Access to trunk with dead battery?

[JimR]

2010 Altima 2.5S. Push-button start (as I imagine most Nissan are by
now). The other day, I killed the battery (inadvertently left the
ignition switch "on" for a few hours).

Jumper cables in the trunk. I tried to open the trunk using the
dashboard button, but nothing happened. I guess this must be an
electrical switch connected to a solenoid which unlatches the trunk.

I didn't try the button the the fob, since I figured if the battery was
flat, it wasn't going to work anyway.

I eventually folded down the right-rear seat, which let me reach into
the trunk to retrieve my jumper cables.

Was I missing something obvious? Is there some other way to access the
trunk when the battery is flat?

JimR

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by JimR
2010 Altima 2.5S. Push-button start (as I imagine most Nissan are by
now). The other day, I killed the battery (inadvertently left the
ignition switch "on" for a few hours).
Jumper cables in the trunk. I tried to open the trunk using the
dashboard button, but nothing happened. I guess this must be an
electrical switch connected to a solenoid which unlatches the trunk.
I didn't try the button the the fob, since I figured if the battery was
flat, it wasn't going to work anyway.
I eventually folded down the right-rear seat, which let me reach into
the trunk to retrieve my jumper cables.
Was I missing something obvious? Is there some other way to access the
trunk when the battery is flat?

Welcome to the world of "progress" ... 100 years of car design, 1 giant
leap backwards. People not being able get into their vehilces because of a
flat battery is rather ridiculous, and a great example of bad design
methods and style-over-substance design these days.

If the battery on your key fob goes dead, you're totally locked out of
some cars because they don't have an actual key, just a silly little
button on the door that communicates with the fob.

The ever-growing over-reliance of electronic gimmickry, especially in
cars, has always struck me as an idiotic idea. Even the little driver's
seat levers to open the trunk / boot and fuel cap are rather silly (the
lever stops working and you can't put fuel in!), but at least you can fix
the lever since you can actually get into the car.

Thankfully I have an older car that still uses an actual key for the doors
and trunk, but I also have a car alarm, so I ALWAYS ALWAYS carry a spare
battery and small screwdriver so I can change the battery in the remote if
it goes dead.

Buzz Bumble

[willshak]

Post by JimR
2010 Altima 2.5S. Push-button start (as I imagine most Nissan are by
now). The other day, I killed the battery (inadvertently left the
ignition switch "on" for a few hours).
Jumper cables in the trunk. I tried to open the trunk using the
dashboard button, but nothing happened. I guess this must be an
electrical switch connected to a solenoid which unlatches the trunk.
I didn't try the button the the fob, since I figured if the battery was
flat, it wasn't going to work anyway.
I eventually folded down the right-rear seat, which let me reach into
the trunk to retrieve my jumper cables.
Was I missing something obvious? Is there some other way to access the
trunk when the battery is flat?
JimR

You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps in the
area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by bending over
and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

[JimR]

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps in the
area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by bending over
and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic key
fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

JimR

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps in the
area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by bending over
and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic key
fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

The flip-side of your problem is equally as silly - people usually just
hop out of their car, walk away pushing the button on the remote / fob (or
even via normal central locking using a key or internal lock button), and
assume the doors lock because they hear a beep and click.

BUT that's not necessairly true.

The small servo-motor on the passenger side door of my car broken down,
and although the alarm remote was causing the normal beep and the driver's
door to lock, the passenger door remained unlocked (it could be locked
manually using the key or the internal lock button). I only discovered
that by accident, although quickly, because I have a habit of locking the
doors after I get in too and noticed that clicking over the internal lock
button on the driver's door had not locked the passenger door.

Moral: Never assume your car is locked - ALWAYS manually check all the
doors and trunk / boot yourself before walking away.

Buzz Bumble

[Jim Yanik]

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps
in the area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by
bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic key
fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a badge that
pivots to the side.

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps
in the area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by
bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic key
fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a badge that
pivots to the side.

