Emergency engine cover release cable - a simple preventative measure.

We've all seen the "Help, battery is dead and I can't open the Frunk/Engine Cover" threads. There are some posts that address this, ranging from jump-starting via the fuse box post/door latch, and other methods. Most were a bit vague, so I decided a better post was needed. I'm a big fan of preventative maintenance and preventative measures. Here's a quick preventative measure to implement BEFORE the battery dies. Only takes a few minutes, and can save a huge headache later. Beneath the driver's side rear tail light assembly is an emergency release cable. Simple to get at when you DON'T need it (i.e. when the engine compartment door is open). So, what needs to be done is make the cable accessible when you DO need it. Of course, if you don't want to do this preventative measure, be sure to fully read the various fuse box jump start threads! Steps: 1. Open engine compartment cover, and with a 10mm socket, remove the single bolt that holds in the tail light assembly (see photos below). 2. Pull out the assembly. There will be a loop of silver wire sticking up, beneath the assembly. This is the emergency release cable. 3. Pull the wire out, until you get to the loop at the end. 4. Clean the housing, and tape the loop right near the edge (see photos) with some duct tape. 5. Make a cable "fish" tool. See photo below, the lower of the two pictured tools. I used an old bicycle spoke, since it is thin but flexible and strong. I put a finger loop on the other end to make it easier to use. (The other "tool" shown below is also fashioned from a bicycle spoke. It's my wheel center cap removal tool. Or, you can buy Porsche's version for about $30.00.) 6. Reinstall the light. 7. Now, practice the following, BEFORE you are in an emergency lock-out situation: With the engine compartment door open, so you can see what you are doing, slide the hooked end of the tool under the rubber molding around the tail light assembly. Turn it a few degrees to snag the wire, and pull. Presto, engine compartment door pops open!!! Note: Some people also choose to re-route this cable to somewhere below, so that they can access it from under the car. You can do that, too, but it's a way bigger PITA to have to crawl under the car and hunt around. Especially if the battery dies while you away from home, wearing your best suit, and it's raining. P.S. There is a similar cable in the front, for the frunk. I will make a post for that cable when I get a chance.

Does your bicycle wheel wobble now? Nice write up thank you. For the front, the last time I had the bumper cover off to clean the radiators, I just drilled a 1/8" hole in the cooling duct (back where you can't see it unless you are looking for it) and poked a little of the wire loop through and sealed it with some uncured butyl rubber tape. 3M Strip Calk works well and it's handy for other things.

nice weekend project, thanks.

Done - thx did the front and was thinking about back then saw your post.

I routed mine behind the rear bumper. Didn't want to chance scraping or scratching the taillight and/or bumper to get the cord out.

Yeah, I considered routing behind the bumper, but I'd been out for a drive before I did this project and it was way too hot down there. You will find that the cable has plenty of "play" in the rubber molding gap, so it shouldn't cause scratches. The main thing is, though, just get that dang cable secured somewhere so that you can get to it when you need it!! re: Only when I've ridden it to the local bar.

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That's why I keep a coat hanger in the frunk. I pop my frunk to get my coat hanger tool so I don't burn my hands.

Ah, but this thread is intended for when ya can't pop the frunk or the trunk. (the boot or the bonnet? The fore or the aft?). I forgot to mention above, be sure to keep your wire fishing tool in the glove box (or if you have a pre-glove-box version, stuff it somewhere handy, but NOT in the frunk).

Did back and front of mine within 6 months of getting car. Found front one accidentally when cleaning rads and condensers. Planned for the rear one. Not had to use them in an emergency as yet but they both work great. Good idea to have a spare valet key made and wire that up to front or back cable in case main key is ever lost. I haven't done that as yet but may do one day.

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Like Hurdi, I've done both front and back release cable rerouting so no issues. Mine is tucked behind on of the radiator bumper openings. If you haven't done your frunk, where do you keep your spokes? Just curious.

In the glove box. Hey, anyone know what it costs to have a valet key made? I have two keys, but they are both main keys. There wasn't a valet key when I got the car.

Bump to top, per request.

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Hurdi, my 99' front and rear lid pops open without any battery power. (nice 99 feature). Does yours need the battery power to release ?

Mine is a 99 and both are operated via the lift catches under the drivers door. My engine lid wire I rerouted so it's easy to grab under the car at the rear. No need to remove the rear light cover. I pulled it back into the engine compartment and then sent it down near the cooling tank under the engine. I coil it around something down there. A strut of something but I can grab it when/if ever I need it. The front one I sent out next to the air temp sensor in the plastic air scoop. The ones under the door work as normal.

In my '99 the Frunk release cable is routed such that it is available near the passenger door hinge. I noticed a pull there the other day. Pretty sure it came from the factory like this. Any idea if the engine cover release cable is routed to some accessible place already in a '99?

The cable by the passenger door hinge is not for the frunk. It's a hidden gas filler door release. Sheesh they put some odd stuff into the design of this car!

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They still lock when you lock the car. So if you lock your car and the battery dies, there's no way to open the frunk or trunk without the cable release.

