gave in and had the battery replaced.

It's the first time the Jazz has ever let us down. She has sailed through every MOT.

My question is: does anybody know how you can override the deadbolt situation if we have any problems with this new battery? Thank you.

culzean · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2020, 06:59:33 PM »

Our cars have one of these fitted ( and my motorbike, so that i do not have to take seat off to charge battery ).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KUNCAN-Motorcycle-Extension-Disconnect-Connection/dp/B01N7CHYCF?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

that one is 600mm long if you need a longer one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/YETOR-Protection-Disconnect-Extension-Motorcycle/dp/B07ZNQY463/ref=sr_1_32_sspa?keywords=sae+battery+charging+lead&qid=1580497514&s=automotive&sr=1-32-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyQjZYTU85Rjk0TktOJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTE4MzUxRkpNMDVXR0kwVTE1JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyNDQzNTAyVFpaRlVQMVY0N0k0JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

you connect the two ring tags to the 6mm bolts that clamp the battery terminal to the battery post, you can leave the plug part in the front grille with the waterproof cover in place, pretty much every battery charger these days comes with the standard SAE plug, which is impossible to plug in the wrong way - then you can charge the battery without needing to lift the bonnet... the positive lead is fused to protect from a short.

Having said that there has to be a way of opening the car with a flat battery, normally the physical key has to be used - I can't think that a car maker would not have a work-around for a flat car battery.... have you looked in car handbook ?

You have to pay attention to battery though, if the car feels sluggish turning over etc. I write the date battery is fitted on a label stuck to top of battery and rarely leave a battery on longer than 5 years, it is living on borrowed time after that.

Jocko · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2020, 09:47:16 PM »

I have never had a car that could not be opened using the key, irrespective of the state of the battery. It appears that Honda, in their infinite wisdom, engineered that option out.

sparky Paul · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2020, 10:48:05 PM »

To be honest, I thought the key opened the driver's door regardless of whether the deadlocking was on. All deadlocking does is disconnect the internal door handles, to prevent the car being unlocked from inside.

The lock barrels are known to fail though.