He said: "There is no actual key".

Many new cars stupidly do not have any key (nor keyholes) at all. It's a
bad design-over-usability flaw that needs correcting.

Buzz Bumble

[Jim Yanik]

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid,
perhaps in the area of the license plate light? It may only be
visible by bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic
key fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a
badge that pivots to the side.

He said: "There is no actual key".
Many new cars stupidly do not have any key (nor keyholes) at all. It's
a bad design-over-usability flaw that needs correcting.
Buzz Bumble

no door key? that's really stupid.
I've been in places of high-RF that rendered my remote useless,had to use
the key to unlock the door.
plus,it still doesn't stop theives from using a slim-jim to open your door.

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid,
perhaps in the area of the license plate light? It may only be
visible by bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic
key fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a
badge that pivots to the side.

He said: "There is no actual key".
Many new cars stupidly do not have any key (nor keyholes) at all. It's
a bad design-over-usability flaw that needs correcting.

no door key? that's really stupid.

No key at all ... no door key, no trunk / boot key, no starter key ... and
yes, it is REALLY stupid and silly design decision. The bigger problem is
that it is slowly filtering down from the expensive cars and it won't be
long before all new cars are like this.

Post by Jim Yanik
I've been in places of high-RF that rendered my remote useless,had to use
the key to unlock the door.

There's only two reasons I've been able to find out, and both very silly.
Firstly it's simply a case of bowing to modern technology and the lazy
generation with no real logical thinking gone into it, and secondly it
means there's no "ugly keyholes" spoiling the door or trunk / boot panels.

Post by Jim Yanik
plus,it still doesn't stop theives from using a slim-jim to open your door.

Who needs a slim-jim? You just drive around carparks with a pile remotes
from different manufacturers and you'll find one that works. There were
letters to the editor in the newspaper here a couple of months ago where
people had used their remotes to get in and even start what they though
was their car, only to realise it wasn't. (Techincally you can do the same
with a pile of keys, but it takes a lot longer and you'll look more
suspicious trying keys in every car than driving around pushing remote
buttons beneath window level!)

We had the same silly problem withour remote garage door opener. Because
it was the same building company that built all the house in this
sub-division, they used the same suppliers, and hence all the garage doors
use the same remote. With a limited number of codes, it took a few goes to
find one that wasn't already being used "close enough" to be a problem.
There were a number of times when the gargae door opened "by itself"
because someone else nearby had the same code programmed in.

The over-reliance on electronic gimmickry for the terminally lazy is
simply ridiculous when a normal key has worked for centuries ... as the
old sayiong goes: don't fix what ain't broke.

Buzz Bumble

[Buzz Bumble]

In article

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid,
perhaps in the area of the license plate light? It may only be
visible by bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic
key fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a
badge that pivots to the side.

He said: "There is no actual key".
Many new cars stupidly do not have any key (nor keyholes) at all. It's
a bad design-over-usability flaw that needs correcting.

no door key? that's really stupid.

No key at all ... no door key, no trunk / boot key, no starter key ... and
yes, it is REALLY stupid and silly design decision. The bigger problem is
that it is slowly filtering down from the expensive cars and it won't be
long before all new cars are like this.

Post by Jim Yanik
I've been in places of high-RF that rendered my remote useless,had to use
the key to unlock the door.

There's only two reasons I've been able to find out, and both very silly.
Firstly it's simply a case of bowing to modern technology and the lazy
generation with no real logical thinking gone into it, and secondly it
means there's no "ugly keyholes" spoiling the door or trunk / boot panels.

There's a third reason I realised: sheer greed. The greedy car companies
can charge huge piles of money for a replacement remote / fob instead of
you simply paying a few dollars to get a spare key cut.

The remote for my mother's car has broken and it will cost something like
NZ$500 to get it replaced by Mazda (all she really needs is a new plastic
case since the control board inside is fine, but the greedy swine don't
sell just a replacement case!). Luckily her car does also have a normal
key, so the she simply won't use the remote, and already has a spare key
cut in case the the original breaks, is lost, etc.

