[Gavink]

Hi

I am the normally happy owner of a 1999 Saab 9-3

However I have one BIG problem I cant get into my car!



Symptoms are I double locked the car so alarm on and deadlocked and oops I fall in and get taken into hospital for some time



The battery is now flat I can’t use the key on any lock to get in including the boot and I obviously can’t get at the bonnet release



Any suggestions other than what my dealer said "Smash a window"


Many thanks in advance

Gavin

 

[Slaab4life]

The battery is now flat I can’t use the key on any lock to get in including the boot and I obviously can’t get at the bonnet release

First, let me be the one to welcome you to Saab Central! Great bunch of people on here.

I started typing out a thing about just simply replacing the battery in the FOB but now understand that your problem is a flat CAR battery. I didn't know that the deadbolt couldn't be undone with the key. Might need to call a local automobile club (we have AAA on this side of the pond) and tell them the situation. They may by able to use a 'slim jim' type thing to jimmy the lock open. They should be able to do this without breaking a window.

Or perhaps you could take some of the plastic bits out from under the engine compartment and find a way to get your hands up into the compartment and get some leads onto the battery to provide some power.

 

[Gavink]

Slim Jim

Ah did not think the slim jim would work on it as its deadlocked but will see if i can get my hands on one

thanks for the advice so far

 

[JMarkert]

Or how about this - maybe you can find the hood release cable from underneath or through the grill. Cut into it and pop the hood. I'm not sure how practical this is, but doing this and then charging the battery might be less disruptive to the car and alarm than the slim jim method.

 

[john tanner]

Does the deadlock system actually deadlock the boot....If not you could undo the boot and gain access that way....Alternatively get under the drivers side of the car (front) this is where the cable for the bonnet release goes and where it loops around the corner from the front to the inner wing pull it with some sort of strong hook and this may flex the wire enough to pop the release. Good luck:cheesy:

 

[earthworm]

Any suggestions other than what my dealer said "Smash a window"

Are you serious, Gavin ??
The dealer should be reported for truly lousy service.
A real dealer should have the necessary tool allowing you to "break-into" your own vehicle - via popping the hood latch and installing a new battery
Apparently the old one has failed a slow load test...

 

[ray maxwell]

had the same problem ,got in throo the boot(trunk) my greatest hassle was being 6ft 2 and 19 stone &and to proud to ask help from meer mortals all the best ray

 

[PMI]

Does the deadlock system actually deadlock the boot....If not you could undo the boot and gain access that way....Alternatively get under the drivers side of the car (front) this is where the cable for the bonnet release goes and where it loops around the corner from the front to the inner wing pull it with some sort of strong hook and this may flex the wire enough to pop the release. Good luck:cheesy:

I have seen the hood/bonnet opened this way at a shop, but the car was on the lift and the plastic front air-shields were taken off first. (It was a relatively new car driven in with a broken hood release) Having seen it done, and looking at how my hood release cable is routed, inside a stiff plastic sheath, I would hate to do this with stands only. I have heard of people breaking the plastic grille out of frustration when the hood release fails.

If the battery is the problem, could you just "jump" the battery from where the battery cable attaches to the alternator? You still have to jack the car, but the connections are in plain sight. Easier to reach than the hood release. You would just need a good clamp or aligator clip, or just disconnect the cable temporarily. There is some danger of a short here, so just jumper cables might not work because the ends are too exposed.

The view is looking up from under the car.

Btw, my "boot" can be unlocked with the key even if the car is on deadlock, but if that turns out to be another electrical gremlin on my own car, I think I'll live with it.

 

[PMI]

had the same problem ,got in throo the boot(trunk) my greatest hassle was being 6ft 2 and 19 stone &and to proud to ask help from meer mortals all the best ray

Welcome Ray! Btw, if you have any pics of the procedure, pls feel free to post them... :cheesy:

 

[ray maxwell]

if the pictures are XXXX rated heaven knows how to classify the soundtrack .i even invented some new cusses for the event

ray:evil:

 

[PMI]

If you had been there when I finally figured out that the alternator cannot be taken out "...via the right-hand wheel arch" on my car with LHD, as per the Haynes manual (which is for RHD), you would have heard a couple choice words also. I found out later this has been posted a few times. Of course I did not think I needed to search for help with the basic electricals...:roll:

 

[rotate]

Symptoms are I double locked the car so alarm on and deadlocked and oops I fall in and get taken into hospital for some time

I don't understand this. What do you mean by deadlocked? Doesn't the key allow you to open the door regardless of dead battery?

I'm very confused and concerned.

 

[Sacko]

i assume (as i have heard elsewhere) that there is a metal rod that locks the doors shut under certain circumstances. not sure what those are though. i'd be interrested to find out.

 

[JMarkert]

I think Sacko's right. On my '94 I don't have a remote. Instead there are two key positions, regular and then a further turn is deadlocked. When I turn to deadlocked, the alarm goes on and I hear all kinds of little metal things sliding into place (more than the noise the locks make), so I think it's probably true that you can't just use the key (unless the battery is working).

 

[Sacko]

yeah, i just went out and checked with my key. there's the locked position, and if i turn the drivers door to the 3 o'clock position it seems to do something, and i can take the key out like that. I didnt' disconnect my battery to see if i could still open up the car without power though :roll: . oh, and the remote wouldn't work in this position either.

 

[ray maxwell]

any news ?are we in yet? the suspense is killing

ray

 

[2003FXSTB]

this almost makes want to run out and get a new battery ... just to be safe

hehe

 

[carolp]

thank you

found your thread on here and found it quite helpful, was wondering how you all got on with this problem?
I too had the same problem, but my brother helped me, what he did was to connect the battery charger to the connections in the luggage light in the boot and it gave enough of a charge to allow us to open the doors.
Thank you for inspiring us, and good luck to anyone else having the same problem.
:lol:

 

[coreyeroc]

this... would. suck.

 

[CleveSaab]

Certainly one major advantage to a 900.