Espace central (un)locking problem

Are you or your nephew AA members? They have ways of getting in to any vehicle. Often this involves powering up various circuits using an external battery pack.

Chris

Can the key not open the back door? Or is there no rear key lock on an Espace?

I would have thought it was possible to tow it out backwards with the rear wheels lifted on a trolley jack, even though it's in gear. Maybe with the help of another car and a towrope?

Unfortunately not. Nor are any neighbours. Might be worth joining methinks. Nick.

This Espace only has one door lock, front NS. No rear key lock. It's front wheel drive and there isn't room to either jack it up or remove the shelves/racking. Nick.

In that case, since it's been sat for months *anyway*, just drag it out backwards and accept slight flat spots. Or put some squares of plywood/steel sheet or whatever you have behind all the tyres to minimise the sliding.

What the hell. It's a Renault. Leave it there ;-)

This has got me piqued now.

It's in nose first, so you can get to the back end, right?

I'm trying to think if there's any +12V permanent feed to the back of it that you could get at, and use to put some charge into the battery.

There's the self-parking feed to the rear wiper, but that will be inside the panelling and inaccessible. The bulbs will all be switched up by the driver or on the gearbox (for reverse). The ABS sensors/valves won't be energised without the ignition and it would be dodgy to use them anyway...

Brake wear sensors would be ignition switched too...

Can you get underneath it near the front end at all?

Does it have a towbar socket fitted?

If you could find any +12V unswitched connection then you could probably charge it *slowly* using a small charger (rather than another car battery which would just blow the fuse) until it woke up and let you in.

But if it was me I'd still choose to drag it out, then either open the bonnet or get underneath and put 12V in through the starter solenoid feed wire and the chassis to get it charged up enough.

Thanks. I've been having similar thoughts.. Probably best to jack each front suspension leg minimally and insert steel plates under the wheels. Sweep floor, apply liberal amounts of Fairy liquid or similar lube then carefully pull it backwards. This should negate any physical damage. Starter solenoid is a good bet also possibly the alternator. I don't know what's accessible from beneath.

It has towbar and normal (not supplementary) socket fitted. No permanent live there. Also thinking about the horn/hooter, permanent live but don't know if this is controlled by the key switch (probably is switched). Don't know how the brake lights are worked but suppose from a mechanical switch on the brake pedal. I also presume that if +12v can be applied somewhere that will go directly back to the battery, a press of the keyfob switch 'should' activate the central (un)locking. Of course I may be wrong, I often am. I don't want to wreck my nephews car. Interesting conundrum but one that I could live without at the moment. Nick.

If you think about it, dragging it just on the tyres is only the equivalent of one emergency stop out on the road with a short slide at the end. And on a dusty concrete floor there's probably less friction than tarmac.

Just do it. Then it'll be much easier to get to the battery anyway, whether by charging it from underneath or from popping the bonnet by reaching up from underneath.

You won't hurt the gears, brakes or engine by dragging it. Just a bit more wear on the tyres.

I'd squirt a couple of bottles of cheap washing up liquid under the tyres first.

Bad form to reply to own post but this might just help someone in future.

Jacked up rear of car and located a junction box for cabling to 12S towing socket (presumably it had one fitted at some stage) by following 12N socket cabling. Found connectors for pin 3 12v+ and pin 4 earth. Applied power and a red led starts flashing on the dash. Hold breath and push the key fob button. A very satisfying clunk & whirr as the doors unlock and huge sigh of relief. Done and no damage. Roll car out and charge battery etc. Out of interest, jacked up the front of the car and had a good long look under the engine/transmission. Could not even see the starter or alternator or anything else that might provide a direct/unswitched route to the battery. Cables to bonnet catches, there are 2, absolutely inaccessible. Have instructed nephew to leave bonnet unlatched next time he parks anything long term.

Many thanks to each and all for the kindly and very useful info given.

Nick.

Best to disconnect the battery too - it's almost certainly fooked by being let go totally flat.

Oh good. Glad it worked out (relatively) easily.

I knew Lagunas had the double bonnet lock thing which makes it a pain to get into them when the cable (frequently) snaps, but I wasn't sure about the Espace.

What is it with Renault and bonnets? Either they don't open at all or they do when you aren't expecting it...

Quite so. Is that a technicnal term like spot bo**ock?