Buzz Bumble

[Jim Yanik]

Post by Buzz Bumble
In article

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid,
perhaps in the area of the license plate light? It may only
be visible by bending over and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the
electronic key fob, which includes an RFID transponder.

some cars hide the keyhole under a piece of moveable trim,like a
badge that pivots to the side.

He said: "There is no actual key".
Many new cars stupidly do not have any key (nor keyholes) at all.
It's a bad design-over-usability flaw that needs correcting.

no door key? that's really stupid.

No key at all ... no door key, no trunk / boot key, no starter key
... and yes, it is REALLY stupid and silly design decision. The
bigger problem is that it is slowly filtering down from the expensive
cars and it won't be long before all new cars are like this.

Post by Jim Yanik
I've been in places of high-RF that rendered my remote useless,had
to use the key to unlock the door.

There's only two reasons I've been able to find out, and both very
silly. Firstly it's simply a case of bowing to modern technology and
the lazy generation with no real logical thinking gone into it, and
secondly it means there's no "ugly keyholes" spoiling the door or
trunk / boot panels.

There's a third reason I realised: sheer greed. The greedy car
companies can charge huge piles of money for a replacement remote /
fob instead of you simply paying a few dollars to get a spare key cut.
The remote for my mother's car has broken and it will cost something
like NZ$500 to get it replaced by Mazda (all she really needs is a new
plastic case since the control board inside is fine, but the greedy
swine don't sell just a replacement case!). Luckily her car does also
have a normal key, so the she simply won't use the remote, and already
has a spare key cut in case the the original breaks, is lost, etc.
Buzz Bumble

you can buy replacement remotes(unprogrammed)for many vehicles online,and
just swap out the PCB insides. you might even be able to buy replacement
remote casings.

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble
There's a third reason I realised: sheer greed. The greedy car
companies can charge huge piles of money for a replacement remote /
fob instead of you simply paying a few dollars to get a spare key cut.
The remote for my mother's car has broken and it will cost something
like NZ$500 to get it replaced by Mazda (all she really needs is a new
plastic case since the control board inside is fine, but the greedy
swine don't sell just a replacement case!). Luckily her car does also
have a normal key, so the she simply won't use the remote, and already
has a spare key cut in case the the original breaks, is lost, etc.

you can buy replacement remotes(unprogrammed)for many vehicles online,and
just swap out the PCB insides. you might even be able to buy replacement
remote casings.

I did do a Google search when she broke it, but wasn't able to find
anywhere (or at least nowhere that didn't look decidely questionable).
Maybe I just used the wrong words.

I just did another search and found somewhere. It looks a little
questionable, but at least it's in the same city so I can actually go
there rather than just ordering off the Internet. No prices listed on
their website though.

The key cutting stores do sell some replacement remotes, but not this
particular type.

This Mazda remote also integrates the proper key (it flips-out from the
remote like a Swiss Amry knife), BUT it should still be easily replaceable
because the section that holds the key detaches so you can get inside to
replace the remote's battery. The badly-designed plastic pins that hold
the two pieces together are where it's broken and Mazda charging NZ$500 to
replace that is ridiculous.

Buzz Bumble

[AS]

Did you look for the Mazda remote on ebay?

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble
There's a third reason I realised: sheer greed. The greedy car
companies can charge huge piles of money for a replacement remote /
fob instead of you simply paying a few dollars to get a spare key cut.
The remote for my mother's car has broken and it will cost something
like NZ$500 to get it replaced by Mazda (all she really needs is a new
plastic case since the control board inside is fine, but the greedy
swine don't sell just a replacement case!). Luckily her car does also
have a normal key, so the she simply won't use the remote, and already
has a spare key cut in case the the original breaks, is lost, etc.

you can buy replacement remotes(unprogrammed)for many vehicles online,and
just swap out the PCB insides. you might even be able to buy replacement
remote casings.