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..?? I Use the key to unlock the door, the use release to pop open the trunk. I did this when my alt went bad, and the battery died.

On my '99 when the battery was dead with the car locked, the frunk and trunk levers were locked. But the key would allow me to get into the car.

I'm guessing that 996_North had enough juice left in his battery for the Frunk/trunk actuators to work, even though not enough to start the car.

Cuda, you may be right.. Im going to loop through the rear as you have described. It's a good alternative. Thanks for sharing

Looks like I'm going fishing for the rear latch release tomorrow or the next day... can't get to the motor right now. Looks like an excuse to drive the Corvette tomorrow... My garage is a 90's time machine...

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Took a pic of the front: It tucks up neatly behind the bumper and I can get to it easily if I need.

Interesting point on the Mk-1 cars, I know for sure the fuel door is locked via an electrical solenoid when the car is locked, never tried the frunk or trunk. I suppose one can do a test by opening the frunk, close the door, lock the car, disconnect the battery, unlock the door with the key, and then see if the trunk can be released at that point?

Thanks for this tip...performed front and rear access to the cables today. Que' bueno!

These are all great ideas but, we should not have to jump through hoops to open our trunks when a battery is too weak or dead. It makes no sense. For the 2nd time since 2002 I let my battery run down to the point I was unable to open the front trunk to get at the battery. 1st time I used a jumper box to attach to that red connection in the fuse box and was able to pop the trunk. This time not so easy. Each time I tried this the horn started beeping and that was about it. Trunk would not release. I tried locking-unlocking door, I tried tripping the lock in the door to the lock position with a screw driver then unlocking/locking with key. No success. Tried variations of this multiple times but got no where. All I got was the horn beeping. I was unable to find the cable release going through the right front side light. Lastly, I removed the C3 Fuse. I found a piece of metal that fit perfectly into the vacated C3 slot. Hooked up my jumper box to this piece of metal--the real surprise was that the car started without having to jump the battery. I had left the key in the ignition when I was trying everything I could think of to get the trunk to open. I turned the key and to my amazement the car started. This was quite unexpected. Now was able to open trunk and access the battery which is actually only about 18 mos old. It's now connected to my charger. The thing I don't get about Porsche and it's convoluted methods to complete simple tasks. Why can't they have a simple mechanical release like everyone else. The one time it's critical to access the front trunk because your battery needs to be charged/replaced is when you can't easily access the trunk because your battery needs to be charged/replaced. Makes no F'n sense to me. I guess this is what you'd call Catch 22.

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Doesn't look like you tried using the remote - with power to the fuse jumper, use the remote to pop the trunk. Works every time.

A maintainer that connects to the cigarette lighter... and a bit of time...eliminate the need to resort to the cable release for all but the most badly ruined batteries. Battery maintainers are one of those things you will never realize - or admit - you need until you break down and buy them. You will then berate yourself for the amount of time you wasted crawling under the car, removing the battery, driving to AutoZone/waiting for AAA to arrive, ..., ... . People who do not yet have maintainers say things like "that's way too inconvenient." It takes ~5 seconds every time to disconnect the maintainer...it's going to take a LOT of trips before those 5-second increments add up to the amount of time that gets eaten with a single dead battery. The secret bonus: Maintaining your battery on a regular basis - assuming that eliminates some deep-draw discharges - will make your battery last longer. There is no math I can come up with where a maintainer does not pay for itself fairly immediately.

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Hey, can you recommend one? The type that plugs into the lighter. The Porsche branded one is $110. This Stanley one is only $20. Any reason not to buy it? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stanley-BC20...wAAOSwnF9Y6RuV

Mike, rather than the lighter adapter, consider connecting the maintainer to the battery and using an extension cable so you can charge the car without needing access to the front trunk. Battery Tender sells a 12-foot extension cable (not that you can't just wire it up yourself); use the firewall grommet behind the battery to feed the cable into the cabin and leave the connector somewhere out of sight but convenient, like behind the passenger seat. If you plug your maintainer into the same overhead outlet as the garage door opener, you can leave the maintainer cord dangling there above the sunroof. It takes all of a few seconds to plug it in when you get home, and the cord dangling through the open sunroof is a great reminder to disconnect the maintainer before you drive away.

Did you get the Boxst� back onto the track Saturday, or was it a wash?

Boxst� II had a bad coolant hose and no parts were available And to answer Cudas question from post#11 You can get a valet key cut anywhere that can cut the keys. You would still need to get the immobilizer programmed for the key to start the car unless you have a programmed pill already

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Sadly my condo garage parking space is over seventy feet from the nearest electrical outlet. All that cable and leaving the trunk open won't work. When I go on vacation I'll have to plan on the battery being dead when I return and jump start it. Modern cars are not progress.

How about an answer to #29 in this thread? Schnelly and Jay, you guys are both electronics geeks.

You are calling me a geek?

I just bought a '03 C4S. I have had both front and rear bumpers off for some post-purchase-inspection/maintenance. One of the things was make those cables useful! The front one now terminates behind the passenger side marker light (it needed an extension), the rear one terminates behind the wheel well cover (only to be used if the electric solenoid fails). So simple. Paul