How to open the bonnet/hood of FL5 if battery is dead?

[Kaliwarrior]

Hi all,

Had an accident and had the car towed. The car locked itself after a little while amd the battery went flat. So trying to open the car with the fob won't work. I tried the manual key but that doesnt work either. A dealer has the car and they want to break the drivers window to use the bonnet/hood release. Is there any other way to gain access to the bonnet/hood release cable from the outside?

Thanks!

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[Superhatch]

Why didn't the manual key work?

I'm going to go disconnect my battery and see if the manual key works. For science.

Edit: Manual key works fine with battery disconnected and the car locked. I could hear the key turn the lock, let the handle return to normal position, pulled again and car door opened normally.

If that doesn't work there isn't another way I know of to get in besides braking a window or calling a locksmith. I would really try the manual key again.

 

[Ryan Ho]

After turning the lock cylinder, you must return the door handle to its position before opening the door again.

 

[22Si]

How idiotic is your dealer? Is this a Honda dealer?

With the battery dead, the cylinder still works and can be unlocked with the physical key. Unless your cylinder is damaged.

Lastly, they can call a locksmith to open the door without breaking rhe window. I would be concerned having that dealer anywhere near my car if they don't know how to open a door without breaking the window.

 

[TW00Si]

How idiotic is your dealer? Is this a Honda dealer?

With the battery dead, the cylinder still works and can be unlocked with the physical key. Unless your cylinder is damaged.

Lastly, they can call a locksmith to open the door without breaking rhe window. I would be concerned having that dealer anywhere near my car if they don't know how to open a door without breaking the window.

Exactly what I thought when I first read it. Regardless of dealer being Honda, if their solution involves breaking a window. Tow it elsewhere.

 

[Kaliwarrior]

Why didn't the manual key work?

I'm going to go disconnect my battery and see if the manual key works. For science.

Edit: Manual key works fine with battery disconnected and the car locked. I could hear the key turn the lock, let the handle return to normal position, pulled again and car door opened normally.

If that doesn't work there isn't another way I know of to get in besides braking a window. I would really try the manual key again.

No idea, for some reason you can hear the click of the barrel like its unlocking. We've pulled the key out and tried the handle but nothing, its like it locks immediately after or that the lock is doing nothing.

 

[Kaliwarrior]

After turning the lock cylinder, you must return the door handle to its position before opening the door again.

I've lost count how many times i've tried it over the last few days. I've tried everything with the lock, so did the Honda Technicians but they're solution is to break the window to get the bonnet/hood open.

 

[Kaliwarrior]

How idiotic is your dealer? Is this a Honda dealer?

With the battery dead, the cylinder still works and can be unlocked with the physical key. Unless your cylinder is damaged.

Lastly, they can call a locksmith to open the door without breaking rhe window. I would be concerned having that dealer anywhere near my car if they don't know how to open a door without breaking the window.
[/QUO

How idiotic is your dealer? Is this a Honda dealer?

With the battery dead, the cylinder still works and can be unlocked with the physical key. Unless your cylinder is damaged.

Lastly, they can call a locksmith to open the door without breaking rhe window. I would be concerned having that dealer anywhere near my car if they don't know how to open a door without breaking the window.

Yeah this is the biggest honda dealer in this part of the UK. Like I said in my reply to @Superhatch I have a feeling that it might be damaged in some way (even though there is no damage near it and this being the first time I've had to use it).

My thoughts exactly, I did have a thought about whether the hood cable is accessible when you take the arch/fender lining out on the driver's side. I'm going to get them to try that first before ever having to resort to breaking the window.

 

[22Si]

I dont know about the FL5 but on some cars you can undo the latch from under the car.

Either way a locksmith will use a wedge on your door, stick his tool in and open the door.

Was your door hit on the accident?

 

[apl360]

My son worked flat rate at a Honda dealership till the sheer incompetence of his experiences forced him to put in his 2 weeks and go into plumbing. Over a few beers he made me realize a few things

what y’all need to realize, that amazing talent Honda service departments had back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. That’s not a thing anymore. At all. Their master mechanics, the very vast majority of them don’t even have ase certifications and instead are certified directly by Honda via their bullshit programs. Thusly forcing these idiots to accept the fact that flat rate fucking sucks dick now and they can’t leave because that Honda bullshit doesn’t fly anywhere. Unlike a proper ase

it’s the same with every manufacturers service department but way worse in the oem Japanese space. U want real mechanical talent? Japanese performance shops is where it’s at.

 

[MooMoo]

My son worked flat rate at a Honda dealership till the sheer incompetence of his experiences forced him to put in his 2 weeks and go into plumbing. Over a few beers he made me realize a few things

what y’all need to realize, that amazing talent Honda service departments had back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. That’s not a thing anymore. At all. Their master mechanics, the very vast majority of them don’t even have ase certifications and instead are certified directly by Honda via their bullshit programs. Thusly forcing these idiots to accept the fact that flat rate fucking sucks dick now and they can’t leave because that Honda bullshit doesn’t fly anywhere. Unlike a proper ase

it’s the same with every manufacturers service department but way worse in the oem Japanese space. U want real mechanical talent? Japanese performance shops is where it’s at.

some say ASE is also bs. I don't think a certification makes a good mechanic. That said in this case it seems like there is something wrong and why its not working.

However id get a car lock guy vs breaking a window but what do I know. This situation sucks

 

[apl360]

some say ASE is also bs. I don't think a certification makes a good mechanic. That said in this case it seems like there is something wrong and why its not working.

However id get a car lock guy vs breaking a window but what do I know. This situation sucks

I agree. A certification doesn’t make a good mechanic

but a combination of it and proper experience goes way further than just experience

who would U want rewiring your house? Some cat that’s done it for ten years or some cat that’s got the same experience + some certifications? U know?

the thing with certifications. U can take those anywhere. No matter how bad U burn your bridges.

edit. Used then instead of than. Fucking English language man…. That whole I before E shit is wild.

 

[J_D]

We had a 2012 Honda Civic that came from factory with the inner lock disconnected. We found out the first time a battery died and the keyhole did nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if if happened to your FL5

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