E46 boot access - flat battery???

Tue Dec 03, 2019 9:29 pm

Ok, so now having to force the 2001 325ti compact out for an MOT on Friday!!!

Battery is well and truly dead — and in the boot, which is opened by an electronic button. Genius!!!

I've got one of those crappy boosters, which never gave enough to start this car, but now doesn't seem to give it any power at all to even open the boot, so I can try and jump it (front is parked against my garage and I can get around it - doh!)

So is there any way of opening the e46 compact boot mechanically???
Hidden lock anywhere???
From inside if I drop the back seats and crawl through???

Help please???

Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:53 pm

Inside and crawl is your answer mate

Mart.

Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:55 pm

Jump start connections are under the bonnet. There'll be a red cover, probably on the top of the engine and with a + on it. This point connects directly to the + pole of the battery. There may well be a connection point for the negative jump lead as well. Look for an oversized nut on a suspension turret, or any bare metal connected directly to the bodywork will do.
Best solution is to connect a charger to these points.

Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:12 am

Mart - was wondering if that's worth it & if there was a release in there???

Brian - well aware of the connections under the bonnet, just don't have any leads, etc, that would reach to where the car is parked!!!
Tried the crappy ebay jump starter that I've used before, but it doesn't appear to even give enough juice to operate the locking!!!
Was hoping there would be a secret way to open the boot!!!

Anyway, borrowed a proper battery pack from mateys garage this morning, so should hopefully be in business tomorrow morning!!!

Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:11 pm

I did this years ago but it meant destroying some trim at the same time.
I invested in a set of jump leads 6m long and good enough to turn over a bus !!

Mart.

Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:19 pm

Brianmoooore wrote: ↑
Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:55 pm
Best solution is to connect a charger to these points.

Second best solution is to connect a charged battery to the under bonnet terminals with whatever wire you can find, and leave it connected for several minutes, then try the boot lock.
DON'T try to start the car with the battery connected.

Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:57 am

Borrowed a proper SnapOn booster... connected under the bonnet so I can get access no problem now, however, it won't turn over at all, just flashes the lights!!!
Left it connected quite a while, but still the same outcome.
Stuck a battery charger on there for just under an hour - didn't seem to do much and still no action with or without the booster!
Looking online, it seems this is quite a common problem on E46s and they are very power hungry!
Left it connected to a charger for a few hours tonight - just praying it'll start from the booster in the morning, but not holding out much hope.

Meant to be taking it in for MOT in the morning, but some other incidents this evening stopped me from getting hold of a new battery!

Don't understand how it knows the battery is dead, when there's a strong booster connected though?

Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:55 am

The E46 takes a lot of battery to turn over, a booster just won't cut it. The slight drop over the cables from the front to the back and back again to the starter do not help.

You will need a good battery, the recent cold will have killed one that is near its last.

You can get a bigger battery in it than it says too. I put an 017/019 size in it (354x175x190) but a 110 size fits well too.

Tried too many times with a good , fully charged booster and a duff battery and the E46 M54 won't have it.

Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:29 am

Was a real PITA!
Still wouldn't jump with the booster under the bonnet.
Connected it directly to the battery in the boot and it fired up this time!!!
That tiny bit of charge the battery got must've done just enough!!!

In for the MOT now - know a couple of bits need sorting but fingers crossed it's all sorted by the end of the day!!!