Re: Real Trouble

I'm trying to use the emergency trunk release feature by attaching a good battery to the pull-out terminal in the fuse panel. This has worked a few times in the past but now neither frunk nor trunk responds. I've checked the current draw from the auxiliary battery and there is zip. So I went for the emergency release cable shown in the Bentley book and after drawing blood and bruises managed to get the right fender liner out of the way and discovered there is no emergency release cable on my car . At this point I'm stumped and could definitely use some help. For starters, I'm hoping someone could say definitively if there is a cable release for the frunk of a 2003 S and where it is hidden. And I would love to hear some ideas as to why the emergency battery release fails to energize the latches on either end of the car. I've always assumed that the emergency terminal connected directly to the positive side of the battery yet there is zero voltage at the terminal. I found 3.7 vdc at the starter so the battery seems to have a tiny bit or residual power. I confess that I've been doing some work in the engine bay but the only electrical connections I've messed with are the throttle body plug and a heavy ground wire connected on the secondary air injection pump: both are now firmly in place. Help please...any and all ideas greatly appreciated.

Although I can't speak to the fuse box jump, I can say that your car should have an emergency release cable (looks like piano wire with a pull loop). If you are not the original owner, it is possible the cable has been relocated for ease of access. I suggest looking behind the tow hook cover or removing the passenger side headlight and looking there.

Gary

2003 Boxster Base - Midnight Blue Metallic, Savanna Beige, Metropol Blue

The 2003 came with the emergency cable, as described by grc0456, just under the right headlight assembly, not in the wheel well (987).
If it wasn't re-routed by a previous owner to the tow hook hole or on the wheel well, you can try to fish it using a coat hanger fashioned into a hook from underneath.
You'll have to remove a few of the screws that hold the bottom edge of the front bumper, especially those on the passenger side of the car.
Then, with a flashlight look for the shinny braided 18" cable with a loop on the end.
Once you fish it, grab a hold of the loop, trying to pull to the right side of the car, not towards the ground, give it a sharp yank.
It should pop the hood.
Before you do all that, connect a good 12 VDC source to the pull-out lug on the fusebox and leave it connected for 3 hours.
That should be enough to recharge enough even on a fairly weak battery to activate the frank's solenoid and pop it open.
Good luck.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

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Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Over the years, others have reported success with those.
They do need to be attached for some time.

I have heard tell of others energizing the specific fuse the governs the trunk release. The way it was told to me, the fuse has two metal "windows" on either side of the amp number on the plastic.
They put power to them and that was enough to get the release to work. Full disclosure - I have never seen that procedure and I do not recall who or where I heard it.
The only reason I post is because you might have exhausted other choices.

JM I think you and Pedro are talking about the same thing i.e. the emergency power pull-out on the fuse panel.The cigar lighter idea may be worth a shot.
Pedro, I've tried putting power to the pull-out and it draws absolutely no current (measured with my DMM) so my suspicion is that something has disabled it's function. Contrary to what I said in my OP, I'm now inclined to believe that the pull-out power plug is not tied directly to the battery but rather thru the security system in some fashion and I've managed to discombobulate it. Does this make any sense? I have of course, checked all the fuses in the panel
also noted that there is no reference to the emergency power function in the fuse pamphlet. Is the fuse in the security module under the seat a suspect given the conditions observed? BTW thanks for the confirmation on the release cable...I'll resume the hunt.

The idea was to energize the single fuse not the whole panel - so if there was a dead short somewhere, you could still get the trunk open with just the one fuse.

Again, I was not there and I do not remember who said what. Just a shot in the dark.

... you are trying to do the procedure that JMstamford.ct describes.
I do not recommend i. If not done correctly damage to electronic circuits may occur.
There is no single fuse that protects the hood opening solenoid. Other components/features are on the same circuit.
If one or more of the other components has an issue you will be energizing a circuit that is compromised and damage to all of the components in the circuit is probable.
Try manually fishing the wire.
I've done it dozens of times.
You can also read this: [pedrosgarage.com]
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Good news...I found the release cable albeit with the loop tucked under the headlight fixture. It was necessary to completely remove the bumper cover to get at it. With the battery charging away the frunk and trunk release like magic.Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you all for being so helpful.
Be safe.
Jerry

How did you get the bumper cover off without the hood open? If I recall correctly, there is a series of bolts/screws along the top that are under the frunk and a black plastic drain piece.