I did do a Google search when she broke it, but wasn't able to find
anywhere (or at least nowhere that didn't look decidely questionable).
Maybe I just used the wrong words.
I just did another search and found somewhere. It looks a little
questionable, but at least it's in the same city so I can actually go
there rather than just ordering off the Internet. No prices listed on
their website though.
The key cutting stores do sell some replacement remotes, but not this
particular type.
This Mazda remote also integrates the proper key (it flips-out from the
remote like a Swiss Amry knife), BUT it should still be easily replaceable
because the section that holds the key detaches so you can get inside to
replace the remote's battery. The badly-designed plastic pins that hold
the two pieces together are where it's broken and Mazda charging NZ$500 to
replace that is ridiculous.
Buzz Bumble

[Jim Yanik]

Post by Buzz Bumble

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble
There's a third reason I realised: sheer greed. The greedy car
companies can charge huge piles of money for a replacement remote /
fob instead of you simply paying a few dollars to get a spare key cut.
The remote for my mother's car has broken and it will cost
something like NZ$500 to get it replaced by Mazda (all she really
needs is a new plastic case since the control board inside is fine,
but the greedy swine don't sell just a replacement case!). Luckily
her car does also have a normal key, so the she simply won't use
the remote, and already has a spare key cut in case the the
original breaks, is lost, etc.

you can buy replacement remotes(unprogrammed)for many vehicles
online,and just swap out the PCB insides. you might even be able to
buy replacement remote casings.

I did do a Google search when she broke it, but wasn't able to find
anywhere (or at least nowhere that didn't look decidely questionable).
Maybe I just used the wrong words.
I just did another search and found somewhere. It looks a little
questionable, but at least it's in the same city so I can actually go
there rather than just ordering off the Internet. No prices listed on
their website though.
The key cutting stores do sell some replacement remotes, but not this
particular type.
This Mazda remote also integrates the proper key (it flips-out from
the remote like a Swiss Amry knife), BUT it should still be easily
replaceable because the section that holds the key detaches so you can
get inside to replace the remote's battery. The badly-designed plastic
pins that hold the two pieces together are where it's broken and Mazda
charging NZ$500 to replace that is ridiculous.
Buzz Bumble

can you drill out the pins and replace them with maybe a fiberglass
rod?(from a hobby shop)
are the case halves still intact?

[Buzz Bumble]

Post by Jim Yanik

Post by Buzz Bumble
This Mazda remote also integrates the proper key (it flips-out from
the remote like a Swiss Amry knife), BUT it should still be easily
replaceable because the section that holds the key detaches so you can
get inside to replace the remote's battery. The badly-designed plastic
pins that hold the two pieces together are where it's broken and Mazda
charging NZ$500 to replace that is ridiculous.

can you drill out the pins and replace them with maybe a fiberglass
rod?(from a hobby shop) are the case halves still intact?

There was basically a plastic clip you had to push down to separate the
two parts and the clip has broken off so there's nothing to hold the two
parts together. As a temporary fix I tide the parts together with string
through the clip's hole, but somehow it worked loose and lost tightness.

Not sure if this will come through, but something like:

_____ _____ ___
| O | | \
| I_______X___| |
| | |
|_________| |___/

Push the O downwards through the hole with a pen or small screwdriver to
unclip the two sections. Where the X is the point the small clip has
broken (and now missing).

Whoever replaced the battery for the previous owner obviously did a rough
job and weakened the clip.

The place I found on Google yesterday seems to have the right one
<Loading Image...>, but
there's no prices listed and it may mean getting the key cut rather than
just swapping it over. I'll drive over there with the broken one when I
get more time, which won't be this week by the look of it.

Buzz Bumble

[j***@gmail.com]

Post by JimR

Post by willshak
You didn't find a keyhole somewhere around the truck lid, perhaps in the
area of the license plate light? It may only be visible by bending over
and looking up in that area.
That's where my daughter's Lexus has the keyhole.

