NEED HELP! Locked out!

[chow]

Hey all,

So I have a 2008 A/C 3.5SE with power everything. I wintered the car improperly and did not remove the battery for trickle charging. The battery is completely fried and I can't even get into the car. I've used the physical key which I've inserted into the driver door to no avail. It turns, but nothing unlocks. My guess is that the locks are all electrically connected and the key just activates an electrical unlock signal. So with my dead battery, I'm stuck with a car that can't even open. Any suggestions?

I might just coat hangar it.

[devilmagic]

lol buy a new battery and replace the burn one

[chow]

I can't get into the car cause my battery is completely dead. Which means I can't access the trunk or the hood.

Remember: I've tried using the physical key on the back of the fob to MECHANICALLY unlock the car. This doesn't work. I'm guessing this car is powered by all electrical locks. Really REALLY stupid design.

[Rmuth25]

AAA

[danny1155]

Wow that sucks. Never thought about that problem.

[jahn surf irie]

yea AAA/locksmith to gain entry to pop the hood unless you can find a way to gain access to the hood locking mechanism which looks like a pain after I just took a look..

not many options unless you're willing to bust up your grille or jack the car and hope the hood latch cable is accessible.

not cool though, i was told that key should open the door.

makes me miss my e30 which i could pop the hood with a flat head through the grille

[rcboy514]

It should let you in, the mechanical key/lock mechanism isn't electronically controlled because that would make the mechanical key useless. But if it's not letting you in, then it's not letting you in....seems like there is a prob.

This may sound stupid, but I think you turn the mech key the opposite way that you would think, I'm sure you have tried both ways tho. Really wierd

I wonder if the wire that is connected to the locking mechanism came off or broke or something.

[elfenlied8]

nissan ftl

[RuD-bOi]

Something must be wrong wt ur lock. I store my A\C for the long winter months and completely remove my battery from the vehicle, and im still able to gain access wt the manuel key. The trunk is the only part of my car that i have no access too bc that is actually electronically controlled. lol u sure u turned the key both ways

[DAAN.]

lol RuD. or ... you sure it's your car
you know, they all look the same : )

actual key opens door, turn it ccw

[chow]

Yeah, I've turned it both ways until it CLICKS. I've read that they are electronic and am 99% sure they are.

Anyways, I got CAA over (AAA equivalent) and had the car broken into :P. What sucks is that the guy left SCRATCHES on the door sill where he inserted the rod from the side. I brought it up to him but he denied that he caused it because he used a wax slip before applying pressure to unlock the car (This will make sense to those who have had this done before). So now that I have my car booted up and power is available, my mechanical key works.

So moral of this story- don't let the batteries fully die.

[Tedders]

So now I find this posting! No, actually not really of matter. My friend's 2010 Rogue battery died prematurely (after a mere 3 years!?!?) So we tried using the physical key to open the door (fob isn't going to work if the battery is dead, OF COURSE!)...Hmmm, there's only one keyhole on the entire vehicle--yeah, I have a 2005 Chevy Colorado that they did the same stupid thing to save someone money I guess (geez thanks, they must have taken $50 off what would have been the $25,050 2005 pricetag) Nevertheless, back to the Nissan Rogue. UNLIKE my Colorado, the Rogue door doesn't open with the key if you don't have battery power (SAY WHAT?? - THE KEY DOESN'T OPERATE THE DOOR MECHANISM IF THERE IS NO BATTERY POWER???)
I originally signed up for this forum to see what in the world was wrong with my friend's Rogue that the key would turn both ways in the door lock BUT NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR??? So we got AAA to come pry open the door and unlock it by medieval means. Yup, after replacing the car battery everything works fine - key opens the door using the fob (no surprise) AND the KEY (WHAT - only NOW the physical key works on the door???).
Turns out that the Nissan company just likes to play horrible jokes on its customers. WHO designs a vechicle where a physical key has no physical function whatsoever to operate a door lock when the battery is dead, and the battery is located INSIDE OF THE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T FUNCTION IF THERE IS NO POWER????
I'm not saying NISSAN designers are stupid - they COULDN'T be THAT stupid... just merely MALICIOUS and devious in nature.
I had a Pathfinder in the 90's. Wasn't a bad vehicle UNTIL....
The front steering tie-rod broke in my driveway as I was maneuvering my boat on the trailer right after I returned from a 120 mile boat on trailer adventure - BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE FACING OUTWARD - THE LEFT SIDE WAS GOING LEFT AND THE RIGHT SIDE WAS GOING RIGHT!! Had I still been out on the road when it happened I cannot imagine the result on the highway at 70mph with a 5000lb boat and trailer on the back.
My friend's sister has a 2010 Maxima--it's old I guess (not that many miles actually), but also riddled with problems, especially cooling.

[VStar650CL]

There was something wrong with that lock if it wouldn't open with the hard key. Possibly trying to work the fob with a dead battery caused the actuator to stick the latch in a bad position. The linkage from the cylinder to the latch is purely mechanical, so nothing else explains that.

[Tedders]

Okay, thank you VStar. I wasn't there when my friend initially tried to unlock the doors with a dead battery. Your answer seems plausible. Possibly would not have been a problem if Nissan had just put at least 2 key locks on the vehicle. I still have my 2005 Colorado and the stupid fobs won't stay on the keychain anymore. I can't open the passenger door for my wife without going around to the driver's side, opening that door, pressing the doors unlock button, and going back around to the other side to attempt to be a gentleman--all bets off when it's raining or snowing! Mischievous car manufacturers!