BTW - glad you got the loop and are now able to get in the trunk.

Absolutely be careful - no matter what the choice.

My first choice would be the red post method. I used it once on my car when stuck on the side of a road, after a failed push start. (So I guess a push start and jump was actually the first choice - but that has many limitations too).

My second choice would be the cigarette trickle charge thing. But you need the device and a plug socket. It also takes longer - so you pretty much have to be at home or a garage to use that method.

My third choice would be the fish the cable method. I have seen it done. More correctly, I have seen someone re-route the cable to the tow hook area and, in the process, demonstrate how it works. As you and Pedro each noted, fishing the cable is a bear. Not something you want to do in the rain or on the side of the road for instance.

As noted, the "energize the fuse method" would only be a last resort, I have never seen it done so I have no idea if it actually works. I only heard a story about it. I do not "recommend" it (or not). But If all of the other 4 possible methods fail (well you are really, really unlucky - perhaps unreasonably so). You are also now desperate, the choice is to either try it - or get the car towed if possible. Again, it might be a long shot. But long shots are better than no shots.

Not known for my patience,after removing all the fasteners on the sides and bottom of the bumper cover and still being unable to locate the release cable, I gave a hardy yank and pulled the top away, tearing out the two fasteners remaining.
The rain gutter twist lock fasteners don't secure the bumper cover so they are not an issue. To wrap things up, I re-routed the the cable with an extension so it is now accessible via the side marker light, and managed a solid fix for the two fastener locations that were torn out of the bumper cover. They were pretty wimpy to begin with and are now better than the original arrangement. While my "solution" is clearly not an example of finesse, I could see no alternative. BTW...I'm still at a loss to explain why the pull-out terminal method failed to work as it had on previous occasions and I would like to resolve this question. Ideas?

This is how we get the hood popped...

[rainydaymagazine.com]

[i0.wp.com]

Interesting but not relevant to my 2003S. Where you have levers, I have switches. Still hoping that someone with time to burn will suss out the circuitry related to the pull-out fuse terminal. I would love to find out why it no longer works. Any masochists out there in Boxsterville?

Last week I put my 2012 base Boxster in storage for several months. I rented a storage unit that is 10 x 20 and my car fits in OK but I had to crowd the right wall of the unit so I could more easily open the driver’s door. There is no electricity in the unit so a battery tender wasn’t an option. I disconnected the negative battery cable. I didn’t set the parking brake but I left the car in gear so it couldn’t move. Without thinking I closed the hood. I immediately realized what I’d done. Talk about a sinking feeling! I have no idea how I’m going to open the trunk. Because I crowded the right side of the car close to the storage unit wall, there isn’t room to work on the right side of the car. From what I’ve read, the emergency release cable is accessed from the right side of the car. This is my third Boxster and over the years I’ve heard and read about others having problems with locked trunks, usually because of dead batteries, but I haven’t heard of anyone who has had to solve the problem with operating room constraints like mine. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as quite frankly I’m more than a little scared by what I’ve done.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2020 10:58PM by Sayle. (view changes)

The owner's manual for your car that I found on-line (in Chinese, page 190) shows the pull-out emergency terminal on the fuse panel. The procedure for energizing it should be in your manual. Hook up your battery (+ to the pull-out, - to the door latch) and you're good to go.

Good thing you have room to work on the left side of your car. You can pop the hood using an extra battery.

Here are the instructions and diagram. They are for a 2010 Boxster, but I believe the setup is the same for all 987.2 models.

I can’t thank you gentlemen enough for your information. The electric controls can certainly be convenient, but locked compartments are sufficiently common place because of battery problems it would be nice to have a simple pull lever in the cabin as a backup should the electric buttons become inoperable. Of course, if I’d slowed down a bit storing my car this never would have happened. Thank you again for your help. I think I lost a couple of years from my life when I closed the trunk lid and realized what I ‘d done. Best regards. This site is great.

There is no reason the trunk opening needs to be "drive by wire" A simple steel cord has been used for generations with few incidents.

Just because one can, does not mean one should. This is added complexity with no good justification.
There are several instances of that in new cars.

Do not get me started on how to change a radio station in my wife's Volvo. It is cumbersome and dangerous. Either pull over or do not do it. Just a dumb design - but touch screens are all the rage.