That would not help. There is no actual key, just the electronic key
fob, which includes an RFID transponder.
JimR

Google searched a way to open my trunk with the battery dead, found this. While there is no trunk key access on the 2010 Nissan Altima, the key fob DOES have a key. Otherwise, what would be the point of the key access holes on the driver and passenger side doors? Back of the key fob, there is a little manual switch, hold it and pull the part that connects to the keychain. Voila, old fashioned key inside the key fob. Had to use that to get into my car with the battery dead, thought if I could get inside the trunk latch on the dash would open the trunk, but sadly it didn't. Can't believe they thought to include the key access holes on the doors, but not the trunk where people keep their emergency equipment for this very situation LOL

[t***@gmail.com]

There is an actual key. It is hidden inside the fob. Should be a tiny slide release on the back of the fob, push that down and pull up on the portion of the fob that connects to your key ring, that is the top of the actual key.

[p***@gmail.com]

No there is a key that locks into fob I guess it's called

[Your Name]

Post by p***@gmail.com
No there is a key that locks into fob I guess it's called

Not all cars have an actual key these days, nor even keyholes on the
doors or dashboard to put one into. All you get is the ridiculous
'proximity' keyfob. At the moment this stupidity is mostly on the
higher priced models, but it's slowly rippling down to the lower ones.

Nissan's silly keyfob doesn't have a key in it. You do get a real key
on most models, but it's separate. That means if you leave it at home
as a "spare", then your stuck if you lose the key fob. If you carry the
key, then why bother with the silly key fob??

The whole idea is simply a gimmick for the sake of it, and to appease
the lazy-ass generation who simply can't be bothered to insert a key
into a keyhold and turn it ... similar to the reason why the manual /
"stick shift" car is disappearing because lazy-asses can't be bothered
to change gears themselves, despite most real car drivers (as in those
who like deriving, rather than simply getting from A to B) perferring
the manual gearbox when asked, and yet still driving a silly automatic!
:-(

[d***@gmail.com]

People from looking at pictures on Google....the 2002 up to the current model altima driver side door handle has a key hole.....a key hole.....which means there a key in the fob!

[s***@gmail.com]

no help to the op, but yes the fob has a small slide on the back for these cars that allows you to pull out a key for the drivers door.

[r***@gmail.com]

In the back seat pull down the little armrest tans there will be a little plastic door, pull it down and inside on top by the speakers there will be a latch that you’re gonna have to push to the side. This will open your trunk

[d***@gmail.com]

Go in through the back seat. :))

[Your Name]

Post by d***@gmail.com
Go in through the back seat. :))

Or simply use the key ... oh wait, the ridiculously stupid new
"proximity fob" garbage doesn't actually have a proper key. Yet another
case of technology for the sake of it and an idea that wasn't fully
thought through in the rush to add another gimmick. :-\

[Nobod]

Post by Your Name

Post by d***@gmail.com
Go in through the back seat. :))

Or simply use the key ... oh wait, the ridiculously stupid new
"proximity fob" garbage doesn't actually have a proper key. Yet
another case of technology for the sake of it and an idea that
wasn't fully thought through in the rush to add another gimmick.
:-\

Buddies Ford Fusion has a key inside the fob.
Not a bad idea.
Also not a Nissan ;-)

[Your Name]

Post by Nobod

Post by Your Name

Post by d***@gmail.com
Go in through the back seat. :))

Or simply use the key ... oh wait, the ridiculously stupid new
"proximity fob" garbage doesn't actually have a proper key. Yet
another case of technology for the sake of it and an idea that
wasn't fully thought through in the rush to add another gimmick.
:-\

Buddies Ford Fusion has a key inside the fob.
Not a bad idea.
Also not a Nissan ;-)

Some car makers still have an actual key, some don't. Either way it's
rather silly just because people have become too lazy to bother putting
a key in a keyhole. :-\

[j***@gmail.com]

What if there was a hybrid battery and no way to fold the back seets because of the battery being the whole partition